Whether you are an international or local tourist coming to Taipei, your first stop will probably be Taipei Main Station. Located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei City, it is the largest railway station in Taiwan in terms of traffic, and there are also multiple businesses and schools nearby. However, Taipei Main Station is much more than just a train station. Inside, there are many restaurants, shopping places, and so on. In this article, you will learn more about Taipei Main Station and its fascinating underground maze. Watch out or you may get lost on these multiple and confusing roads.
Taipei Main Station: Center of Taipei
Taipei Main Station is a historical landmark. This dual railway and metro station were established in July 1891, and it is now controlled by Taiwan High-Speed Rail, the Taiwan Railways Administration, and the Taipei Metro. It was not always where it is now; the first Taipei Main Station was built in Dadaocheng, and as the traffic was growing, the current building you see now was built in 1989 in the center of Taipei.
Every day, there are over 50 thousand people transiting through it and you can easily get lost in this flow of people on these confusing roads. I do believe that the only way for someone to get out is by following the signs. I have the testimony of many local Taiwanese who got lost in Taipei Main Station, and I can guarantee you that as a foreigner I got lost there more times than I could count. The station is surrounded by a commercial area that is very popular with tourists, students, and others.
The famous Nanyang Street next to it is known for offering a wide range of local styles like cafés and everything one would expect from such an amazing city and its friendly people. It is definitely a place not to miss while you are in Taipei. Some describe it as “cheap eating heaven” especially because there are a lot of students in the area. This place is also known as the home of most of Taipei’s cram schools. You can ask your Taiwanese friends about it. They definitely have stories related to it.
Strange Phenomena and Legends in Taipei Station
Like any other place in the world, Taipei Main Station has strange phenomena and legends related to it. After talking to my Taiwanese friends and doing some research, I found two of them: the bird-headed statue and the white tile phenomenon.
