Originally Posted by
uanj
Inbound immigration that early will be fast and trains start running around 6 am. Not sure what your travel date is but a couple of weeks ago I saw the first express metro train from Terminal 2 to Taipei Main Station left at 5.55 am. You can check the schedule for your date here:
Taoyuan Metro Passenger Guide (tymetro.com.tw)
You could get a leisurely breakfast downtown near Taipei Main Station and visit places like Liberty Square as the city wakes up. There is a really good, traditional breakfast food court kind of place not terribly far from the station. Liberty Square will be open but the tours of the buildings and museum start at 9 am.
Liberty Square (Taipei) - Wikipedia You have time to do other things afterwards, like Taipei 101 Observation Deck (opens at 10), the Palace Museum (opens at 9), even the zoo or Magong Gondola rides to the tea plantations depending on your interests.
And the easy way to see something of Taipei is to take the free half day tour:
Tour schedule | Free Half-Day Tour (taiwan.net.tw) Be sure to reserve online in advance as it sells out.
Transportation using metro into and around the city is fast and easy, just note that not all trains to Taoyuan Airport Stations are express and regular trains take longer. If you don't have lounge access there are free showers in both terminals open 24 hours but you need to bring your own amenities. Taipei is hot in the summer.
Originally Posted by
moondog
You clearly have waaaaay more energy than me
, but I want to draw attention to the nexus between your plan and mine; both entail
not hanging around in the transit area (lounge or otherwise) at 6a.
Originally Posted by
Topcare
Yes. Go into Taipei. Fu Hang is open bright and early to give you some fuel to explore.
https://www.walkerland.com.tw/poi/view/1588
Also, take a taxi if you want to give you more time. There is nothing open in the airport that early. When I've flown from YYZ I've always arrived around 430 and then took a taxi and got to Fu Hang just as it opens and then kind of wander around as things slowly creep to life...
I miss TPE.
Thank you all for the inputs. This is actually for our son and he is "young and restless" so 6am will work for him. I am flying direct from SFO to ICN so I will skip TPE this time. :-)