No matter which airport you choose, you should arrive at your terminal at least three hours before flight departure. Canadians will
need to present their valid passport but do not need a tourist visa for
stays up to 90 days.
Direct flights from Shanghai Pudong International Airport all fly into Taipei's Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). The airport is
located 40 km from Taipei and consists of two terminals. TPE is
connected to many transportation links. There are public transit bus
stops and rail stations at each terminal. The Express Train connects
airport passengers to downtown Taipei in under forty minutes. Taxis and
car rental service counters are also available. A taxi from TPE to
downtown Taipei will cost approximately $50 CAD.
Direct flights from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport all fly into Taipei's other international airport, Taipei Songshan International
Airport (TSA). Unlike TPE, which has airlines flying worldwide, TSA's
international routes are limited to destinations within China, South
Korea and Japan. International flights use Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 is
used for domestic flights.
Like TPE, TSA offers many transportation options. Multiple public transit bus routes have stops at both terminals. The metro system is
also easily accessible via an underground pedestrian tunnel. Car rental
service counters are also available and taxis are always waiting at the
curb outside of the arrivals lobby. Since the airport is only located
about 5 km from Taipei's city center, taxi rides are relatively
inexpensive and take about 15-20 minutes.
Shanghai and Taipei are in the same time zone, so you won't need to adjust your clocks when travelling this route. Cost-wise, you'll find
that prices for things like restaurant meals, souvenirs and
entertainment are lower in Taipei than they are in Shanghai.
While Shanghai's year is split into four distinct seasons, Taipei experiences just two: a long, hot summer and a short, warm winter. The
summers are also very humid. From May to September, rainstorms and
typhoons are possible. Shanghai generally has a couple days of snowfall
in the winter, but in Taipei, snow will only be found high in the
mountains.
