To visit the 35th floor Starbucks in Taipei 101, call 886-2-8101-0701 1 day in advance to schedule a visit. The next day, enter the Starbucks line in Taipei 101’s business lobby. Learn more about this secret Starbucks.
I’ve visited the highest Starbucks in the world twice. I want to share my experience and help you determine whether it’s worth seeing.
Important
35th Floor Starbucks 101 Rules
When visiting the 35th floor Starbucks in Taipei 101, follow these rules:
- Duration of stay: 90 minutes; 1.5 hours
- Minimum spend: Spend at least $250 NTD ($8) per person
- Dress code: Smart casual wear.
- Can’t wear slippers or shorts
- Don’t leave Starbucks & wander around the 35th floor.
- Arrive at the waiting area 5 min before your reservation time.
If you’re late for your reservation, the staff will consider your appointment canceled.
Prices for beverages and food remain consistent with other Starbucks throughout Taiwan. You won’t have difficulty spending NT$250.
Smart casual attire means wearing button-downs, dress pants, dark-wash jeans, and similar clothing. Combine business and casual attire.
I didn’t know about the dress code until I wrote this post. I wore a T-shirt and jeans. Other people there wore short shorts and rugged casual attire.
Since you’re reading this post, you should probably do your best to dress as “smart casual” as possible. Just don’t walk in there with flip-flops and a tank top.
Where Are the Best Seats?
The best seats on the 35th floor of Taipei 101 are by the window. If you can’t snag a window seat, you can wait for someone sitting by the window to leave.
How Crowded Does It Get?
The secret Starbucks in Taipei 101 can get crowded at night and on weekends. Book a reservation for a weekday morning at least a week ahead of time.
Does the Staff Speak English?
From my experience, the staff at the Starbucks on the 35th floor and Taipei 101 speak some English.
However, I have heard of many people only encountering staff that speak Mandarin. So, just in case, you may want to bring a friend who speaks Mandarin or prepare your Google Translate app.
Overview of Taipei 101’s 35th Floor Starbucks
Hours | Mon–Fri: 7:30 AM–8:00 PM |
Sat & Sun: 9:00 AM–7:30 PM | |
Phone Number | 886-2-8101-0701 |
Address (English) | No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 110 |
Free Wi-Fi? | Yes |
Minimum Spend | NT$250 |
Time You Can Stay | 90 minutes |
Taipei 101 has various Starbucks spread throughout the skyscraper that include [1]:
- 101門市: First floor Starbucks; you need to reach this store by taking the B1 escalator.
- 101典藏門市: Basement floor Starbucks.
- 世貿一館門市: Another first-floor Starbucks.
None of these are the 35th-floor Starbucks. Thus, it’s a hidden gem.
It’s also one of the highest Starbucks in the world [2]. The “Highest” title goes to the Starbucks store in the observation deck of the Haeundae LCT in the Busan building in South Korea [3].
4 Steps To Visiting Taipei 101 Starbucks (35th Floor)
Reserving a spot at the 35th floor Starbucks in Taipei 101 requires you to call, enter the line at the business lobby, then enter the store.
You’ll want to know some details before going. I’ll cover those in the following sections.
1. Call To Make a Reservation
Call the following number 1 day in advance between 5 PM and 6:30 PM: +886-2-8101-0701.
If you want window seats, call a week ahead of time. You’ll have a higher chance of being the first in line. And since you’d become the first person in line, you could get into Starbucks sooner and have first dibs.
The staff who picks up the phone will first respond to you in Mandarin. Speak English and they may start speaking English. Otherwise, they will find someone who can speak your language.
While speaking to the reservation person, you will schedule a time to visit the Taipei 101 Starbucks. Afterward, the person on the phone will give you the reservation number.
You’ll use this number when ordering your food and getting on the elevator.
Ensure you record the reservation number on your phone or a piece of paper.
On weekdays, the last reservation slot is 90 minutes before Starbucks closes (6:30 PM). And 5 PM on weekends.
