Louisville to Taoyuan (SDF–TPE) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

US passport holders enter Taiwan visa-free for up to 90 days. No advance application is needed. Passport must be valid for the duration of the stay. A return or onward ticket is required. At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) or Taipei Songshan (TSA), immigration stamps your passport. Automated e-Gates are available for registered travelers.

Taiwan is a 36,000 square kilometer island off the southeastern coast of mainland China. Taipei 101 (508m) was the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2010. Night markets define the food culture: Shilin, Raohe, and Ningxia in Taipei serve dishes from TWD 40 to TWD 150 ($1.25 to $4.70). The Taroko Gorge on the east coast, Sun Moon Lake in the central mountains, and Kenting National Park at the southern tip cover Taiwan's natural range. The Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) connects Taipei to Kaohsiung in 1 hour 34 minutes.

Direct flights from New York JFK to Taipei run about 15 hours 30 minutes on EVA Air. Los Angeles to TPE runs about 13 hours on EVA Air, China Airlines, and Starlux Airlines. San Francisco and Seattle also have nonstop service. Taiwan uses the New Taiwan dollar (TWD), trading at roughly 32 TWD per $1. Card payments and contactless payments work widely. The EasyCard works on Taipei's MRT (7 lines), buses, YouBike bike-share, and convenience stores. MRT rides cost TWD 20 to TWD 65 ($0.62 to $2.03). The Taoyuan Airport MRT connects TPE to Taipei Main Station in 35 minutes for TWD 160 ($5). A sit-down restaurant meal costs TWD 200 to TWD 500 ($6.25 to $15.60).

The Airport MRT express to Taipei Main Station departs every 15 minutes and takes 35 minutes (TWD $160). Taoyuan HSR station is also served, connecting onward to other Taiwanese cities. Licensed taxis queue at designated stands outside arrivals; metered fares to Taipei city centre run TWD $1,200–1,600. Uber operates with advance booking.

All major international rental car brands have desks in both terminals. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are connected by a free shuttle bus; allow 15 minutes for inter-terminal transfers.

Subtropical climate. Summers (May–September) are hot and very humid at 30–35°C. This is also typhoon season, with storms capable of closing the airport entirely. Winters (December–February) are mild and rainy at 14–18°C. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable conditions.

Typhoon risk peaks July through September. Storms can arrive within 24–48 hours and operations halt rapidly. Fog and low ceilings are common in winter and spring mornings.