How To Navigate Taipei Main Station With Confidence (台北車站)
Taipei Main Station has a reputation. Even locals call it a maze. I’ve lived with this station my whole life, and once in a while, I still get lost.
I’m Grace. I grew up in Taipei and now live in the United States, but I return every summer to spend time with family and friends. When I’m in Taipei, Taipei Main Station becomes a regular part of my life.
I take trains here to visit family in other parts of Taiwan, often heading to Hualien. I transfer the MRT lines here to get around the city, and I sometimes meet friends for meals on the 2nd floor of the station.
After using this station for years, I’ve learned a few things that make it much less overwhelming. Here are the tips I wish every first-time visitor knew.
Navigating Taipei Main Station With Confidence
Understand The Station Before You Go
Taipei Main Station brings several transportation systems together in one place:
- MRT (捷運) – the Red Line and Blue Line stop here.
- Airport MRT (機場捷運) – connects Taipei with Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).
- HSR (高鐵) – Taiwan’s high-speed train, connecting Taipei with major cities along the west coast.
- TRA (台鐵) – Taiwan’s regular railway, serving cities and towns across the island.
The confusing part is that these systems aren’t all next to each other. The TRA and HSR sit close together, but the Airport MRT is farther away from the regular MRT. The station also stretches across multiple underground levels, with malls and walkways connecting everything.
The map above gives you a basic idea of where each system is. It won’t show you every hallway and staircase, but that’s fine. You don’t need to memorize the station, you just need to know the general direction you’re heading.
As you can see, aside from the TRA and HSR platforms being right next to each other, the Airport MRT and the regular MRT (Blue and Red Lines) are actually quite far apart. So if you’re transferring between these systems, be prepared for a longer walk.
Know How Long transfers Take
These walking times are based on my own experiences:
| Transfer | Approximate walking time |
|---|---|
| MRT Red Line ↔ Blue Line | 3 minutes |
| Airport MRT → MRT Red/Blue Lines | 15+ minutes |
| Airport MRT → Beimen MRT Station (Green Line) | About 5 minutes |
| Airport MRT → TRA/HSR | About 10 minutes |
| TRA → MRT Red/Blue Lines | About 10 minutes |
| HSR → MRT Red/Blue Lines | About 10 minutes |
The Airport MRT to the regular MRT is the one I’d pay attention to. Fifteen minutes doesn’t sound like much until you’re pulling a suitcase or trying to catch a train.
If you’re heading toward the Green Line, Beimen Station can be a better option, about a five-minute walk from the Airport MRT instead.
If you’re coming from the TRA and want the MRT Red or Blue Line, walk along the platform toward Car 10 and take the escalator down to B3. From the HSR, the equivalent point is near Car 9, also down to B3.
What To Expect Inside The Station
You might go up a set of stairs, down a hallway, take an escalator, turn a corner, and still feel like you’re not quite where you expected to be.
I’ve done this myself more times than I’d like to admit.
Once, my son wanted to visit the gachapon shops in Zone Y of the underground mall. We were coming from Zhongshan Underground Mall, and I was following the signs the whole way, or so I thought. We ended up going in a circle instead.
Another time, I was trying to get from the TRA to M3 exit which is above ground. Same thing, I thought I was reading the signs correctly, but somehow ended up in the wrong spot.
Both times, the fix was the same. I walked back to the last place I was sure about and looked again. And both times, I found a sign I’d missed the first time.
Part of the reason is that the station wasn’t built all at once.
Getting from one system to another often means going down, up, down again, choosing between stairs, an escalator, or an elevator at every point, and every one of those points has its own set of signs. With that many signs stacked together, it’s easy to catch most of them and miss the one you needed.
My advice is to glance at the station map beforehand so you have a general idea of where each type of transportation is located. Once you’re in the station, pay attention to the signs as you walk.
If you feel like you’ve gone the wrong way, don’t keep guessing. Go back to the last spot you were confident about and slow down.
And don’t feel awkward to ask for help. Station staff are helpful, and the locals are friendly. Most of the time, someone will be happy to point you in the right direction.
Where To Take Taxi Or Uber From Taipei Main Station
There are a couple of taxi stands at Taipei Main Station, where drivers line up and wait for their turn. One is outside of East 3 Exit (ground floor), the other is near the Airport MRT (underground).
Other than these 2 designated taxi stands, taxis aren’t allowed to pick up passengers directly on the streets surrounding Taipei Main Station, so even if you wave at an empty cab, most drivers won’t stop.
