Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Located in Dayuan Township, Taoyuan County, it is just a 40-minute drive from downtown Taipei. The airport covers an area of approximately 1,223 hectares and serves as Taiwan’s most important air transportation hub for imports and exports. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport has two terminal buildings. With the opening of the two terminals, the layout at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (formerly Chiang Kai-shek International Airport) has become smoother and more convenient, featuring an immigration and customs design on the same floor.

Since Taipei already had Songshan Airport, which is bordered by the Keelung River to the east and north, and tightly enclosed by the Taipei urban area to the west and south, it could no longer be expanded. Moreover, its equipment and resources were insufficient to meet growing demands. As a result, the government planned to build a new international airport to alleviate Taiwan's busy air traffic. It was decided to construct a new international airport in Taoyuan County, incorporating Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport as one of the Ten Major Construction Projects. In the 69th year of the Republic of China (1980), the decision to build the airport was finalized. Back in the 64th year of the Republic of China (1975), the Civil Aeronautics Administration first proposed renaming the airport to “Chiang Kai-shek Airport,” reasoning that it would “commemorate the savior of the nation, the great hero of the era—former President Chiang Kai-shek.” However, the Executive Yuan did not approve the proposal. Then, on February 15, 1979—just 11 days before the airport's inauguration—the Executive Yuan suddenly passed a proposal by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to rename the airport “Chiang Kai-shek International Airport.” On September 6, 2006, the Executive Yuan officially approved the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ proposal to rename Chiang Kai-shek International Airport as “Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.” Its international abbreviation, however, remained TPE. The name “Chiang Kai-shek International Airport,” which had been used for nearly 30 years, thus became part of history.

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (formerly Chiang Kai-shek International Airport) first opened its Terminal 1 on February 26, 1979. At the time, it was one of the most modern international airports in Asia and also served as the new

With the completion of the Airport MRT Line, direct luggage check-in services will also be available at Taipei Main Station. Outbound travelers can check in and drop off their luggage directly at Taipei Main Station, saving considerable time and effort. Moreover, the Airport MRT currently under construction is expected to partially open in 2011 and be fully operational by 2012. Once the entire Airport MRT line is completed, in addition to regular trains that stop at every station from Taipei to Zhongli, taking approximately 68 minutes for the whole journey, express trains will run directly from Taipei to the airport, covering the entire route in just 35 minutes, forming a highly interconnected transportation network.

In the future, the aviation hub plans to upgrade both passenger and cargo facilities, as well as hardware and software systems, in existing terminals. This will not only provide more comprehensive amenities but also drive the development of Taiwan’s tourism industry. As the airport's improved facilities encourage visitors to stay in Taiwan a few extra days, tourism operators are increasingly developing new offerings to attract more tourists to Taiwan. Additionally, many hotels and resorts have adopted real-time online booking systems, allowing international visitors to enjoy a more seamless and secure online transaction experience. This enhances the sense of being at home for tourists and foreign guests visiting Taiwan, further boosting the country’s international image.