Taiwan in 5 days for first-timers: two days in Taipei, Jiufen and Pingxi, then Taichung or Tainan by THSR

Entry rules before you go

A five-day plan sits comfortably inside the 14-day window. For the general checklist see “Taiwan Trip Prep: First-Time Checklist and Choosing a SIM or eSIM”, and for budgeting see “Taiwan on a Small Budget: Plan Lower-Cost Days and Test Your Own Number”.

The day-by-day table

Arrival day: TWAC, data and EasyCard

1. 1Fill in the TWACThe arrival card is online at twac.immigration.gov.tw. Fill it in within three days before arrival, free of charge, and keep the confirmation screen.
2. 2Sort out dataInstall the eSIM over Wi-Fi before flying, turn on data roaming for that line and keep the Thai SIM on for bank OTP texts. Or buy a SIM at an airport counter, registering with your passport.
3. 3Buy an EasyCardBuy at the airport or an MRT station, then take the Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station.
4. 4If you have no dataiTaiwan offers free government Wi-Fi at stations and tourist sites; register in advance or at visitor centres. It is an open network, so avoid banking on it.

Taipei for two days, then Jiufen and Pingxi

Keep the first day light after the flight. On day two, group sights by area, such as Xinyi followed by a night market. Day three covers Jiufen and Pingxi by TR train, bus or tour. Jiufen's old street is crowded from afternoon into evening, so try a morning or a weekday.

Heading south by THSR

• Taichung (台中): suits café and market lovers, and is the base for Sun Moon Lake, with buses from the station area.
• Tainan (台南): an old city of temples, forts and local food, good for history lovers and slow walking.
• Book THSR on the T Express app with your passport, and allow time to reach the city from the station, which is often outside the centre.

Two days in the south: sample 요금제

If your flight home leaves from Taoyuan, return to Taipei early enough on day five, or book your final night there to avoid rushing. Check the first Airport MRT times if the flight leaves in the morning.

Remember the daily essentials: a fully charged phone, a power bank and offline maps. Keep rail QR tickets and the TWAC confirmation somewhere you can open quickly, because inspection queues and rail gates do not wait.

Alternatives to the standard route

• Hualien: take a TR train from Taipei, good for nature lovers, but Taroko is only partly open, so read “Hualien and Taroko Gorge After the 2024 Quake” before planning.
• Kaohsiung: reach Zuoying station by THSR, ideal for harbour, art and sea views.
• With more than five days, add Alishan (the forest railway runs to Alishan station again, seats sell out, book on the official site) or Kenting.

Pacing and a rain plan

Do not stack more than two or three main stops a day. Taiwan sees frequent rain, particularly in the north: plum rains run around May to June and typhoon season roughly June to October, so check the Central Weather Administration. When it rains, switch to museums, malls or indoor cafés.

• Rain backups: the National Palace Museum in Taipei, malls and bookshops, or the many indoor cafés in Taichung.
• Keep one flexible slot, such as the evening of day two, so you can move an activity from a washed-out day.
• Jiufen and Pingxi are often wet and slippery, so wear grippy shoes and carry an umbrella or rain jacket.
• Check the forecast and rail notices each morning before leaving, since a typhoon can stop trains.

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