Got a Taipei layover, or landing at Taoyuan late at night? Here's what you need for October 2026: the last Airport MRT trains, how to get into the city after midnight, the free transit tour, the NT$600 layover voucher, and what to do with 8, 12 or 24 hours. We're a 24-hour darts bar in Taipei's East District, so plenty of our late-night customers are exactly this crowd.
Before you land: the online arrival card
Taiwan dropped paper arrival cards on 1 October 2025. Foreign visitors fill in the Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online, free, at twac.immigration.gov.tw; since 15 July 2026 you can do it up to 7 days before arrival. Sites that charge a fee are not the official one. Check whether your passport is visa-exempt on the Bureau of Consular Affairs site before you plan to leave the airport.
Taoyuan Airport MRT: last and first trains
| Route | Express | Commuter (all stops) |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 to Taipei Main Station, last train | 22:58 | 23:37 |
| Terminal 2 to Taipei Main Station, last train | 22:55 | 23:35 |
| Taipei Main Station to airport, first train | 05:30 | 06:08 |
The express takes about 35 to 40 minutes, the commuter about 50. Both cost NT$160, and you can tap in with a contactless Visa, Mastercard or JCB, or Apple Pay and Google Pay. These times are from the official timetable valid to 30 November 2026, so check tymetro.com.tw before you fly.
How to get from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei at night
Miss the last train and you have two options:
- Kuo-Kuang bus 1819: runs 24 hours to Taipei Bus Station (4th floor, next to Taipei Main Station), about an hour. Fares are roughly NT$130 to 170 depending on seat type. Late at night buses are less frequent, and ticket counters may be closed, so have an EasyCard ready.
- Taxi or Uber: expect about NT$1,200 to 1,600 to central Taipei by airport taxi (meter plus 15% airport surcharge, highway tolls extra). Uber's own page lists the recent average UberX airport fare at about NT$1,400. Late at night, book ahead.
Free transit tour and the NT$600 layover voucher
The Free Half-Day Tour is still running in 2026 for layovers of 7 to 24 hours (you need to be visa-exempt or hold a valid visa). The morning tour goes to Tamsui, the afternoon one covers Dadaocheng, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Ximending. Book online at halfdaytour.taiwan.net.tw before you arrive; the coach can't take luggage, so store bags at the airport first.
The NT$600 airport voucher is for foreign passport holders transiting at Taoyuan who enter Taiwan for under 24 hours: register online, then collect it at the tourism service centre with your passport and onward boarding pass. It's spendable at partner shops in the airport. The program runs until 31 October 2026 or until funds run out, so check it's still on.
What to do with 8 hours, 12 hours, or overnight
| Layover | What works |
|---|---|
| Under 8 hours | Stay airside: rest areas, free showers, the voucher if it's still running |
| 8 hours (daytime) | Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station and pick one area: Ximending, Dihua Street or Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall |
| 12 hours | Book the free half-day tour, or go into the city and hit one night market (most wind down around midnight) |
| Overnight | Land before about 23:30 and take the MRT; later than that, bus 1819 or a taxi. Or stay at the airport (below) |
A rough rule: immigration and the train eat about an hour and a half each way, and you want to be back 2 to 3 hours before departure, so an 8-hour layover leaves only 2 to 3 hours in the city.
Staying at Taoyuan Airport overnight
The terminals are open 24 hours. Airside there are rest zones with loungers and free showers. If you'd rather lie flat, CHO Stay capsule hotel is on the 5th floor of Terminal 2 (book online, no walk-ins), and Plaza Premium has transit rooms airside in Terminal 2. For food at 3 am, the convenience stores in both terminals are open around the clock.
Wide awake in Taipei at 2 am
Jet lag doesn't care what time it is. For food, see our list of 24-hour food in Taipei: dim sum, soy milk shops and beef noodles that really are open all night. For something to do, AI DARTS runs Phoenix electronic dartboards 24 hours a day, no cover charge, bring your own drinks, on Ln. 345, Sec. 4, Ren'ai Rd, between Zhongxiao Dunhua and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. A taxi from Taipei Main Station takes about 15 minutes at night. Never played? Read your first time at a darts bar, and check the menu.
FAQ
Q: Can you leave Taoyuan Airport during a layover?
A: Yes, if you're visa-exempt or hold a valid visa and have time to clear immigration both ways. Fill in the online arrival card first.
Q: What time is the last Airport MRT to Taipei?
A: About 23:35 from Terminal 2 and 23:37 from Terminal 1 (commuter trains). The last express is around 22:55.
Q: How do I get to Taipei after midnight?
A: Kuo-Kuang bus 1819 runs 24 hours to Taipei Main Station, or take a taxi or Uber for about NT$1,200 to 1,600.
Q: Is Taoyuan Airport open 24 hours?
A: Yes. You can rest airside, shower for free, or book the capsule hotel in Terminal 2.