Overview
Taipei is Taiwan's energetic capital, where steaming bowls of beef noodle soup, lively night markets and mist-wrapped mountains sit beside one of Asia's friendliest, most walkable city centres. It works well as a long-haul trip in its own right or paired with Japan or South-East Asia. For a sense of current fares from the UK, see the price charts on this page.
Best time to fly to Taipei
Autumn (October to early December) is the sweet spot: warm, drier days, lower humidity and little typhoon risk. Spring is pleasant but can be damp, summer is hot and humid with a peak typhoon season from July to September, and winters in the north are mild but often grey, around 15-20C. Fares and crowds spike around Chinese New Year (late January or February), so avoid that week if you can. The When to book chart above shows how prices move through the year.
Airlines and routes
Taiwan's two major carriers, EVA Air and China Airlines, fly direct from London Heathrow to Taipei Taoyuan in a typical 13 to 14 hours. From Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and elsewhere in the UK you will normally connect once, either through London or via a hub such as Amsterdam with KLM, Frankfurt with Lufthansa, Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, or Hong Kong, Bangkok or the Gulf with their respective airlines. One-stop journeys usually take 16 to 20 hours depending on the layover.
Things to do in Taipei
Taipei rewards curious travellers with world-class museums, temple courtyards and hillside hot springs, nearly all within easy reach of the metro.
- Taipei 101: Ride to the observation deck of the landmark skyscraper for sweeping views over the city and surrounding hills.
- National Palace Museum: One of the world's great collections of Chinese imperial art, jade and calligraphy.
- Shilin Night Market: The city's largest and best-known street-food market, made for an evening of grazing.
- Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall: A vast ceremonial square with gardens and a changing of the guard.
- Beitou hot springs: A short metro ride north for public and private thermal baths in a wooded valley.
At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)
Taoyuan Airport sits about 40km west of central Taipei. The quickest route in is the Taoyuan Airport MRT, which reaches Taipei Main Station in roughly 35 to 40 minutes on the express service. Round-the-clock coaches cost a little less and take around an hour, while a metered taxi takes 40 to 50 minutes. A few regional flights use the smaller Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA), which is right in the city and minutes from the metro.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Taipei
- Book roughly two to five months ahead for long-haul value; last-minute fares to Taipei are rarely a bargain.
- Fly midweek and steer clear of the summer holidays, Chinese New Year and the autumn peak where you can.
- Use a flexible-date search to compare a spread of departure days, and check the When to book chart above before you commit.
- Compare EVA Air and China Airlines direct services against one-stop routes from your local airport, which can sometimes work out cheaper.
Travel essentials
British passport holders do not need a visa for tourism in Taiwan and can stay for up to 90 days; your passport should be valid for the length of your trip. The currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$). Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for night markets and smaller eateries, and pick up an EasyCard for buses and the metro. No special vaccinations are required; most visitors drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap. Taiwan is seven to eight hours ahead of the UK.
