Taiwan, a popular destination for many, has been a dream of ours for a long time. We finally made our dream come true and wanted to share our experience with those who are also interested in visiting Taiwan. We traveled as a group of two, myself and a colleague. We had originally planned to visit Taiwan a year prior, inspired by various television programs that showcased the country's beauty. However, due to conflicting schedules, our trip was postponed until April 2017. With the approaching deadline for Taiwan's free visa program (which was later extended for another year), we decided to book our flights despite the high cost due to the short notice and peak travel season. We opted for the national airline, which set us back 12,180 baht, exceeding our initial budget. Nonetheless, we considered it a contribution to the national airline. With our travel dates confirmed, we began planning our itinerary, making adjustments to our previous rough plan due to a change in our arrival time. Our first stop was Taoyuan Airport. After disembarking, we followed the signs to the immigration checkpoint. If you need a SIM card, you can purchase one here. According to my colleague, it's more convenient to buy it inside the airport as the process is simpler. However, I cannot personally confirm this information.

Follow the "Immigration" signs until you reach immigration control.

At this point, there are beautiful corners for taking pictures. But if you are in a hurry, you can turn left and pass through immigration. (Don't forget to fill out the immigration form first.)

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It took us over an hour to clear immigration both times we visited Taiwan. (The first time we stopped to buy a SIM card and take photos, and the second time we just took photos. To be honest, we rushed out of the plane the first time, and there weren't many people in the immigration queue yet.) After clearing immigration, turn right and take the escalator down to collect your luggage at the bottom (for those who checked in luggage).

This photo was taken while getting off the escalator. If you don't have any luggage, turn left and walk a little further to find the exit.

Upon exiting the escalator, turn left to find this sign. The exit to the Arrival Hall is on the right.

Upon arrival at the airport, we intended to purchase an EasyCard for our train journey into Taipei city. We noticed an information booth in the center, similar to the one mentioned in online reviews where EasyCards were supposedly available. We approached the staff, who directed us towards the Departure Hall. However, we couldn't find any EasyCard vendors there, only mobile phone SIM card shops. We inquired with another staff member at the Departure Hall, who then pointed us back in the opposite direction. At this point, we contemplated asking for an "EasyCard" using the Mandarin phrase "yǒu yǒu kā". Ultimately, the second staff member guided us to the Hi-Life store on B1. To reach the store, after clearing immigration and passing the Information Center, take the escalator on the right, following the signs for the city bus. Upon reaching the bottom of the escalator, turn right, and you will find the Hi-Life store on your right. Alternatively, if you have a lot of luggage, there is a lift on the left opposite the Information Center. Taking the lift will bring you directly in front of the store. We recommend inquiring at the Information Center first, as the staff member who initially directed us may have misunderstood our request. We were initially confused and thought we might have to ask for an "EasyCard" using the Mandarin phrase "yǒu yǒu kā". However, upon reaching the Hi-Life store, we were able to purchase the card. When paying at the cashier, simply say "yǒu yǒu kā" and specify the amount you wish to top up. The maximum top-up amount is NT$10,000. Initially, we were excited to see the black card, mistaking it for a Kumamon design (perhaps due to our eagerness to see Kumamon). However, upon closer inspection, we realized it was the store's default design. (We had come to Taiwan with the intention of purchasing various character-themed cards.) Remember that there is a NT$100 card fee, and unlike in the past, there is no longer a refundable deposit.

After that, we took the same route back to the Taoyuan metro at Airport Terminal 1 Station (A12) to head to Taipei. We walked from the Arrival Hall to the Departure Hall, where we saw check-in counters on the left. We continued walking straight and turned left, following the signs for the MRT airport. There were signs all the way, so we didn't get lost. However, we were so engrossed in conversation that we walked a little too far and started to wonder if we were on the platform for the express train or the commuter train. We had read in reviews that the platforms were separate, with the express train having a purple stripe on the side and the commuter train having a blue stripe. However, we saw that the screens and signs were all purple (there was no sign at that time indicating which type of train it was, so we thought there would be one further down). As we walked further, we took the elevator down to another level and saw a purple line on the floor, which made us confident that it was the express train. There were other people waiting there as well. The train arrived shortly, and since we were convinced it was the express train, we didn't bother to look at the side stripe. We boarded the train without realizing that we were on a commuter train. After sitting for a while, we felt that the train wasn't going very fast (it felt slower than the BTS in our country). However, we weren't sure if we were just imagining it. Meanwhile, we looked at the scenery outside. Since this country is mostly mountainous, we could see natural landscapes and vegetation through the train window. We went in May, so we saw white flowers blooming on the mountains at intervals. We weren't sure if they were lily magnolias or bauhinia flowers. We had read that Taiwan has a festival to see these flowers in other cities. When the train stopped at the first station (A11), we were confused when we looked at the sign above the door. It was a station for commuter trains. However, the seats on the train were purple, and everything else had been purple so far. Even the line on the station floor was purple. So, what was going on? We jokingly asked each other what the next station would be. Well, it had to be A10, a commuter train station. We considered changing trains, which could be done at A8 (the first station where the express train stops after leaving the airport). We thought that the express train was faster, but it only departed every 15 minutes. If we missed it, would it take longer or about the same amount of time as taking the commuter train? We also heard that the platforms were separate, so would we have to walk a long way around? We thought about it and hesitated, but we decided to stay on the same train (we had to think a lot because we were going to Jiufen that day, and if we arrived late, we wouldn't have much time to walk around, as the return trip wasn't available until late).

