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Book your tickets online or buy them from the 5th floor inside Taipei 101’s mall. You can get tickets for the 89th or 101st floors. To reach Taipei 101, you can take the Taipei Red Line to Taipei 101 Station.
I’ve visited all the floors tourists can access in the Taipei 101 World Trade Center. I want to share my experience, how to navigate this skyscraper, and compile other information I found.
Throughout this guide, you’ll learn how to visit Taipei 101, some exciting things to see there, and fun facts about Taiwan’s tallest building.
Table of Contents
Important Information for Travelers
| Is It Worth Visiting? | Yes |
| Average Time Spent | 2 – 3 hrs |
| Entry Fee | NT$300 – 3,000 |
| FunPASS Inclusion | Unlimited, Classic, and Exploring |
| Dress Code | None |
| Hours | Sunday – Thursday: 11 AM – 9:30 PM |
| Friday & Saturday: 11 AM – 10 PM | |
| Best Time to Visit | Sunny days |
| Address | No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 110 |
| Website | taipei-101.com.tw |
| City Located | Taipei City |
| Free Wi-Fi | iTaiwan, Taipei 101 Free Wi-Fi, Taipei Free |
| Luggage Storage | Lalalocker, your hotel |
Notes and tips:
- “FunPASS Inclusion” means that having particular FunPASSes will give you free admission.
- Check the weather forecast before visiting, especially if you want to access the outdoor deck. Just check the CWA website, you don’t need an app…
- Consider visiting at sunset for spectacular views.
Souvenirs That Are Worth Getting
I recommend buying these souvenirs from Taipei 101:
- Anything to do with the Damper Baby mascot (e.g., plushes)
- Liquor and water bottles shaped like Taipei 101
- Souvenir stamps: Stamps of Taipei 101, but stamps that you buy.
- Shot glasses
- Building models
- Magnets, some postcards, and keychains
- Mugs (reconsider since they’re fragile)
All the souvenirs listed above are unique to Taipei 101 and are extremely difficult and/or impossible to find elsewhere.
You could also get chocolate and tea bag gift boxes, but they’re not the best quality. If you’re after food souvenirs, look elsewhere and don’t fall for the gimmick of “it’s shaped like Taipei 101, so it’s cool.”
Here’s what the Damper Baby looks like:
Screenshot from Taipei 101.
Is it Worth Visiting?
Yes.
I’m picky when it comes to finding places that I can wholeheartedly recommend, but it’s very affordable to visit Taipei 101 considering the experience you’re getting.
What’s There To Do inside?
You can do the following inside Taipei 101:
- View outdoor exhibits
- Eat at the food court
- Shop at the mall
- Work out
- Visit the secret Starbucks
- Visit the 89th-floor indoor observatory
- Take an elevator to the 101st-floor outdoor observatory
- View the fireworks show
The plaza outside of Taipei 101 holds a lot of public art pieces. And protestors for various causes. From my experience, protestors have remained peaceful. Nor do they approach you and try to force you into whatever reason they’re protesting. Thus, they won’t interfere with your experience.
If you arrive around December, you’ll find many Instagrammable Christmas decorations and light displays.
1. Floor Plan
Here’s everything you’ll find on each floor in Taipei 101:
| Floor | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 101 | Outdoor observation deck |
| 93 – 100 | Mechanical rooms |
| 87 – 92 | Tuned mass damper |
| 91 | Outdoor observatory |
| 87 & 90 | Mechanical rooms |
| 88 – 89 | Indoor observatories |
| 85 – 86 | Diamond Tony’s 101 Panorama restaurant |
| 13 – 84 | Mix of office suites and mechanical rooms |
| 9 – 12 | Taipei stock exchange |
| 7 – 8 | Mechanical rooms |
| 6 | World Gym |
| 5 | Observatory deck elevator entrance |
| 1 – 4 | Shopping center |
| B1 | MRT Station (Exit 4) |
| B2 – B5 | Parking garage |
2. Observatory: 89th Floor
- Admission Fee: NT$300 (10 USD)
- Average Time Spent Here: 2 – 3 hours
Taipei 101’s 89th floor holds various exhibits that display Taiwan’s technical prowess. It also gives you access to the seismic damper on the 87th floor.
