Flights to Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE)

Most international travellers heading to Taiwan's capital land at Taoyuan International Airport, the island's main gateway, which sits in neighbouring Taoyuan rather than inside Taipei itself. If you are comparing flights to Taipei from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching or Sibu, this is the airport your search results will most often show. This guide focuses on arriving through TPE: how the airport is laid out, how to reach the city, and how to plan the days that follow.

About Taoyuan Airport, Taipei's international gateway

Location

The airport lies in Dayuan District of Taoyuan City, north-west of central Taipei and close to the west coast of the island. Its official name is Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, although many travellers and booking sites simply call it Taipei Taoyuan. The road into the capital follows the national freeway, and outside rush hour the transfer is easy to manage.

Terminals

Check-in takes place at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, which are linked by a free Skytrain. A new Terminal 3 is opening in stages, and some departures already board from its new gates after checking in at Terminal 2. Look at your e-ticket or your airline's booking details to confirm where your flight checks in. This matters most on the way home, when heading to the wrong building costs you valuable time.

Getting from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei

The Taoyuan Airport MRT is the simplest link for most visitors. It stops at both terminals and runs to Taipei Main Station, with purple express trains that skip minor stops and blue commuter trains that call at every station. Airport buses serve several districts of Taipei and are handy if your accommodation sits near a bus stop rather than a rail line. Metered taxis queue outside arrivals, and ride-hailing apps also work here, which suits families with heavy luggage or anyone landing late at night after the trains have stopped.

Direct and connecting flights to Taipei Taoyuan

Travellers from Kuala Lumpur can usually choose between nonstop services and one-stop itineraries, while those starting in East Malaysian cities such as Sibu, Miri or Kuching generally connect through a hub along the way. On Traveloka, turn on the direct-flight filter in your search results to see nonstop options first, then sort by departure time or price. If a connection fits your plans better, compare the layover length shown on each itinerary and allow comfortable time to change planes.

Taipei has a second airport, Songshan, set right inside the city. It mainly handles flights within Taiwan and short regional routes in North Asia, so for a trip from Malaysia, Taoyuan is almost always the airport you need. If you plan to combine Taiwan with Japan or Korea, it is worth checking both. You can compare them on our pages for flights to Taipei Songshan and for all airports in Taipei.

When to fly to Taipei

Taipei has a humid subtropical climate with four noticeable seasons. Winter, roughly December to February, is cool and often drizzly, so a light jacket and an umbrella are enough for most Malaysian visitors. Spring brings cherry blossoms on Yangmingshan and comfortable sightseeing weather before the plum rains arrive in late spring. Summer is hot and sticky, and the typhoon season stretches from summer into early autumn, when storms can disrupt flights at short notice. Autumn, around October and November, is a favourite with many travellers for its clearer skies and cooler evenings.

Demand from Malaysia usually climbs during the school holidays, around Chinese New Year and over long weekends such as Hari Raya and Deepavali. Keep in mind that Lunar New Year is also Taiwan's biggest holiday, when many locals travel and some small shops close for a few days. Seats for these busy periods tend to go early, so search well ahead. The fare-by-month chart on this page shows how prices generally move across the year, and a Price Alert will tell you when fares for your route change.

Popular places to visit in Taipei

Taipei 101 and Xinyi

The bamboo-shaped Taipei 101 tower anchors the Xinyi district, Taipei's modern business and shopping quarter. Head up to the observatory for views across the basin, then walk the skybridges linking the malls around it. Xinyi is also where the city gathers for its New Year's Eve fireworks.

National Palace Museum

In the northern suburb of Shilin, the National Palace Museum holds one of the world's great collections of Chinese imperial art, from jade and bronze to calligraphy and porcelain. The collection is vast and exhibits rotate, so plan at least half a day and consider an audio guide.

Jiufen and the north-east coast

The old gold-mining town of Jiufen clings to a hillside above the sea, its narrow lanes lined with teahouses and red lanterns. It makes an easy day trip from Taipei by bus or train, and can be combined with the nearby Shifen waterfall and the rugged Yehliu coastline.

Beitou hot springs

At the northern end of the MRT network, Beitou has been a hot-spring retreat for more than a century. Visit the public bathhouses, the thermal valley with its steaming green pool, and the wooden Beitou Public Library set in a leafy park.

Shilin Night Market

Taipei's best-known night market comes alive after dark with snack stalls, games and cheap fashion. It gets crowded at weekends, so arrive early in the evening if you prefer more room to wander and choose your food.

Where to stay in Taipei

If you arrive on the Taoyuan Airport MRT, staying near Taipei Main Station in Zhongzheng district keeps your transfer short and puts the high-speed rail and city MRT lines on your doorstep. Ximending, a short ride away, is lively and youthful, with shopping streets and late-night food. Xinyi suits travellers who want malls, rooftop bars and views of the skyline, while Da'an offers leafy streets, cafés and the student buzz around its universities. Zhongshan is a good middle ground, with boutique shops and easy MRT access. If you have a very early departure, some travellers choose to spend the last night in Taoyuan or Zhongli, closer to the airport.

Food to try in Taipei

Beef noodle soup

Often called Taiwan's national dish, this bowl of wheat noodles in a rich braised or clear broth with tender beef shank is served everywhere from humble stalls to sit-down restaurants.

Xiaolongbao

These delicate soup dumplings, pleated by hand and filled with pork and hot broth, are a Taipei classic. Nibble a corner first and let the soup cool before eating the rest.

Lu rou fan

Braised minced pork over steamed rice is the city's everyday comfort food, cheap, filling and found on almost every street corner.

Bubble tea

Taiwan gave the world pearl milk tea, and Taipei's tea shops still set the standard. Adjust the sugar and ice levels to your taste. Order it half-sweet the first time; the full-sugar version is richer than most Malaysian teh tarik.

When your dates are set, search flights to Taipei on Traveloka and pick the departure time that suits you. Easy Reschedule and round-the-clock support are there if your plans shift.