Originally Posted by
username
The benefit is definitely not having to drag your bags. Of course, some would rather do that than trusting the airline to take the bags
The long delayed Airport Express is now expected to open from Taipei Downtown to TPE the end of 2015 (that is not a typo, next year)! It is crazy how long it has taken.
Then...it is expected to be a 35 minute trip on the most direct train (that makes the least number of stops). Now you can take the bus in about an hour and it gets you to various parts of Taipei. So, I wonder how much gain there is really going to be for many.
The construction time is pretty reasonable by first world standards. Taiwan is not some banana republic where the Govt can just take your property and start digging a hole in the ground and ignore any environmental issues. It's also standard to run the train for several months at full schedule for testing before you start revenue service.
I haven't pay that much attention to the design of the Airport line... but from what you described, it has express tracks that allow trains to bypass some stations? That would be good.
The advantage of the airport train would be of course that you are already in the MRT system so it will make transfer to other parts of Taipei much easier. The highway bus does take you to various destinations in the main city area but if you want to go to the suburbs (e.g. Tianmu), you still have to take the MRT or taxi once you get off the highway bus.