The last time I was there, I saw an augmented reality(ish) flower display.
I’m a stamp collector. I punch stamps from various MRT stations and tourist attractions in a book. You’ll find some stamps in this observatory.
Otherwise, you can visit the gift shops and cafés and get a breathtaking view of Taipei without having to shell out the extra money to see the top of the tower.
To get there, follow these steps:
- Go to the 5th Floor: Take the escalators or elevators to the 5th floor of the mall.
- This is where you’ll find the Observatory ticket counters and entrance.
- Purchase Tickets: If you haven’t purchased tickets online, get them at the ticket counter on the 5th floor.
- Enter Observatory Area: Proceed to the observatory entrance after purchasing your tickets.
- Take the Elevator: Take one of these high-speed elevators to reach the 89th floor.
The time you wait to enter the elevator will vary. Sometimes, it’s a 15-minute wait. For others, it’s an hour or longer.
Once you get to the observatory, roam the observation deck. Collect your stamps, buy souvenirs, sit, gaze at Taipei City, and take pictures. Once you’re bored, make your way to the tuned mass damper room.
The damper is the biggest in the world and my favorite thing to see when visiting Taipei 101 — aside from the city view. You’ll get to watch it jiggle if you’re in Taipei 101 during an earthquake.
Here it is wiggling during a 6.8 magnitude earthquake.
3. Skyline 460: 101st Floor
- Admission Fee: NT$1,000 – 3,000 (30 – 100 USD)
- Average Time Spent Here: 1 hour
Important: Don’t do this experience if you have high blood pressure or suffer from medical conditions that could go crazy when going so high.
Visiting the 101st floor of Taipei 101 will lead you outside. You’ll get a stellar view of Taipei and New Taipei Cities.
When I went, I saw a rainbow. So keep an eye out for that.
There’s not much to do in this spot other than to relax (or panic) and gaze at the bustling concrete jungle below. However, the experience is worth every penny.
Here are the steps to visit:
- Purchase a Skyline 460 Ticket: Unlike the standard observatory tickets, access to Skyline 460 requires a separate, special ticket.
- Check-In at the 5th Floor: After purchasing your Skyline 460 ticket, head to the 5th floor of Taipei 101 Mall, where the observatory entrance is located.
- There, you’ll need to check in with the staff and present your ticket.
- Ascend to the 89th Floor: Take the high-speed elevator to the 89th floor, where the main indoor observatory is located.
- Meet Your Guide: On the 89th floor, you’ll see a guide who will escort your group to the 101st floor.
- Ascend to the 101st Floor: Take another elevator to reach the 101st floor.
- This elevator isn’t as fast as the main observatory elevators but still provides a smooth ride.
- Gear Up: The staff will help you put on a safety harness.
- Make your way to the observation area: Hike up a couple flights of stairs to reach the top.
- Strap In: The security guard waiting at the top will connect the carabiners on your straps to you to some ropes attached to the top of the building.
- Explore: Check out the view until you’re bored.
The one downside to the tether you’ll have while on the rooftop is that you can’t freely move around. That’s because you have the people ahead of you blocking. However, being safe beats falling into oblivion.
The Skyline tickets also include a photo shoot. You can set yourself up on the corner of the rooftop, and the staff will snap a photo of you. Later on, the team will send you the pictures via email.
They used to print the photo. But now they only deliver them through email.
Once you’ve had enough fun on the roof, you can check out floors 88, 89, and 91 as you please.
When you’re ready to leave, let someone on the 89th floor know, and they’ll escort you to the lobby.
4. Basement Food Court
B1 has some fashion stores like Lululemon and Crocs. It’s also home to tens of restaurants.
One is Taiwan’s famous Din Tai Fung. It’s pricey and known for dumplings and other tasty Taiwanese food. If it’s your first time at Din Tai Fung, my wife (a local) recommends:
- Sour, spicy soup
- Fried rice with pork
- Any flavor of xiaolongbao (dumplings)
I also recommend the dumplings along with the sticky rice wraps and the sesame buns.
