Taipei Main Station: Shopping & Getting Around Taiwan’s Metro

Taipei Main Station is the major transportation hub for Taipei City. The station is a meeting point for the metro subway system, local bus, regional rail, high-speed rail, long distance buses, and sightseeing tour buses, with the MRT from Taoyuan Airport terminating at Taipei Main Station.

Remarkably, the site’s significance as a transportation focal point dates back to 1891, with the establishment of the original Taipei Railway Wharf during the Qing Dynasty. This initial structure laid the groundwork for the area’s enduring role in facilitating connectivity. During the subsequent Japanese colonial era, the station underwent significant architectural evolution, culminating in the construction of a notable red-brick edifice around 1897, reflecting the prevailing Renaissance-inspired design sensibilities.

Beyond its primary function, Taipei Main Station is strategically situated within a vibrant commercial district, offering a spectrum of retail and dining experiences. An intricate network of interconnected shopping malls extends from the main station building, providing a compelling array of shopping opportunities and culinary choices for both travelers and local residents. These subterranean and above-ground commercial spaces present a unique opportunity for exploration and discovery.

Adding to its modern convenience, Taipei Main Station serves as the crucial terminus for the Taipei Metro line originating from Taoyuan International Airport. This direct link provides seamless accessibility for international arrivals, positioning the station as a primary gateway to the city. Furthermore, the current station structure is distinguished by its architecturally significant roof, a deliberate design choice evoking the grandeur of traditional Chinese palace architecture. This blend of modern functionality and traditional aesthetics underscores the station’s unique character. Exploring the immediate vicinity of Taipei Main Station offers a compelling introduction to the city’s vibrant energy, historical depth, and diverse offerings, making it a noteworthy destination in its own right.

Things to Do Near Taipei Main Station

Taipei Main Station and its connecting shopping malls are full of things to do. You will find video arcades, which are frequently busy with the after-school crowd, with free-to play video games. Themed restaurants and boutiques fill the malls, and the underground metro gift shop on level B1 is a popular place to shop for souvenirs in Taipei.

Restaurants & Food to Try Near Taipei Main Station

Taipei Main Station has multiple levels and many options for shopping, food and drinks. There are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat inside the station as well as outside in the surrounding area that features shopping malls and food stalls.

Quick Bites Near Taipei Main Station

The area surrounding Taipei Main Station is packed with food stalls. Take your pick of Taiwan’s street food favorites – like boba milk tea or rice rolls – from the plentiful food stalls or the neighborhood night markets. You also can find many food stalls at various points inside the station with choices ranging from rice snacks and drinks to deep fried squid. Boba milk tea, also called pearl tea or bubble tea, originated in Taipei and can be found anywhere in the city.

Sit-Down Restaurants Near Taipei Main Station

Check out Thai Town Cuisine for a casual dining experience from a chain restaurant featuring standard Thai food choices including sizzling beef and noodles. Make a quick stop at Tonchin Taipei Station Restaurant or pop in to the chain restaurant, IPPUDO Breeze Taipei Station for a hot bowl of ramen noodles. The location of restaurants inside the station makes it very easy to find good food to eat no matter where you are headed.

Maid Cafes by Taipei Main Station

Taipei City Mall houses many quirky and different restaurants and food stalls. A maid café is a decidedly unusual take on a café. The mostly female staff dress in French maid outfits and address customers as servants would. Food and beverage choices are not out of the ordinary, and prices reflect those in other, more ordinary cafés.

Check in to the 4-star Guide Hotel Taipei Chongqing, located at No.62 Sec.1 Chongqing N. Rd, Taipei Main Station, with free wifi in all rooms.

Step out to Ningxia Night Market to experience an enormous selection of classic Taiwanese snacks including egg/oyster omelets and fried squid on a stick.

Shopping Near Taipei Main Station

Taipei Main Station is situated in a commercial district with plenty of retail shopping suited to students, commuters, and tourists. The station is connected to many shopping malls above and below ground and has an enormous variety of merchandise for sale. Taipei is a shopping destination and the area around and below Taipei Main Station is a bonanza for retail and food.

Taipei City Mall

Taipei City Mall is an underground shopping mall connected to Taipei Main Station. The mall is full of retail shopping and dining. Check out the collection of shops selling an enormous variety of Anime and Manga merchandise including posters and figures. The center is packed full of shops with quirky t-shirts, hats, and touristy souvenirs. This large shopping center includes video game arcades and stages where local amateurs put on performances for charity or just for fun.

