bocastephen

There is a long stale thread on this, and no updates in a few years, so I will ask fresh: does EVA offer any type of arrivals lounge for inbound Royal Laurel passengers?

In an old thread, I noticed some comments about taking the escalator upstairs to the departures level after deplaning and the posters were never checked for a connecting boarding pass, but I am unsure how to make my way back downstairs to clear immigration and customs.

Is it still possible to do this and visit one of the EVA lounges with an inbound BP, use the shower to get cleaned up, then head back downstairs to arrivals for entry?

PacificStandTime

That escalator area is through the transfer area.
There's staff at the transfer area that checks your BP. I suspect you might be able to pull a fast one, but you'll have trouble getting back into the sterile arrivals area for passport and immigration to enter the country.
BR does not offer an arrivals lounge.

asiadxer

The Taoyuan Airport Website shows Shower available in Arrival Baggage area.

Taoyuan Airport Shower Facilities

Terminal 2 has a new shower facilities on 4th Floor (Departure Mezzanine)

Terminal 2 New Shower 4F

I have gone upstairs through transfer transit security many times, no BP check. I visited the Lounge, or stayed at the Transit Hotel and then went back down through transit security to go to Arrival Immigration.

I have always used EVA Lounge Shower facilities, so I have no report on the above mentioned Airport facilities. Though the pictures for the new T-2, 4F Shower look similar to EVA shower stalls.

bocastephen

So you need to clear transit security - it's not as simple as just walking upstairs? Then when you come back down, you just walk back through the security screening area and they don't say anything?

asiadxer

So far I never have problem. When asked, I just said that I wanted to go to EVA transfer counter which is on the other side of the wall from the transit security. The security is similar to TSA precheck, pretty fast.

Or you can use the Airport Shower facility in the Arrival area.

superangrypenguin

I'm not sure if you can just walk up there, because i've never gotten to TPE without an ongoing boarding pass. But yes, you have to clear transit security...

* = huge disclosure. I am not a BR expert, just a customer who loves flying with them.

bocastephen

I saw the TPE arrivals shower on the TPE airport Facebook page - I asked if there was a fee, and if the showers were cleaned between customers - but no answer.

Frankly, I'd rather use the lounge, shower there and have breakfast while waiting for rush hour to clear. What I can't figure out is which EVA lounge I can, and should go into if I'm *G ticketed in Royal Laurel.

asiadxer

Information from EVA Lounge host :

Arriving passengers (*G & RL) would not be allowed to use the EVA Lounge facilities without connecting flight ticket.

RL departing ticket will allow you to access the EVA Infinity Lounge.

I did not have time to check the Airport Arrival Showers, however the EVA Lounge host called and were told that they were cleaned after each use, depending on attendant availability. Free. No towel provided, just shampoo / shower gel.

I checked the new Airport Showers on T2 4F. At 9PM, the two shower stalls were clean and dry. Attendant pass by while I was checking both stalls. The shower stalls were kind of hidden at the end of Restroom hallway. Spacious stalls, free, no towel, just shampoo / shower gel. Maybe its under used because they are new, and not in the airport directory yet.

Eternity000

No towel ... that's useful

bocastephen

No towel? Are they crazy? I will see if I can escalate this

I thought you were able to get into the lounge before - did you just try again and get denied by the agent?

Mr. Roboto

I was at the BR Star Lounge (adjoining the Infinity Lounge) on Sunday, Feb 1st and there was definitely a towel in the shower room.

I found the Star Lounge less crowded and more relaxing than the Infinity Lounge, at least during the morning hours (Feb 1st & Feb 16th). Food was the same in both places.

asiadxer

I can get in to any EVA lounges in TPE because of my EVA status. I was trying to find options for you as arriving *G flying EVA Biz RL. The Lounge host said that they did not 'normally allowed' arriving passengers without connecting BP into the Lounges. He was hesitant in answering the question, so there may be exceptions. Towels are provided at all EVA Lounge showers, plus essentials like combs and toothbrushes.

The Airport Arrival Hall Showers and the T2 4F Showers are free public facilities provided by the airport. So no towels are provided.

The Evergreen Transit Hotel T2 4F provides Shower only at NT 350.

bocastephen

I made it up through transit security but was flat out denied at the lounge entrance and they wouldn't budge, although I didn't push them to ask management.

The greater sent me to the transit hotel that offers 1h shower room use for NT350 including a very small locker and one towel. The shower facility is sparse, not that clean, and didn't even have a stool or chair. Needless to say, I'd give it a pass next time.

I did bring this up on the EVA Facebook page and they did respond, so perhaps I'll get the policy addressed so anyone that does get upstairs as a local arrival star gold or Royal Laurel passenger can at least shower and clean up if nothing else.

When I went back downstairs, luckily there was one person at transit security who let me back through, no hassle...but immigration was empty and it took a few minutes to find the lone one and only inspector who was still there.

After my dialog with EVA, I'll post any update to the lounge policy, but I'm sure it will exception based given they won't want hordes of people stampeding through transit security to only get to the lounge, then surprising immigration after the flights have been processed.

superangrypenguin

Any updates bocastephen?

bocastephen

Unfortunately not I pestered EVA repeatedly on their FB page for an answer, but they would not even answer the question.

The arrivals showers for the public are in the baggage claim area, and this is an option, or if you want to do the transit routine before clearing immigration, the rather gross transit hotel has a shared shower facility, or for more money, a private room with shower.

Another far more aggravating option is buying a separate refundable ticket on EVA that departs well after your inbound TPE arrival and use that ticket to get into the lounge, then after finishing, refund it.