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Taipei Travel Guide: MRT Express Links, Elephant Mountain Views, and Night Markets

Surrounded by subtropical volcanic hills and river parks in northern Taiwan, Taipei links monumental civic squares, incense-filled Qing-dynasty temples, and bustling street-food night markets along a spotless, colour-coded MRT system.

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Taoyuan Airport MRT Express (35 min) and the EasyCard

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) connects directly to Taipei Main Station in 35 to 39 minutes on the purple Express trains of the Taoyuan Airport MRT (avoid the blue Commuter trains unless stopping at intermediate stations). Smaller Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA) sits right inside the city on the Brown MRT Wenhu Line.

Buy an EasyCard (YouYouKa) at the airport MRT counter or convenience store: it works across Taipei MRT, city buses, YouBike 2.0 shared bicycles, Maokong Gondola, and local TRA trains out to Ruifang (for Jiufen and Shifen).

  • Board the purple Express train on the Taoyuan Airport MRT from TPE to Taipei Main Station (35 min).
  • Pick up an EasyCard for MRT lines, buses, YouBike 2.0, and local TRA trains.
  • Note the strict Taipei MRT rule: eating, drinking (including water), and chewing gum are prohibited once you cross the yellow fare-gate line.

Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration: Lungshan Temple, Taiwan Tourism Administration: Dihua Street

Choosing between Ximending/Taipei Main Station, Da’an/Dongmen, and Xinyi

Staying around Taipei Main Station or Ximending puts the Airport MRT terminal, HSR/TRA rail lines, and Red/Blue MRT lines steps away. Along the Red and Orange lines around Dongmen, Yongkang Street, and Da’an Park, tree-lined alleys offer soup-dumpling (xiao long bao) restaurants, teahouses, and calm residential nights.

To the east, Xinyi places you among glassy department stores, Taipei 101, and the trailhead for Elephant Mountain.

  • Dongmen and Da’an: leafy neighbourhood cafés, Yongkang Street dining, and direct Red/Orange MRT access.
  • Ximending and Taipei Main Station: fastest links to the Airport MRT, High Speed Rail, and historic Dihua Street.
  • Xinyi: modern skyline hotels right beside Taipei 101 and Elephant Mountain.

Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration: Dihua Street, Taipei City Government: Dadaocheng Wharf

Two-day historic temples, Elephant Mountain sunset, and Jiufen mountain route

Day one visits Longshan Temple in Wanhua and the traditional herbal and tea shophouses of Dihua Street (Dadaocheng) in the morning, walks across the vast liberty plaza of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (watching the ceremonial guard march), rides the Red MRT line to Xiangshan to climb the stone steps of Elephant Mountain for sunset over Taipei 101, and dines at Raohe Street or Ningxia Night Market.

Day two visits the National Palace Museum’s imperial jade and bronze treasures in Shilin at opening, then takes direct Bus 965 (from Beimen/Ximen) or the TRA train to Ruifang to explore the lantern-lit hillside staircases and teahouses of Jiufen and the Shifen Waterfall.

  • Day 1: Longshan Temple, Dihua Street, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) sunset, and Raohe Night Market.
  • Day 2: National Palace Museum at 09:00, then afternoon trip via Bus 965 or Ruifang train to Jiufen and Shifen.
  • Night market tip: Raohe Street Night Market (next to rainbow Ciyou Temple at Songshan station) and Ningxia Night Market are the easiest food-focused markets to navigate.

Sources: Taiwan Tourism Administration: Lungshan Temple, Taiwan Tourism Administration: Dihua Street, Taipei City Government: Dadaocheng Wharf, Bopiliao Historic Block: About

Subtropical rain showers, MRT food rules, and Elephant Mountain stairs

October through April offers cooler walking temperatures (around 16 °C to 24 °C), though northeast monsoon drizzle is frequent across northern Taiwan and especially up in hillside Jiufen; always carry a compact umbrella. May to September is hot and humid, making early-morning walks and evening night markets ideal.

When climbing Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan), start from Exit 2 of Xiangshan MRT station 45 minutes before sunset, bring water and mosquito repellent, and walk past the crowded Six Giant Rocks to the slightly higher viewing platforms.

  • Never drink water or snack inside Taipei MRT paid areas or carriages (fines apply).
  • Pack a folding umbrella for Jiufen’s mountain microclimate in any month of the year.
  • Keep paper lottery receipts (Uniform Invoices) or store them digitally, and carry cash for night market stalls.

Sources