"The Most Glorious" Xinyi Line Opens: A Complete Day-and-Night Food, Drink & Play Guide

▲ A view of Taipei 101 and the Xinyi District from Xiangshan. (Photo/Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Taipei Metro’s "most glorious Xinyi Line" opened on the 24th, allowing the public to experience the best of Taipei’s food, drink, and entertainment all in one day—from the trendiest Taipei 101 Mall and Yongkang Business Circle to the most rustic Four-Four South Village military dependents' village cultural park. The entire Xinyi Line is filled with diverse scenery. From now until December 23, passengers using an EasyCard can enjoy free rides from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to Xiangshan Station.

▲ Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. (Photo/Taken from Taipei Non-Stop 101 website)

The Xinyi Line has 7 stations along its route, starting from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station in the west, followed by Dongmen Station, Daan Forest Park Station, Daan Station, Xinyi Anhe Station, Taipei 101/World Trade Center, and Xiangshan Station, spanning a total length of 6.4 kilometers. To "play" along the Xinyi Line, the public might as well plan a full-day itinerary using the metro, and each metro station exit also features a "little yellow" YouBike rental station, making it more convenient to play from morning till night.

In the morning, you can take a stroll from Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall or hike up Xiangshan to start your journey, have lunch at the Yongkang Business Circle food street at noon, choose to shop at the department stores around Taipei 101 and the Xinyi District in the afternoon, or visit Daan Forest Park to enjoy the rare urban green space in the city. The nearby Jianguo Flower Market and Jade Market always attract many people to admire flowers and buy jade on weekends. For those wanting to visit more "arty" spots, the Four-Four South Village military dependents' village park at the Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station is a must-see attraction.

▲ Famous mango shaved ice shops (left) and Din Tai Fung restaurant (right) in the Yongkang Business Circle. (Photo/Taken fromSmiles15 Original Store Facebook fan page; taken from Wikipedia)

When it’s time for dinner, there are also diverse options along the line. In addition to the food in Yongkang Street and the Taipei 101 Mall, Taipei’s most popular night markets are also represented on the Xinyi Line. The Linjiang Street Night Market next to Xinyi Anhe Station features popular snacks such as brine chicken, rice noodles soup, pig’s blood cake, gua bao, and sesame oil chicken. There are also many izakayas and lounge bars along Anhe Road, making it the perfect spot for those who want to have dinner and a drink.

▲ The Linjiang Street Night Market near Xinyi Anhe Station offers a wide variety of authentic local snacks. (Photo/Taken from Wikipedia)

When night falls, it’s when the Xinyi Line truly shines. The various foreign-style nightclubs and bars around Taipei 101 and the Xinyi District, with their dazzling lights and rhythmic music, attract many locals and foreigners. For those wanting a more laid-back night life, enjoying the night view from Xiangshan is definitely the top choice. Due to Xiangshan’s not-too-high elevation and the lack of smog at night, the views are vast and clear. In recent years, it has become a popular spot for night views and the Taipei 101 New Year’s Eve fireworks show.

▲ %XX (nightclub) (Photo/Intern Reporter Huang Wanting; taken fromRoom18 Taipei Facebook fan page))

[Simple Guide to Food, Drink & Play Along the Xinyi Line]

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station – Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Nanmen Market
Dongmen Station – Yongkang Business Circle, Yongkang Park, Din Tai Fung, various mango shaved ice shops in Yongkang Street
Daan Forest Park Station, Daan Station – Daan Forest Park, Jianguo Jade & Flower Market, Dongmen Market, Hakka Cultural Center
Xinyi Anhe Station – Linjiang Street Tourist Night Market, Furniture Street, izakayas and lounge bars on Anhe Road
Taipei 101/World Trade Center – Taipei 101 Mall, World Trade Center, Xinyi District department store nightclubs, Four-Four South Village military dependents' village cultural park
Xiangshan Station – Xiangshan, Xiangshan Hiking Trail, Zhongqiang Park