Taiwan advise needed

[vspecll_gtr]

I will be transiting in Taiwan via Eva Air:

Flight details are as follows:

SIN - Taoyuan arrive in taiwan in evening on 8th Dec
SongShan - Haneda depart in morning 7.30am on 12th Dec
Haneda - Songshan arrive back in taiwan at 1.30pm on 20th
Taoyuan - SIN depart taiwan at 7.40am on 22nd

SIN - Taoyuan
I intend to stay in XMD or in taipei city from 8th - 12th

Haneda - Songshan
I would have no choice but to stay near Taoyuan Airport on 20th and 21st.

I would like to get some advise from the veteran travellers here:

1) how is the mrt in Taiwan? Do they start early and morning crowd is bad like in SG?

2) or should I travel via Taxi? is the traffic bad in the morning? for my departure to Haneda & SIN both are 7.30 & 7.40am.

3) I will be travelling with 2 kids, and I will think I will have 2 large luggage and 2 medium luggage in tow when returning. Will it be a problem in taiwan?

4) Is there shuttle buses to Airport like in Japan?

5) I will probably be covering XMD, Jui Fen Pu, Shilin Night market, Wu fen Pu and other night market in Taipei / Taoyuan. Have anyone have better ideas?

6) any recommended places to go to in Taiwan? or which other night market worth to visit?

Thank you very much!

 

[calkel20]

I will be transiting in Taiwan via Eva Air:

Flight details are as follows:

SIN - Taoyuan arrive in taiwan in evening on 8th Dec
SongShan - Haneda depart in morning 7.30am on 12th Dec
Haneda - Songshan arrive back in taiwan at 1.30pm on 20th
Taoyuan - SIN depart taiwan at 7.40am on 22nd

SIN - Taoyuan
I intend to stay in XMD or in taipei city from 8th - 12th

Haneda - Songshan
I would have no choice but to stay near Taoyuan Airport on 20th and 21st.

I would like to get some advise from the veteran travellers here:

1) how is the mrt in Taiwan? Do they start early and morning crowd is bad like in SG?

How early?

2) or should I travel via Taxi? is the traffic bad in the morning? for my departure to Haneda & SIN both are 7.30 & 7.40am.

Cab, no other choice and leave early.

3) I will be travelling with 2 kids, and I will think I will have 2 large luggage and 2 medium luggage in tow when returning. Will it be a problem in taiwan?

Still cab.

4) Is there shuttle buses to Airport like in Japan?

Yes. But with so much luggage, no way. Quite hard to move around.

5) I will probably be covering XMD, Jui Fen Pu, Shilin Night market, Wu fen Pu and other night market in Taipei / Taoyuan. Have anyone have better ideas?

A skeletal project will be good enough. Fill it in as days come around.

6) any recommended places to go to in Taiwan? or which other night market worth to visit?

Let us not be greedy, seriously, you time in Taiwan or Taipei so limited by your timeline.

Thank you very much!

Left my comments for your reference.

 

[Andrew833]

I will be transiting in Taiwan via Eva Air:

Flight details are as follows:

SIN - Taoyuan arrive in taiwan in evening on 8th Dec
SongShan - Haneda depart in morning 7.30am on 12th Dec
Haneda - Songshan arrive back in taiwan at 1.30pm on 20th
Taoyuan - SIN depart taiwan at 7.40am on 22nd

SIN - Taoyuan
I intend to stay in XMD or in taipei city from 8th - 12th

Haneda - Songshan
I would have no choice but to stay near Taoyuan Airport on 20th and 21st.

I would like to get some advise from the veteran travellers here:

1) how is the mrt in Taiwan? Do they start early and morning crowd is bad like in SG?

2) or should I travel via Taxi? is the traffic bad in the morning? for my departure to Haneda & SIN both are 7.30 & 7.40am.

3) I will be travelling with 2 kids, and I will think I will have 2 large luggage and 2 medium luggage in tow when returning. Will it be a problem in taiwan?

4) Is there shuttle buses to Airport like in Japan?

5) I will probably be covering XMD, Jui Fen Pu, Shilin Night market, Wu fen Pu and other night market in Taipei / Taoyuan. Have anyone have better ideas?

6) any recommended places to go to in Taiwan? or which other night market worth to visit?

Thank you very much!

If your flight is 7am+, you need to be out by 4am+. Only choice is cab.
Songshan is smaller airport, can go 1 hr adv + travel time.

As Calkel said, your time is limited. You can stay in XMD or TMS area, do some day trip. Wu fen Pu not worth going, price no longer cheap.

Night markets - Shilin night market and Raohe night market.

 

[vspecll_gtr]

Thanks calkel20 & Andrew833

TMS is Taipei Main station yeah?

I heard WFP prices cheap if only purchase in bulk?

And staying near Song Shan Airport or Taoyuan Airport , does it help with transportation woes?

4 days in Taipei insufficient?

What do you both do in Taipei if you travel?

Thanks!

 

[dede1217]

Thanks calkel20 & Andrew833

TMS is Taipei Main station yeah?

I heard WFP prices cheap if only purchase in bulk?

And staying near Song Shan Airport or Taoyuan Airport , does it help with transportation woes?

4 days in Taipei insufficient?

What do you both do in Taipei if you travel?

Thanks!

TMS is Taipei Main Station

Normally would book 4/5 days in taipei ...
For taipei, can go to
Shifen, jiufen, cat village, jinguangshi
raohe , wufengpu, taipei 101
xmd, shilin, ningxia , carrefour to buy snacks, etc
taipei zoo maokong gondola
other attractions: yeliu, leofoo garden, window on china theme park

 

[calkel20]

Thanks calkel20 & Andrew833

TMS is Taipei Main station yeah?