The wait times here can often be an hour long. Check the wait time on their website for the “Taipei 101 Branch.” Don’t waste space on your phone by downloading the Waitlist app. There’s no benefit to doing so.
You could bypass the wait time BS and make a reservation online.
I recommend doing this through KKday or KLOOK — so long as your party has 2 or more people:
Other restaurants and fast food joints you’ll find include:
| McDonalds | Mos Burger | Starbucks | Mister Donut |
| Jasons (Supermarket) | Hsin Tung Yang | Aguan Hotpot Taipei 101 | TKK Fried Chicken |
| Yu Jan Shin (bakery) | Juice Bear | KQ Tea | Kavalan Whiskey |
Taipei 101 basement floor restaurants.
Prices for these restaurants seem consistent with other restaurant pricing throughout Taipei. But it’s often crowded. If you arrive during a lunch or dinner rush, you may have difficulty finding a seat.
5. 35th Floor Starbucks vs. 88th Floor Simple Kaffa
35th floor Starbucks information:
| Reservation Phone Number | 2-8101-0701 |
| Minimum Spend | NT$200 (6.50 USD) |
| Worth Visiting? | Not really |
| Time You Can Stay | 90 minutes |
The Starbucks on the 35th floor of Taipei 101 is nice but doesn’t give you the best bang for your buck. The coffee was of typical Starbucks quality (not spectacular), and it wasn’t easy to find seats with a great view.
Moreover, there aren’t any hidden menu items here.
If you want to visit the 35th floor Starbucks, you’ll need to book at least 1 day in advance with the phone number listed above.
I have learned of the Simple Kaffa — a Taiwanese coffee chain opened by a world renowned barista champion — that opened on the 88th floor.
Here’s the information for it:
| Minimum Spend | NT$180 (5.55 USD) |
| Worth Visiting? | Yes |
| Wait Time | 2+ hours |
Simple Kaffa drinks have been around the same price point as Starbucks’, but taste MUCH better. I can’t recommend any particular drinks because I don’t know what you like. Thus, try what you think sounds good.
I keep hyping this place up, but how do you get here?
Once you enter the first floor of Taipei 101, you’ll see reservation desks (on the left side) for Simple Kaffa and a place called Cafe Acme. Enter from the entrance, with the giant “Love” art installation in front of it.
From there, walk up to the counter and tell them you’d like a reservation for Simple Kaffa.
It’ll take forever to wait, but this is the cheapest way to visit Taipei 101. It’s around half the price of visiting the 89th-floor observatory. If you visit during a cloudy day, the wait will likely be shorter, but you won’t have as good of a view.
6. Shopping Center
Floors 1 through 4 have a series of stores like:
- Boutique stores
- Watches and jewelry
- Accessories
- Souvenir shops
- Skincare
- Another food court: Jean-Paul Hévin, Shi Ling Shabu, and Salt Stone are a few examples
There’s a World Gym Elite on the 6th floor. A great place for you to break a sweat.
The 5th floor also has a small food court with an Ikari Coffee and some other restaurants. This is also where you’ll buy your tickets for the 89th and 101st floors.
What to Do Outside & Around Taipei 101
| Attraction | Description | Avg. Stay Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall | A popular building to commemorate Sun Yat Sen. | 2 – 3 hrs |
| Tonghua Night Market | A night market. | 2 hrs |
| I recommend Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan (Michelin star restaurant). | ||
| Elephant Mountain | A 20-minute hike that’ll give you a breathtaking view of Taipei | 2 hrs |
| Xinyi Shopping District | Upscale malls, cinemas, and more | 3 hrs |
| Songshan Cultural & Creative Park | An old tobacco factory. | 2 hrs |
| Songshan Fengtian Temple | A little far, but pretty and not so “touristy”. | 1 hr |
| Taipei World Trade Center | Often hosts events (like COMPUTEX) | 1+ hr |
| Xinyi Public Assembly Hall | An old military village. | 1 hr |
You could walk to all of these places within 22 minutes. Or you could rent a YouBike and cut that walking time in half.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show
On December 31st, Taipei 101 will host a massive fireworks show once midnight strikes. Before the fireworks begin, you can explore the various food stalls throughout Xinyi and gaze at the advertisements covering the side of Taipei 101.
