DebConf18/Getting Around

The venue is:
國立交通大學 電子資訊研究大樓
National Chiao Tung University, Microelectronics and Information Research Center

How to get to the venue

High Speed Rail + Local Bus

The nearest international airport to Hsinchu is Taoyuan International Airport (codenamed TPE). Then follow these steps (NT$165, US$5.6)

1. Take Taoyuan Airport MRT (機場捷運) to Taoyuan HSR Station (桃園高鐵站) (A18) (NT$35)
   (Trains every seven minutes on 05:57-23:55. Travel time five minutes.)
2. Then take HSR (高鐵) southbound to Hsinchu (新竹) (NT$130)
   (06:49-23:21, trains every ~20 minutes. Travel time 11 minutes.) Note not all trains stop in Hsinchu. Check first!
3. Finally leaving Exit 4, if:
   • Monday through Friday
     07:48, 09:18, 10:18, 12:18, 13:35, 16:15, 17:40
     1. Take NCTU Shuttle Bus (國立交通大學交通車) from Bus Platform 5 to the last stop
        (Free, Travel time 30 minutes.)
     2. Then Walk 3 mins to the conference building.
   • Monday through Sunday (on all days)
     07:15, 08:00, 08:45, 09:30, 10:10, 10:40, 11:30, 12:15, 12:40, 13:30, 14:15, 14:55, 15:30, 16:15, 16:45, 17:20, 18:05, 18:45, 19:30, 20:15, 21:20, 22:30
     1. Take 182 bus from Bus Platform 2 to Guo Gou (過溝)
        (NT$15, Travel time 33 minutes.)
     2. Then Walk 20 mins to the school and conference building (slightly up the hill).

• Photos in reverse order
• DebConf18 Map

Taxi / Uber

Taxi / Uber from Airport to venue cost around NTD $1500 in 45 mins.

You can find Taxi stop at Airport Terminal.

Uber driver will meet you at a specific meet point our of terminal lobby. Suggest getting off of the terminal and text the meet point number (big lightbox with numbers above your head) to the driver.

Getting Around Hsinchu and Taipei

Taxis & Uber

(this section needs to be simpler. perhaps someone could make a numbered list of steps)

Taiwan Taxis can be hailed from kiosks in Seven-Eleven convenience stores off campus. The system was developed during government negotiations with Uber. Show the destination address in Chinese to the store clerk and say "please call taxi for me" or something similar. The clerk will operate the kiosk for you if you do not know the language. Taxi's bid for your fare remotely. You will be given a reciept with the number of the winning bidder. The number will not be on the outside of the taxi. If you do not have a local phone number, the clerk will use the store number, and you shouild wait for the taxi by the door of the store. Somehow it is against the rules to tip, and the amount of the winning bid is not negotiable. The fare for taxis should be paid in cash, and should range between $100 and $200 for rides inside Hsinchu, between Chief Hotel and MIRC, for example.

• A phone should be available at the front desk for transportation related calls.
• Other local taxis may not speak English. Credit cards will often not work for taxis.
• The price of local metered taxis is commonly around $70 for first 1.25km, and $12.5 every 0.5km more.
• Uber is about the same price. Uber (available via a non-free app) is working across Hsinchu / Airport / Taipei and is easier for the English-speaking visitors. Find Taxi (also a non-free app) has English interface and is available on Android(http://bit.ly/findtaxi_android ) and iOS(http://bit.ly/findtaxi_ios ).

Traffic card

You can consider purchasing contactless traffic cards EasyCard (悠遊卡) (pronunciation: Yo-yo-card) (price in NT$100), which should be available right in the arrival hall of the airport and the convenient stores. It can go through most of the public transport services (rail, bus, metro) except High-Speed Rail.

You can also top-up and pay with the card at any convenience stores and many local shops.

Transit and stores always accept cash, but note that change is not available on the bus lines.

Note that please swipe the card both when getting on and getting off the bus!

From Hsinchu to Taipei

If you want to visit Taipei city, the most convenient way is walking 20 mins to the bus station at the entrance of Tsinghua University (清華大學) (map from venue to bus station) and taking the freeway bus (route 1728/1822/2011/5500/9003). The bus cost NT$ 100~150 in 60~90 mins depends on routes and traffics. You can pay by EasyCard or pre-purchase at the ticket booth.

The other way is by High-Speed Rail (30 mins taxi ride / 45 mins bus to HSR Hsinchu station, and 30 mins to Taipei) and TRA railway (30 mins Taxi ride to Hsinchu Station and 60 mins to Taipei Main Station).

If your advance planning seems inadequate, don't panic. Most local will gladly try to practice their English if you ask for help.

Local-transportation external-links

• local transit trip-planner, with example #2 bus schedule from NCTU to Hsinchu City Center
  • Hsinchu City Government Department of Transportation, main page in English
  • Hsinchu City Bus Information System

• http://ibus.hsinchu.gov.tw/ 新竹縣智慧公車便民查詢網 (涵蓋部份新竹市）
• Hsinchu Science Park
  • SIPA Advanced Traveler Information System
  • 竹科交通 > 巡迴巴士
• YouBike: [1], [2].
• Hsinchu bus app examples
• 交通大學 交通資訊 (NCTU directions in Mandarin, no English page available)

U-Bike

You can rent bicycle easily from bike pools around the campus and city. Please read UBike Also please read the traffic card section above.

Store Baggage in Taipei Main Station

You can store your baggage in Taipei Main Station for a long period like 6 month. It's around 70 TWD per day. For short term storage you can use the locker. But for longer period please go to the storage service of Taipei Main Station. video to getting there.

Visas

Please refer to the visa information webpage from MeetTaiwan to decide if you need a visa to visit Taiwan.

Flexible Mechanism

If you need a visa, and cannot apply for an eVisa, you can choose to apply for an eVisa using a special code issued by the government to DebConf18, thanks to the Flexible Mechanism.

Note that this does not apply to visitors from Mainland China.

Please contact visa at debconf.org for more information.

Notes

Offline Maps

If you consider not to purchase cellular internet access, but you have a smartphone device, you can consider downloading offline maps before leaving for Taiwan. There are several FOSS apps supporting offline maps, including MAPS.ME and OSMAnd. See OpenStreetMap wiki article for details.

SIM Cards

Before leaving the airport, seriously consider getting a local SIM card. Wifi is available in the hacklabs, and ethernet wire in the dorms, but that is all. And the two are relatively far apart. The airport is the closest place for a foriegner to get one without a local government ID. There are telecom booths before and after the immigration lines. Chunghwa Telecom is recommended as it has good coverage around the Taiwan island.

Taiwan SIM card shop

Prepaid plains are:

Taiwan SIM card plans

They might require cash to pay for it, at one side of the shop you got ATM.

Taiwan ATM

At the other side you may exchange cash.

Taiwan Cash Exchange

More information can be found at emome site.

iTaiwan Public Wi-Fi

Before leaving the airport, if you are not getting a local SIM card, at least consider signing up for iTaiwan Wi-Fi. Both require government ID or a Taiwan registered telephone number.

iTaiwan Wi-Fi is accessible from publically owned indoor places around Taiwan such as airports, rail stations, government buildings, and some academic institutions, but not our venue.

It is fastest to register with your passport number online, and then activate it in person at a tourism desk, but registering at the airport is not complicated. The second step (activation) is only available once you have entered Taiwan, unless a previous registration period is unexpired.

Other external links

• 0800-011765 Tourism Bureau 24-Hour Toll-Free Travel Information Hotline