I heard WFP prices cheap if only purchase in bulk?

And staying near Song Shan Airport or Taoyuan Airport , does it help with transportation woes?

4 days in Taipei insufficient?

What do you both do in Taipei if you travel?

Thanks!

Wufenpu is not where i will go since most stuff comes from china.
Taipei just move ard n dine lor.

 

[vspecll_gtr]

Thanks dede1217 & calkel20

will consider the rest of the attractions which you have mentioned.

If I am not mistaken night markets are:

1) Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia are night markets, which I suppose I will try to visit all on the 8/9/10 evening

2) Jiufen maybe I will drop by one of the days to at least try to light the lantern thingy

3) Wufengpu, taipei 101 & Raohe in a day

4) XMD & Ningxia in another day

 

[dede1217]

Wufenpu is not where i will go since most stuff comes from china.
Taipei just move ard n dine lor.

Few years back when we went to Taipei, would go to wufengpu ...
since some of the shirts, they are selling at 100 twd , those le long type ...
quality is still decent ...
recent years didnt travel there anymore ...

 

[dede1217]

Thanks dede1217 & calkel20

will consider the rest of the attractions which you have mentioned.

If I am not mistaken night markets are:

1) Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia are night markets, which I suppose I will try to visit all on the 8/9/10 evening

2) Jiufen maybe I will drop by one of the days to at least try to light the lantern thingy

3) Wufengpu, taipei 101 & Raohe in a day

4) XMD & Ningxia in another day

Jiufen is more of lao jie ... Shifen is the place where you put sky lantern ...
Would be good to book your own driver.
Taipei Main Station to Jiufen alone would take you at least 1.5 hours ...

There is also klook bus which would bring you to Jiufen etc, $25+ per person

9:15am meet up at GaKuDen Bakery (near exit 4 of Ximen Station)
9:30am depart to Jiufen
10:30am Jiufen (120 minutes)
12:30pm depart to Shifen Waterfall
1:20pm Shifen Waterfall (60 minutes)
2:20pm depart to Shifen Old Street
2:30pm Shifen Old Street (60 minutes)
3:30pm return GaKuDen Bakery (near exit 4 of Ximen Station)
4:30pm arrive at GaKuDen Bakery (near exit 4 of Ximen Station)

 

[vspecll_gtr]

Thanks dede1217

So have you been to Jiu fen? worth it to head down with 1.5 hours and $100 of bus tickets?

or would it make sense to book a driver?

Thanks!

 

[calkel20]

Few years back when we went to Taipei, would go to wufengpu ...
since some of the shirts, they are selling at 100 twd , those le long type ...
quality is still decent ...
recent years didnt travel there anymore ...

Not even in my list.

Never been there.
Will shop at night markets though.
Or if just T, maybe bangkok is the preferred choice.

 

[vspecll_gtr]

Any one knows how strict is Taiwan's airport departure?

Like do I have to check in 2 hours before or 1 hour before is fine too?

Thank you!

 

[calkel20]

Any one knows how strict is Taiwan's airport departure?

Like do I have to check in 2 hours before or 1 hour before is fine too?

Thank you!

Usually 3hr.
Do not attempt 1hr.
1.5 is the shortest i will do.
If terminal 2 taoyuan departure, put it as 2hrs before flight.

 

[homedriver]

June can go? Is it raining season ?

 

[calkel20]

June can go? Is it raining season ?

Now started a bit of rain iao.
But not typhoon.
So still go lor.

 

[dede1217]

Any one knows how strict is Taiwan's airport departure?

Like do I have to check in 2 hours before or 1 hour before is fine too?

Thank you!

For Taipei departure, normally would arrive 1.5 hours before departure
depending on your airline . for jetstar, is 45 minutes before departure ...
they usually open up about 4 counters at least ...

For scoot, normally their queue is super long for bigger plane...
might need to wait awhile for your turn ...

 

[Andrew833]

Any one knows how strict is Taiwan's airport departure?

Like do I have to check in 2 hours before or 1 hour before is fine too?

Thank you!

I always standard one 2hrs + 1hr travel time before departure. You go late, queue longer and very rush. Holiday must relax

 

[dede1217]

I always standard one 2hrs + 1hr travel time before departure. You go late, queue longer and very rush. Holiday must relax

Haha experienced the rush few times before ...
Is very scary lol ...
though not much people left in the queue

there was once, taking bus to the airport ... the bus just left few minutes ago, and we have to wait for another 20 minutes or so ... is just some random bus stop

Did arrived very early before, but the counter havent open yet .
they open the counter about 2 hours prior to departure

 

[Andrew833]

Haha experienced the rush few times before ...
Is very scary lol ...
though not much people left in the queue

there was once, taking bus to the airport ... the bus just left few minutes ago, and we have to wait for another 20 minutes or so ... is just some random bus stop

Did arrived very early before, but the counter havent open yet .
they open the counter about 2 hours prior to departure

Yes, counter usually open about 2hr prior to departure so 2hr reach airport just nice, only free ppl.
Only other countries small airport open vey late.

 

[dede1217]

Yes, counter usually open about 2hr prior to departure so 2hr reach airport just nice, only free ppl.
Only other countries small airport open vey late.

people normally start to queue up 2+ hours before their staff prepare to open the counter lol ... that time reached 2 hours prior to departure, was already 5 or 6th in the queue already ...

Heng normally fly Jetstar, lower chance to flight delay
smaller aircraft, lesser people queue up at the counter