The train stopped at Station A8. Initially, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, within moments, another train arrived on the opposite platform. We sensed that this was an express train, possibly due to the stripe on its side. The thought of switching trains crossed our minds again. We discussed it and noticed that the platforms of both trains seemed connected, making the switch even more tempting. But would we make it in time? It seemed unlikely, as the train had already been stopped for a while. Nevertheless, we decided to take the risk. We told our companion to grab the luggage and switch trains. Did we make it? Yes, we did. But in hindsight, we should have made the decision sooner. It was a close call. (We suspect the train waited longer to allow passengers to switch.)

Upon entering the train, people looked at us strangely, probably wondering why two people with large luggage were suddenly appearing at this station. Most of the luggage storage areas were already full, so we stood near them for a while. Eventually, we had to lift our luggage onto the highest shelf, which was quite high for large bags. No one else had placed their luggage there. We decided to share our experience with our friends.

Six months later, we had the opportunity to visit Taiwan again. This time, although we didn't travel to Taipei, we observed and took pictures to share with our friends. First, the claim that the platforms for both types of trains are separate seems to apply to routes departing from the airport and other stations. However, at Station A12 (Airport Terminal 1 Station), after following the signs and taking the escalator or elevator down to the platform, there are only two platforms. These two platforms are not divided into regular and express trains, but rather into trains heading north towards Taipei and trains heading south towards Zhongli. We need to check the TV screens on each platform (according to the platform we want to go to) to see whether the next train arriving at the platform will be an express or regular train. The TV screens will also indicate how many minutes until the train arrives.

Passengers waiting at platform A12 (Airport Terminal 1) will board the same train, which will be split into two sections.

Platform 1 Passengers heading to Zhongli or transferring to the HSR should wait for the train on this side. (To reach HSR station A18, passengers must take the Commuter train, which costs 35 NT.)

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Commuter trains are identified by a blue stripe along the side and the word "Commuter".

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Platform 2: Wait for the train on this side to go to Taipei.

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Express trains will have a purple stripe on the side and the word "Express" written on it.

There is another observation: the ordinary train has seats facing sideways, so you can put your luggage beside you without having to put it on the shelf if there are not many people (if you have ever taken the Purple Line, you will feel that the train is exactly the same, and the chairs are also purple). As for the express train, it has double seats which are more comfortable to sit on. Taoyuan Metro also provides free Wi-Fi for 30 minutes. Oh, I forgot to mention that the fare from the airport to Taipei is 160 NT. If you have already bought an EasyCard and topped up the balance, you can use the card to tap in and out.

In commuter trains, the seats are arranged sideways. (We apologize for the poor quality of the photos, as we were hesitant to take pictures of other passengers.)

When the train arrived at the final station, A1 Taipei Main Station, there were two exits to the MRT Taipei station: Taipei Main Station and Beimen Station (green line). We chose to walk to Beimen Station because we read online that it was slightly closer than Taipei Main Station, and our hotel was located on the red line near Minquan West Rd. Station. This route was more convenient for us. The walk to Beimen Station was quite long, but we used our EasyCard to pay for the journey as usual. This card made our lives in Taiwan much easier.

When we arrived at Minquan W. Rd. Station, we saw that Exit 5 was the closest to our hotel. However, when we went to the exit, the staff told us to go to Exit 10 instead, which had an elevator and escalator because they saw that we had luggage. We thought we could carry our luggage up the stairs, but Exit 10 was on the opposite side of the street, which was quite a long distance. When we came out, we were confused. We remembered the route from Exit 5 to the hotel from Google Earth, but what should we do now? We decided to turn right and walk straight ahead (fortunately, we turned the right way). After walking for a while, we saw a large green-blue overpass and intersection. We were happy because we knew we were on the right track. We remembered seeing this in Google Earth. Now we could walk to the hotel with peace of mind.

We arrived at the hotel and checked in around 3:00 PM. When we paid, we used a credit card. The staff asked if we wanted to pay in Thai baht or Taiwanese dollars. We chose to pay in Taiwanese dollars first to get a better rate. The hotel we stayed at was Santos Hotel, a 4-star hotel. However, the room we stayed in was a bit old because it was part of the hotel that had not yet been renovated. However, the facilities were complete, as expected of a 4-star hotel. We booked directly through the hotel's website. We booked a Standard Twin room for 4 nights for 8784 NT (when we exchanged cash, we got a rate of 1.16, but when we paid for the hotel with a credit card, the staff asked if we wanted to pay in Thai baht or Taiwanese dollars. We looked at the price and saw that if we paid in Thai baht, they would charge a rate of 1.20. So we paid with a Taiwanese dollar card. When the credit card statement came, we calculated that they used a rate of 1.1799 to convert to Thai baht).

When we arrived at our room, there was a slight musty smell in the hallway and in the room (but we didn't smell it anymore the next day). In the room, there were two bananas and one apple waiting for us. After resting for a while, we had to leave again so that we wouldn't arrive in Jiufen too late. For information on how to get to Jiufen, please read the next episode: Taiwan, I'll Take You There Episode 2: Taipei - Jiufen.