Other Local Shopping

Taipei City Mall is only one of several shopping malls connected to Taipei Main Station. Taipei New World Shopping Center and Zhongshan Metro Mall also offer varied shopping experiences within the main station complex. Breeze Taipei Station, Q Square, and NOVA computer market can be found in or around Taipei Main Station. Taipei’s central station is also home to the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store which has 12 levels of shopping.

Check in to Royal Seasons Hotel Taipei-Nanjing W, located at 326, Nanjing W.RD., Taipei Main Station, for a 4-star hotel with air conditioning and free wifi in all rooms.

Step out to Taipei Xiahai City God Temple which has the highest statue density in Taiwan and is a popular spot for singles looking for love or for couples looking for blessings of good fortune.

Public Transit at Taipei Main Station

Taipei Main Station is where all forms of public transit in Taipei meet. You will find access to the double decker tour buses, Taipei MRT metro, high-speed rail, local and regional bus, and Taiwan Rail systems at Taipei central station.

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours

Both lines of Taipei’s double decker Hop On Hop Off bus tour lines leave from Taipei Main Station and visit major tourist sites in Taipei City. Tour bus rides are available by day pass ticket which is good for either the red or blue line buses. Both bus lines begin along the same route but then split off to explore different destinations from the city’s North Gate and beyond.

Taipei Subway

The MRT metro rapid transit subway connects to Taipei Main Station with four metro lines connecting there. Metro lines on the map are color coded but use the names of their terminal station, and station transfers are relatively close together. The Taipei MRT Metro is well-integrated with the other forms of Taipei public transit options. The Taoyuan Airport MRT line is not technically part of the metro system but does connect to the airport from Taipei Main Station.

High Speed Rail from Taipei Main Station

The high-speed rail system connects passengers to long-distance trains travelling along the coast of Taiwan from Taipei Main Station. Trains operated by the Taiwan Railway Administration connect Taipei to locations all over Taiwan from Taipei Main Station. The high-speed rail system is commonly referred to as the Gaotie and is the main method for travelers going south from Taipei.

Local Bus Service from Taipei Main Station

Taipei Main Station is surrounded by bus stops connecting to the local bus transit system, and the Taipei Bus Station is directly across the street. The local bus system is extensive and reaches to all areas of Taipei with few necessary transfers. Passengers can connect to the long-distance bus system station outside East Exit 3, where they also can connect to the express airport bus.

Taiwan Railways from Taipei Main Station

Taiwan Railways, Taiwan’s national rail system, can be accessed from Taipei Main Station. The rail system reaches many locations in Taiwan. Most Taiwan Railway Authority trains from Taipei Main Station travel north. Southbound travelers typically use the high-speed rail system for destinations outside Taipei.

Taxis from Taipei Main Station

Taipei has an efficient and affordable taxi system to get around the city. Taxis are available from Taipei Main Station at all hours of the day and night and are generally safe. Most taxis have standard rates, and many take credit cards as well as cash. Most taxi services are provided in Mandarin, but taxis can be booked over the phone in English.

Navigating Public Transit in Taipei

It is relatively easy to get around on Taipei’s metro system. Signage is multilingual with directions printed in English, Mandarin, and Hanyu Pinyin, a simplified form of Chinese. Maps are color coded and metro lines are referred to by their terminal station. Much signage on buses and trains is bilingual with English and Chinese lettering. The bus system is run by a patchwork of ownership systems, so signage language may not be consistent across the routes.

Airport Access from Taipei Main Station

There is easy direct access from Taipei Main Station to Taoyuan Airport. The Airport MRT line runs from Taipei Main Station and connects Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan with Taoyuan Airport. You can also take the airport bus from the Taipei central station to the airport.

Caesar Park Hotel Taipei

Hotels Near Taipei Main Station

The bustling commercial area surrounding Taipei Main Station is home to restaurants, shops, and hotels. Caesar Park Hotel Taipei is located at No. 38 Chung Hsiao West Road, Section 1, Taipei Main Station, and is very close to shopping, transit, and dining. The hotel has an excellent location and offers an airport transfer and has currency exchange services.

Y Hotel

The 3-star Y Hotel, located at 19 XuChang St., Taipei Main Station, has air conditioning and free wifi in all guest rooms. This is a prime location close to absolutely everything.

Check in to Cosmos Hotel Taipei, located at 43 Sec. 1, Chung-Hsiao W. Road, Taipei Main Station, for a 4-star hotel experience located right next to public transit options.

Step out to Shandao Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Taiwan.