Things to do around Taipei Main Station... besides catch a train
How to kill a few hours around the biggest train station in the city
Taipei Main Station is one of the busiest transport hubs in the city, and there is plenty to see nearby if you have a few hours to kill before a train or don't want to stray too far.
From museums and green space to underground shopping and the bright streets around the Ximending area, here are three easy ways to spend some time around the city's biggest station.
#1: Explore Taipei City Mall
Browse underground shops without having to brave the weather
Taipei City Mall is directly connected to Taipei Main Station and, according to the Taipei City Government, is Taiwan’s largest and longest underground shopping street.
It runs for around 825 meters beneath Civic Boulevard, with shops selling clothes, shoes, electronics, accessories, luggage, and souvenirs.
One of its biggest draws is its concentration of anime and gaming shops, packed with figurines, trading cards, capsule toys, PlayStation games, and Japanese character merchandise.
It is the kind of place where you can happily wander without much of a plan, browsing the shops and people-watching as you go.
Just keep an eye on where you came in: Taipei City Mall has a bewildering number of exits.
#2: Walk to Ximending
Head west for shopping, street food, and one of Taipei’s busiest neighborhoods
A few minutes west of Taipei Main Station, the modern transport hub gives way to a much older part of the city. Start at North Gate, or Cheng’en Gate, completed in 1884 as one of five entrances to Taipei’s Qing-era walled city.
From there, continue south for another 10 minutes toward Ximending, one of Taipei’s best-known shopping and entertainment districts.
Developed as an entertainment area during the Japanese colonial period, it is packed with cinemas, shops, restaurants, street food stalls, and tattoo parlors, particularly around the main pedestrian zone near Ximen MRT Station.
Other landmarks include the Red House, built in 1908 and one of Taiwan’s earliest Western-style market buildings, and Rainbow Crossing outside Exit 6, created in 2019 to show Taipei’s support for the LGBTQ+ community and gender equality.
You can book a walking tour if you want more historical context, but the area is also easy to explore independently.
Wander the pedestrian streets, grab a snack and spend some time people-watching before heading back toward Taipei Main Station.
#3: Visit National Taiwan Museum and 228 Peace Memorial Park
Spend an hour exploring one of Taipei’s oldest parks and museums
If you have a little longer, This Is Taipei recommends walking south from Taipei Main Station. In around five minutes, you'll reach 228 Peace Memorial Park, one of Taipei’s oldest public parks.
Renamed in 1996, the park commemorates the victims of the 228 Incident, which began after government agents assaulted a cigarette vendor in Taipei in February 1947, triggering protests across Taiwan.
Today, the leafy park features walking paths, ponds, pavilions, and several memorials, providing a tranquil green space in the heart of central Taipei.
At the northern end of the park stands the National Taiwan Museum, Taiwan’s oldest museum.
Founded in 1908 during Japanese rule, its current main building opened in 1915 and houses collections covering Taiwan’s natural and human history, including Indigenous artifacts, plants, animals, fossils, and historical objects.
The main museum is open from 9:30 AM to 5 PM from Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays.
If you have an hour or two before a train, combining the museum with a walk through the park is an easy way to take in a substantial piece of Taipei’s history without straying too far from the station.
