Venue location

3rd floor, Alumni Service Center
National Sun Yat-sen University
Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan

國立中山大學西子樓校友會館3樓

Google maps link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WksdzcfUnpVcqcSn7

Traveling To Kaohsiung

Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) is Taiwan’s biggest international airport with over 100+ destinations in roughly 30 countries. However, it is in the North of Taiwan, hence you will need to arrive to Taiwan’s High-Speed-Rail (HSR) network then come to Kaohsiung. Hence, you will need to go Taoyuan HSR station then take the HSR to Zuoying HSR station in Kaohsiung (ticket is NT$1330). Then take the metro to your hotel. Click here for more info.

Step 1. First get the metro to Taoyuan HSR station

Step 2. Then get the HSR to Zuoying station

Taiwan Metro and buses

Taiwan has a public transport card called “EasyCard” and you can buy it from about 90% of convenience stores in Taiwan. They also come in the interesting designs from popular anime series. Buses in Taiwan have unreliable timings, and DO NOT RELY on google maps timings for local buses! This is has about a 50% chance of being wrong by 30mins.

Kaohsiung metro accepts contactless payment from VISA/Mastercard as well, so you don’t need an EasyCard but no other public transport accepts this (I think).

Taiwan HSR

Taiwan’s High-Speed-Rail (HSR) is quite similar to Japan’s Shinkansen, but smaller and thus less complicated. The trains are literally the Shinkansen 700 Series modified for Taiwan’s climate and safety regulations. Tickets can be bought online by downloading the T-Express App with info here. Pre-booked tickets will guarantee a seat, whereas non-reserved seats will not and you might have to stand (there are non-reserved train cars for this type of ticket). You can also just go to the ticket counter to buy a ticket, and then you get a paper ticket which might be easier for your reimbursement later (otherwise you get a PDF invoice showing price, location and time).

Taxi/UBER

Some Taiwan taxi’s accept VISA/Mastercard, but they will not if they are too old. Also, there is UBER service available all over Taiwan and that is quite convenient but I have never had any luck using the “UBER Taxi” option, they never arrive… The “UBER Eco” always arrives in good time.

Hotel information

For hotels in Kaohsiung, please be close to the Red and Orange metro lines, the light green line is a light-rail system not metro. Taiwan has built its infrastructure for scooters, hence Kaohsiung’s areas away from the Red and Orange metro lines most likely have no pedestrian walkways, which can be a bit hectic…

Hotel Dua is a very good location and the hotel is high quality, however it is quite expensive.

Good Hotel - Minsheng was ok when I stayed in 2022 and cheaper. It was good but about 10 mins walk to the metro on normal pedestrian paths.

Siziwan Sunset Beach resort All the locals say it is really good, but a bit overpriced. And the restaurant is really good but you can only buy a set meal there which costs above 600NTD which is double the price of most restaurants in Kaohsiung, but it has a starter, side dishes, main, dessert and Chinese style soup. It is far from the city though.