Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) is the main airport that serves Taipei City but it is actually in Taoyuan which is about an hour drive away from the capital city.

The airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, but more and more visitors are coming to Taiwan. To accommodate for the increase in passengers the Taoyuan International Airport is expanding Terminal 2 and plans on opening Terminal 3 and 4.

Today we will focus on Terminal 2 because it is the main Terminal for visitors from the Americas and Europe.

Once you get off the plane, checked-in with customs, and found your luggage you will end up at the arrival hall of Terminal 2. The process at TPE is very fast and your longest wait time will probably be for your luggage.

At Terminal 2 there are many services available for you.

You can go to the Telecommunications Service Desk to get a prepaid phone to use in Taiwan if you need make local phone calls during your stay.

You can also just get an Internet connection at the Mobile Network or a phone with 4G and 10 minutes of talk per day.

The International Health Liaison Center and Foreign Worker Arrival Service are not very useful. This Foreign Worker Arrival Service is for special workers from certain countries that have limited entry into Taiwan.

There is also a Service Center to get your EasyCard. If you plan on staying in Taipei then I would suggest visiting this desk!

My favorite part of the Taoyuan Airport is the amazing food where you can get Taiwanese small eats, giant boba, curry, or teppanyaki. There is also a 7 Eleven that is always open.

I also love the fresh juices you can get a Gou Jia. There is a food court on the 4th floor but the food court on B2 is has the best selection by far.

You can learn more about the cuisine and shopping available in both Terminal 1 and 2 from this official brochure.

Leaving the airport for the city is easy. Buses to Taipei are very efficient. It should take about 50 minutes to an hour to reach city center. The cost would be around NT$125.

The most comfortable ride is by Evergreen which is the same company as Eva Air.

First, go to the bus counter to buy your tickets.

There will be a place to sit and rest but you have to make sure to be outside when the buses come. The waiting zones are all numbered and you have to be at the right place to broad.

You can get more information on buses at the official Taoyuan Airport website: http://www.taoyuan-airport.com/english/Buses/

If you decide and take a private ride instead then it should cost around NT$1000. There are many services and taxis waiting outside and they can take you directly to your destination while buses have many routine stops.