If you prefer using Uber, the most reliable place to meet your driver is Exit M3 near Cosmos Hotel Taipei (see it on Google Maps). If you are already on the ground floor, just use the East 3 exit. You will see the pick up location which is about 150 meters, once you are outside of the station.
Think Twice About Staying Near Taipei Main Station
I’ve booked hotels near Taipei Main Station before, and I learned that “near” on a map doesn’t always mean easy to reach.
The station is enormous, with exits facing every direction. If you come out the wrong side, or the right side from the wrong exit, you can end up walking a lot farther than expected just to get around to the correct side.
Your phone’s GPS doesn’t help as much. It might show the hotel as a few minutes away, but the nearest crosswalk could be much farther down the block, so you end up walking in a big loop just to cross the street.
If you’re dragging luggage, it gets even more annoying.
So if you’re booking a hotel “near” the station, look up exactly which exit gets you there most directly, and check what the walk actually looks like, not just the straight-line distance on a map.
Luggage Storage At Taipei Main Station
If you’re carrying suitcases and need a place to store them, Taipei Main Station has several luggage locker locations. They’re easy to find once you know where to look, and they make your time in the station much more comfortable.
You can find lockers in these areas:
- Near the entrances to the HSR and TRA (B1 level).
- Between the Airport MRT boarding area and the walkway that connects to TRA.
Locker prices depend on size. Small lockers cost about $30 to $40 TWD per 3 hours, and large lockers range from $60 to $110 TWD per 3 hours. Some lockers also accept electronic payment, which is convenient if you’re not carrying coins.
Keep in mind that some lockers have operating hours. The TRA-operated lockers usually run from 7:00 a.m. to midnight. If you plan to store your luggage, check the hours so you can pick up your bags on time.
Using a locker is especially helpful if you plan to eat on the 2nd floor or walk through the underground malls. It saves you from carrying heavy luggage up and down the stairs and lets you enjoy your time at the station without any hassle.
Restaurants On The 2nd Floor
If you’re taking the HSR or TRA, the 2nd floor of Taipei Main Station is a great place to eat before or after your trip. The whole floor is filled with restaurants, cafés, and casual dining spots.
Dim Dim Sum (點點心), pictured above, is one of my favorites. But every time I’m back, I try a different place, since there’s no shortage of options.
If you can’t decide on a sit-down restaurant, there’s also a food court area on this floor that works like a mini Taiwanese food festival. Every stall serves Taiwanese dishes such as beef noodle soup, braised pork rice, and rice noodle soup. It’s fast and affordable, and the variety means everyone in your group can order something different. Whenever I can’t decide where to eat, I end up walking over there without even thinking about it.
I love meeting friends on the 2nd floor, too. If they travel in from other parts of Taiwan, and Taipei Main Station makes it easy for everyone to gather in one place. We usually pick a restaurant on the 2nd floor, take our time over a meal, and catch up before heading off again.
If you’re carrying suitcases, store them in a locker first. There’s only one escalator up to the restaurant floor, and most other access points are stairs. Carrying heavy luggage up and down those stairs during busy hours isn’t fun.
Underground Malls Around Taipei Main Station
There are several underground malls connected to and surrounding Taipei Main Station. These walkways stretch far in different directions, and they’re especially useful on rainy days if your destination happens to be somewhere along the path.
My parents’ place is along the MRT Red Line, so I often use the Zhongshan Underground Mall to walk between areas without worrying about the weather.
Out of all the underground malls, Zone Y is my favorite, and the one kids and teens would enjoy the most. Between exits Y10 and Y20, there are gachapon machines (扭蛋機), toy stores, and small shops all along the way.
My 11-year-old son insists on coming here every time we’re back in Taipei. If you’re traveling with children or young teens, this area is worth a stop.
The Main Lobby
The main lobby, also known as the central hall, is one of the most recognizable spaces inside Taipei Main Station.
It’s a large, open square with high ceilings and plenty of natural light. If you ever feel unsure about where you are, coming back to this lobby is a good way to reset your sense of direction. From here, it’s easy to spot the entrances to the MRT, TRA, and HSR, as well as the pathways to the underground malls.
The lobby is also a popular meeting spot. Many people sit on the floor while waiting for friends or resting before catching their train.
I had always wondered what that was like, and on my last trip, I finally tried it. I sat here with my friend Chynna, chatting and people-watching while we waited for our plans to start. It was surprisingly fun.
Final Thoughts
Taipei Main Station may feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand how everything connects, it gets much easier to navigate.
I’ve spent years moving through this station, catching trains to Hualien, meeting friends on the 2nd floor, and figuring out which underground exit actually gets me where I’m going. These tips come from doing it wrong more than a few times before getting it right.