Upon entering the new year, the building will erupt into colors and smoke.
If you want a great view of the fireworks, you can surround yourself with locals and see them up close. But I’ve honestly had a bad experience being up close. It’s super crowded, and people often will try to take your spot.
If you don’t mind watching from afar, you can visit Maokong Mountain — I recommend this route. This prevents you from following the masses like a school of fish once the fireworks end. You also avoid the massive MRT congestion.
One year, I had to wait in line for an hour to get in an MRT cart. The congestion has improved, but watching the fireworks from Maokong has always been a more relaxing experience with fewer tourists.
If you have a lot of money and book ahead of time (like a year), you could visit a nearby club or restaurant and view the light show in style.
Best Places to Sleep & Rest That Are Nearby
Here are some options for hotels you’ll have near Taipei 101:
| Upper Range | Mid-Range | Budget | |
| Hotel | Humble House Taipei | Home Hotel | Formosa 101 |
| Description | Luxurious rooms, high-end amenities, excellent location near Taipei 101. | Modern rooms, convenient for exploring Taipei’s neighborhoods. | Ideal for backpackers, communal spaces, short walk to the tower. |
| Highlights | Rooftop infinity pool, Michelin-starred restaurant, luxurious spa, elegant rooms with city views. | Complimentary breakfast buffet, stylish décor, convenient location near MRT Daan Station, family-friendly rooms. | Budget-friendly rates, social atmosphere, communal kitchen, dorm and private room options, convenient location near Taipei 101. |
| Walking Distance from Taipei 101 | 5 minutes | 20 minutes | 5 minutes |
Here are some images of the Humble House (and it’s view) when I stayed there:
Transportation Options to Taipei 101 Compared
Address:
- English: No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 110
- Chinese: 110台北市信義區信義路五段7號
Let’s compare different public transportation options:
| Transportation Medium | Best For | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei MRT | Best overall | NTD$20 – 60 (One way) |
| City Bus | Cheapest | NT$15, 30, or 45 |
| Rideshare / Taxi | Most convenient | Varies |
| YouBike | Best exercise | NT$5 – 40 per 30 min |
| Walking | If you’re nearby | Free |
| Hop-on, hop-off bus | Funnest | NT$290 |
Some of these points require further emphasis.
1. MRT. Take the Taipei Metro Red Line to Taipei 101 World Trade Center Station. You’ll be outside the skyscraper once you depart from the MRT station.
You can also take the Blue Line to Taipei City Hall station and leave through Exit 2. It’ll take you about 10 minutes to walk to the Taipei Financial Center from here. But you can also explore the malls throughout Xinyi.
2. City bus and tour bus.
I recommend taking bus 1815 if you’re by Taipei Main station.
Take any route that leads or connects to Xinyi Administrative Center, Hotel Grand Hyatt Taipei, Taipei City Hall, or the World Trade Center station.
Before taking this bus, you’ll want to download the Bus+ app by using one of these links:
If you prefer touring the entire city, you can take the Taipei Sightseeing hop-on, hop-off bus. It departs from Taipei Main Station (Exit M4) and will cruise around most of the city. They have friendly tour guides and offer English tour guide headsets.
I took this bus and learned a lot about Taipei’s history.
3. Taxi or Uber. Taiwan doesn’t have Lyft or Grab, only Uber. Use the app to book through them. Or call these numbers to order a taxi:
- 55850: ask for a cab in English and the operator should connect you to someone
- 55850 is also the name of an app to book a taxi in Taiwan with.
- 27997997: English-Speaking Drivers’ Association
Brief History of the Building
Taipei 101 (aka Taipei World Financial Center) was a project led by Harace Lin and other corporations in 1997. From there, the Samsung C&T Corporation and various contractors worked hard and quickly constructed this massive building.
Then came December 31, 2004. When it presented a massive fireworks display to celebrate the building’s opening.
