Songshan Airport is the closest airport to Taipei City, and conveniently lies within the city borders. The airport offers many domestic flights and flights to and from other countries throughout Asia. In this guide, we will show you the ins and outs of this airport and what services are available if you ever travel through here.
🏯 Planning your trip to Taipei? 🏮
Here are some top travel tips for you:
- Best time to visit: March-May, and October – November when the temperatures are nice and there is not as much rain
- You can buy tickets to Taipei’s Science Museum for a discount on Klook here
- How to get there: Taiwan High Speed Railway and Inter-City Bus
- Best places to stay: Yuanshan Grand Hotel or Fu Chang Hotel
- Book tours and activities in Taipei on Klook
- Stay connected with a local SIM
- Rent a car to explore distant sights
Historical Background:
Taipei Songshan Airport is a historic airport located in the center of Taipei, Taiwan, first opened in 1936 during the Japanese colonial period, and now serving as a joint civilian–military airport. It is Taiwan’s first airport and was once the country’s primary international gateway before the opening of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in 1979, after which it shifted mainly to domestic routes. Today, it functions as a key domestic hub and a secondary international airport focused on short-haul business routes, including flights to cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, and Seoul. Despite its relatively small size and limited room for expansion due to its location within the city, it remains highly convenient thanks to its proximity to downtown Taipei and direct access via the metro system, handling millions of passengers annually while also supporting military operations and government flights.
Looking ahead, Songshan Airport is expected to maintain its role as a city airport specializing in business and regional travel rather than expanding into a major international hub. Due to space constraints and urban development around it, large-scale expansion is unlikely, and long-haul international traffic will continue to be handled primarily by Taoyuan Airport. Future plans instead focus on optimizing existing facilities, improving passenger services, and maintaining efficient short-haul routes, while ongoing discussions in Taiwan occasionally consider the long-term possibility of relocation or repurposing the airport site, though no definitive timeline or plan has been finalized.
Hours:
24/7
3F observation deck: 9 AM to 9 PM
Price:
Free to enter.
Website:
Where to stay:
We recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here).
We have stayed at and recommend Gold Mountain Ranch, which is a horse ranch and glamping destination in Jinshan. You can book a night at Gold Mountain Ranch on Klook here. You can also check out our full blog on the ranch here.
We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here).
Activities in Taipei:
There are many activities available to enjoy in Taipei such as kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, SUP / paddle boarding, water biking, and more activities which you can book on Klook here or KKday here.
How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Taipei, take Minquan West Road until it intersects with Dunhua North Road. The airport entrance is at the end of Dunhua Road. There is limited paid parking nearby.
Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
By MRT/Bus: Take the brown line to Songshan Airport MRT Station. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Bicycle:
Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan’s many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.
Map:
Please see below:
You can also check out the maps from the airport website below:
360 Degree Airport Tour:
You can take a 360-degree airport tour on the airport website here: https://www.tsa.gov.tw/layout2?id=81418550-c235-4f7b-aa2d-7b66bdfaf9c0&culture=2
Food and Beverage Services:
- Mai Deli Char Siu (Mai Deli Roasted Meats)
- Zhanyuanfu 占元府
- Shanhai Tofu Pudding
- Plaza Premium Lounge (Restricted Area)
- Airline Joint Lounge (Restricted Area)
- Lin Cuihua Healthy Steamed Bun(林翠華養生饅頭)s
- STARBUCKS COFFEE(Domestic Terminal)
- MOS BURGER
- Wu Wha Ma Dumplings House & Chinese Restaurant
- Shun Chen Bakery
- Second Senior Brother Meat Soup
- Yang Yang Bak Kut Teh
- TKK Fried Chicken
- COMEBUY
- 大心BHEART NOODLES
- Hanlin teahouse
- Shun Chen Bakery(control area)
- CoCoCafe unmanned coffee
- Homee KITCHEN (Restricted Area)
- Composite concept 7-Eleven(International Terminal)
- PIN CHUAN LAN
- 7-Eleven(Domestic Terminal)
- Wing café (Restricted Area)
- I JY SHENG Bakery
- STARBUCKS COFFEE(International terminal)
- Vending machines
Shops:
- Capital Flight Education Center
- Kung Fu Massage Station (Restricted Area)
- Joyful Red Bean Cakes
- Master A-Tsung
- COSMED
- MULTI LAYER PIE
- Master Tung handmade mochi
- Shan Mai Taro Cake
- SPECIALTY
- Yu Jan Shin
- Ever Rich Duty Free Shop (Restricted Area)
- C’airshop
- Taiwan Gift Shop
- PAO CHUAN
- Wang De Chuan
- Shou Xin Fang
- Hsin Tung Yang
- Kuo Yuan Ye
Other services:
- Bank and Insurance
- Telecom Service
- VIP Room
- Breastfeeding Room
- POST OFFICE
- Nursing Clinic
- Aircargo Service
- Service Desk
- Business Aviation Center
- Charging Service
- Kung Fu Massage Corner
- Relaxation & Aerobic Refresh Area
- Baggage Delivery Service
- Smart Luggage Lockers
- Water dispensers
- 3F observation deck
Videos:
Check out some videos we took of and in planes around Songshan Airport:
Our Journey:
I have been to Songshan Airport for a total of six flights: twice to Penghu, twice to Kinmen, once to Matsu, and once to Taitung.
Besides domestic flights though, this airport also serves a lot of flights to Asia, such as to China and Japan, although I have never had the pleasure of taking such a flight.
This airport is in the center of Taipei, so there are always taxis waiting at the entrance.
The brown line MRT also comes right to the entrance to this airport, making it a convenient transportation option as well.
There are two exits you can choose from at the MRT, 1 and 2. Exit 2 is closer to domestic departures, and Exit 1 is closer to international departures.
Again, exit one goes to Terminal 1, which is for international departures, and Exit 2 goes to Terminal 2, which is for domestic flights. There are elevators.
There are also quite a few buses and bus stops that come here.
There are also free baggage carts that you can use from the airport entrance.
View from the MRT exit 2.
Inside the airport, there are not as many services as those of Taoyuan Airport.
One restaurant we usually frequent here is Subway, it is no longer open in this airport or in Toayuan Airport Terminal 1, I do not know why. It was a very popular spot to eat. But there are 7-11s at both terminals in the airport.
For exchanging money, there is a Mega Bank in the airport if you need it.
However, there is also a Bank of Taiwan here, which usually has the best Forex rates for exchanging cash.
There is also an airplane-themed toy shop here.
The domestic flight area has a bunch of self-help kiosks, which is nice, and you usually do not need a passport here if you already have a Taiwan ID or ARC card. But you do need to go to the desk for childrens’ plane tickets.
You usually do not check in baggage here.
Baggage is checked in at another counter, and they will look at the tags that you were provided.
After you pass through security, food options are limited, but there are some vending machines around. Many flights now also require you to take a bus or walk to the plane, so you should be mentally prepared to go outside or walk up steps.
View of East Taipei from the plane.
View of Keelung Harbor from the plane.
View from above Linkou.
View from over Penghu.
Airplane Alley 飛機巷
If you love airplane watching, you can also check out Airplane Alley (aka Binjiang Street Lane 180, or Airport Alley), which is a small viewing platform that allows one to see airplanes landing and taking off from Songshan Airport in Taipei. It is a popular spot for plane spotters, aviation enthusiasts, and photographers. It should be on your list if you are looking for unique views in Taipei…(read more)
You can also enjoy views of planes taking off and landing from the airport’s 3F observation deck.
Also, be sure to check out our full guide to Taipei here.
You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
