Advice needed for TPE
 

Flying YVR-TPE, visiting friends for a week. Afterwards, will fly direct TPE-China (CAN) to spend few days, then taking a ferry to HKG for a few more days.

To return to North America, I'll need to book HKG-TPE in the morning as my TPE-ICN flight leaves at 1:30pm on Asiana OZ. I'm wondering if it takes long to transit in TPE. Do I need to change terminals, etc...

For CX, they have many morning HKG-TPE flights at 8:35am, 9:10am, 10am, 11:15am, all are 1hr45m short flights. If I take the 10am flight, it arrives 11:45am. Is 1hr45mins enough time to connect in TPE? I will need to claim my luggage from CX and check-in OZ, probably will need to clear Taiwan customs, etc...

Another ques... which area in HK (TST/Central) is quickest to catch the MTR to HKIA? I haven't booked any hotels so this will help if I need to take an earlier fight.

Thx in advance!!

Airside transit is easy - there is a shuttle train. CX is terminal 1, OZ is terminal 2. EVA is also terminal 2 if you wanted to fly HKG-TPE and arrive in terminal 2, but really it doesn't matter.

Assuming you are on one ticket, you should be able to check the luggage straight through. In this case, 1 hr 45mins is bags of time. If you have to clear customs/immigration then with a terminal change, 1hr 45mins is cutting it a too fine IMHO and I would allow a bit longer. TPE is efficient, but in rare cases immigration queues can keep you waiting 30mins or so. Landside transit takes a bit longer.

I'm no HKG expert, but you need the Airport Express. I believe you can drop luggage up to 24 hours before if it suits you. Stops at Central, Kowloon and then on to the airport with a brief stop at Tsing Yi. Central and Kowloon are so close that the extra journey time from Central is not significant. I prefer Central which has better MTR connections. Perhaps hotels are cheaper near Kowloon station though.

If you are taking the HK Airport Express to Airport, you can either stay at W Hotel which is located in Kowloon Station. The only problem is that there is only one shopping mall near Kowloon station - Elements. If you prefer to be in tourist shopping area and near HK Airport Express Station, you can consider staying in HK Island near the Central/Hong Kong MTR station. From Hong Kong MTR station, it is a 24-min ride to airport and the train runs on average on 10-min interval.

You can also consider staying at the following hotels where there is complimentary shuttle bus service to either Kowloon or Hong Kong Stations:
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/getting_ar..._free_bus.html

You can also check-in your luggage and get your BP at Hong Kong / Kowloon Station. Hope this helps.

is there a reason why you aren't just going directly from HKG-YVR?

The Airport Express goes Hong Kong (Central) - Kowloon - Tsing Li - Airport. The difference btw Central and TST isn't of much significance, its how long it will take you from your hotel to get to either Hong Kong Station or Kowloon Station that is important.

My AC reward ticket has TPE as turnaround, used up my stopovers elsewhere.

Thanks, I think I'll book the 9am flight to get in by 11am to TPE, this will give me 2hr30mins to clear customs. I'm afraid they may ask the same question, "why r u coming from HKG and then out to ICN immediately". I have the outbound tix from TPE-YVR to prove my flight back to North America.

There's also an 8:30am flight which gives me 3hrs @ TPE to transfer, does anyone know if OZ is strict with their 2hr arrival before flight @ TPE? I don't want to miss my flight :)