Don’t call on the weekends. Because it may take you forever to get hold of someone.
2. Get to Taipei 101 and Enter the Lobby
Ensure you get to the Taipei 101 lobby at least 10 minutes early. Upon arriving, you’ll see a line of people behind a Starbucks sign.
Ensure you have your number ready to present. A Starbucks team member will move through the line and ask everyone to show their number.
If you don’t see this, tell the staff at the information center that you’re there for the 35th floor Starbucks. They’ll let you know what to do from there.
3. Ride an Elevator and Enjoy Your Drink
Once the team member confirms everyone’s reservation numbers, they’ll escort the line into an elevator.
This elevator’s fast (37.7 miles an hour). It won’t take long to get to the 35th floor.
Upon leaving the elevator, the team member will escort you to the entrance, then let everyone into the store. From there, it’s a free-for-all to grab seats. The further toward the front of the lobby line you stand, the more likely you’ll get a seat you want.
Claim your seat, leave your things there, grab your reservation number, and order your drink (or food).
4. Leaving Starbucks
Make your way back to the elevator and head back to the first floor.
Changing Your Starbucks on Taipei 101’s 35th Floor Reservation
Call 886-2-8101-0701 to change your reservation in case something changes your schedule.
How To Get to Taipei 101
You can only get to the 35th floor Starbucks by taking an elevator only accessible to staff. But you’ll need to get to the Taipei 101 World Trade Center first. And you can get there through these methods:
- Taipei Metro
- City bus
- Uber or taxi
You could also get there by walking, driving, or renting a YouBike. YouBikes are rentable bikes that’ll get you through Taipei City quickly.
And there’s a YouBike station in front of Taipei 101.
1. Taipei MRT
- How to Pay *: EasyCard, iCash 2.0, HappyCash, cash, & iPASS
- Avg. Price **: NT$20–65
- Number of Stations: 131
To reach Taipei 101 VIA, the Taipei Metro, you have a couple of options:
- Taipei 101 World Trade Center Station (Red Line): leave the MRT station through Exit 4
- Taipei City Hall Station (Blue Line): leave through Exit 2, then walk toward Taipei 101
Depending on the time of day, taking the metro will get you to Taipei 101 the quickest.
Suppose you arrive via the Blue Line and walk toward Taipei 101. It’ll take you about 10 minutes to get there.
2. Taipei City Bus
- How to Pay *: Any smart card (e.g., EasyCard) & coins
- Avg. Price **:
- 1 segment: NT$15
- 2-segment: NT$30
- 3-segment: NT$45
Get to Taipei 101 using a bus by arriving at the following stations:
- 101 International Shopping Center Station: bus numbers BL5, 537, 28, 797, 32, or the Taipei Sightseeing Double Decker Bus
- Taipei 101 MRT Station: bus numbers 28, 281, 537, 915, BR6, G1, BR21, BR18, or 647
Taking the bus is the most affordable option. But it may take you longer to get there if there’s a traffic jam.
The Hop-on, Hop-off bus will take longer (because it’s a tour bus). But it’s a great way to learn about Taipei City’s history. To get the most tours out of this bus, arrive at Taipei Main Station.
3. Taxi or Uber
- How to Pay *: Cash, card, & IC cards
- Avg. Price **:
- Base fare: NT$70 (first 1.25 km)
- Rate: NT$5 (per 200 m)
- Waiting Time: NT$5 (per 100 sec)
Hail a taxi and show them Taipei 101’s address. Or type the address into the Uber app.
Here’s the address:
- No. 45 號, City Hall Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 110
Neither method requires you to know Mandarin Chinese. Uber will automatically pull out your money. That means you jump into the car when it arrives at your destination and leave upon arriving at Taipei 101.
Taking a taxi requires you to present Taipei 101’s address. Watch the meter throughout your trip and pay the driver once your journey ends.
5 Other Things To Do Inside Taipei 101
Before or after visiting the 35th floor Starbucks, do these things inside Taipei 101:
- Visit the Observatory
- View Taipei City from the Skyline 460
- Shop at the mall
- Get exercise
- Chow down
I’ll cover some details about each activity in the following sections.