It held the crown as the world’s tallest building until 2009, when the Burj Khalifa took its place. However, it remains the world’s tallest green building [1]. To achieve this title, it earned the LEED V4 platinum certification.
That means it scored points in the highest category possible regarding water efficiency, building materials used, indoor environmental quality, and other factors.
Building Design Inspiration
- Bamboo: The structure’s segmented design and tapering shape resemble a stalk of bamboo, a symbol of growth, flexibility, and longevity in Chinese culture.
- Number “8”: The building consists of eight stacked sections, as the number eight is considered lucky in many East Asian countries, representing prosperity and good fortune.
- Ancient Chinese Coin: The circular design at the base of the building is inspired by ancient Chinese coins, symbolizing wealth and abundance.
- Ruyi Symbol: The curled ruyi figures found throughout the structure symbolize heavenly clouds and also represent power and good luck.
- Pagoda: The overall shape of the building is reminiscent of a traditional Chinese pagoda, symbolizing strength and resilience.
- Dragon: The dragon motifs integrated into the building’s exterior represent power, strength, and good fortune.
At night you’ll see a different color illuminating the top of the tower.
The following are what days correlate with the varying colors you’ll see at the top of Taipei’s massive tower:
- Monday: Red
- Tuesday: Orange
- Wednesday: Yellow
- Thursday: Green
- Friday: Blue
- Saturday: Indigo
- Sunday: Violet
2. Taipei 101 Damper: How It Works
The Taipei 101 tuned mass damper is a large steel pendulum weighing 660 metric tons (728 short tons).
It’s suspended with 8 tables between the 87th and 92nd floors of the skyscraper and is designed to counteract the building’s movement caused by strong winds and earthquakes.
It’s the largest mass damper on earth (as of 2024).
Other names for this engineering masterpiece include:
- Harmonic absorber
- Seismic damper
It produces a reaction force to counter vibrations or shocks from the outside. The tuned mass damper will prevent the landmark from swaying during an earthquake or typhoon since it reduces the buildings movement by 30 – 40% [2].
I’m not an engineer and can’t explain how this black magic works.
Here’s a video that does a great job of explaining it:
I can’t find information as to how large a quake Taipei 101 can withstand. However, it had no damage during the April 2024 7.4-magnitude earthquake, which occurred within 80 miles of its epicenter.
Global Partnership: Taipei 101 Discount Card
If you’re a member of the Ginza Six (Japan), Times Square (Hong Kong), or Parco (Japan) programs, you can get the following discounts at Taipei 101:
- 5 – 10% off participating shops in the Taipei 101 mall
- 10 – 20% off tickets to the observatory: you can get a maximum of 4 tickets
- 10 – 20% off Skyline 460 tickets: once again, max. of 4 tickets per card
Present your membership card at these companies to the customer service counter on the B1 floor to get your discounts.
Taipei 101 has other membership programs like the Prestige Club, 101 Point, 101 Member, and 101 Pay. But these point-based membership programs only benefit locals and expats.
Fun Facts
| World’s Tallest Building Rank | 10th place [3] |
| Number of Floors | 101 |
| Elevator Speed | 37.7 miles (60.67 km) per hour |
| Location | Taipei City, Taiwan |
| Chinese Name | 臺北101 |
| Building Height | 1,667 ft (508.1 m) |
| Opened | December 31, 2004 |
| Pendulum Weight | 600 metric tons (600,000 kg) |
| Pendulum Diameter | 118 feet (5.4 meters) |
| Cost to Build | 1.8 billion USD |
| Fastest Elevator in the World Rank | 6th fastest in the world [4] |
| Elevator Time from 5th to 89th Floor | 37 seconds |
| Cost to Build Each Elevator | NT$80 million (2.4 million USD) |
| Architect | C.Y. Lee & Partners |
| Engineer | Thornton-Tomasetti Engineers, Evergreen Consulting Engineering, Inc. |
Sources
- 1: Philips: Taipei 101 case study
- 2: Atlas Obscura: Taipei 101’s mass damper
- 3: Skyscraper Center: Top 100 tallest buildings
- 4: Designing Buildings: World’s fastest lifts