I have a floor plan for Taipei 101 and more information on things to do in a separate guide.
1. Taipei 101 89th Floor Observatory
- Cost: NT$600
- Hours: 11 AM-9 PM
- What to do: Observe Taipei City, indoor exhibits, & tuned mass damper.
You can visit the 89th floor of Taipei 101 and access the indoor observatory. It’ll give you a great view of Taipei City. Get these tickets online or on the 5th floor of Taipei 101. That’s the same floor where you’ll enter the elevator that takes you to the observatory.
From the 89th floor, you can visit Diamond Tony’s 101 Panorama restaurant (floors 85–86). Or the tuned mass damper (87–92).
So what can you do in the observatory?
View Taipei and New Taipei cities. Or take pictures.
2. 101st Floor Outdoor Observatory
- Cost: NT$1,000–3,000
- Hours: 11 AM–9 PM
- What to do: View Taipei City & take pictures.
When accessing the roof, you’ll have to wear a bunch of carabiners and gear to keep you from falling off the skyscraper.
The breeze you’ll feel on the roof is the best and gives you a stellar view of the city. You can also have a photo taken of you at “the best photo spot.” The staff will then email you your photo.
Though, the staff didn’t email me mine. And I had to ask them where my picture was.
3. Shopping Center
- Hours:
- Sun–Thur: 11 AM–9:30 PM
- Fri & Sat: 11 AM–10 PM
- What to do: Buy boutique items & souvenirs.
Floors 1–4 have a good deal of high-end clothing, souvenirs, and accessory shops. It’s an excellent means to escape the heat in an air-conditioned environment.
There’s not much to say about this mall. It’s a great place to snap some photos of Taipei 101’s interior and to blow money.
4. Work Out at the Gym
- Cost: NT$650 for 1-time visit
- Hours: 6 AM–12 AM
The 6th floor of Taipei 101 has a World Gym. Supposedly, you can pay NT$650 ($21.50) for a one-time visit.
It’s a great (yet expensive) way to get intense exercise and a shower to burn off the food I’ll talk about in the next section.
5. Eat at the Food Court
- Cost: NT$150+
- Hours:
- Sun–Thur: 11 AM–9:30 PM
- Fri & Sat: 11 AM–10 PM
- What to do: Eat
The Taipei 101 basement food court has various restaurants of foods hailing from many countries.
Prices for these restaurants cost the same as eating out at establishments throughout Taipei (NT$150+ per item). You can find fried chicken, Korean food, beef noodles, more Starbucks stores, and other businesses.
You shouldn’t visit this food court around lunch (12 PM–1 PM) or dinner (6:00 PM–8:00 PM). It’s hard to find seats around this time.
Is Visiting the 35th Floor Starbucks in Taipei 101 Worth It?
The 35th floor Starbucks in Taipei 101 is worth visiting depending on the time of day you arrive.
If you go at night, you’ll have a more challenging time seeing outside. You may want to try going during the day. Perhaps you’ll encounter fewer people and have a better view.
Here’s some context. I went there a few years back for my birthday night. Because it was dark and the insides of the Starbucks’ windows were reflective, making it difficult to see the outside.
Everyone rushes to the window seats first. Thus, I had to wait a while before sitting on a barstool overlooking Taipei.
Despite my experience, I recommend visiting the “secret” Starbucks in Taipei 101.
It doesn’t cost much, and it’s a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else on Earth.
FAQs
How Fast Is Taipei 101’s Elevator?
Taipei 101’s elevator goes around 37 mph (60.6 km) or 55.22 feet (16.83 meters) per second. So while riding this elevator, you may feel your ears pop a bit.
What is the Menu Like at Starbucks on Taipei 101’s 35th Floor?
The menu differs from other Starbucks locations in Taiwan and frequently changes. Hence, I can’t provide an accurate menu. Their website also doesn’t have a menu for the 35th floor Starbucks.