Eight Elephants Hostel Map

Eight Elephants is home of some local young people and international students who have passions in traveling. Eight Elephants is where travelers chill and have fun!

Address: Jin-Jiang St.,
Lane 48, Alley 4, No.6, 1F,
(near GuTing MRT Exit 1),
Taipei,
Taiwan
100

You'll probably be arriving from Taoyuan International Airport (formerly called Chiang Kai-Shek or C.K.S. Airport). You could take a taxi directly to the hostel, but it's cheaper to take the bus and MRT. MRT stands for Mass Rapid Transit, which is what the Taiwanese call their metro/tube/subway system. It's a 40 minute bus ride from the airport to central Taipei, then a quick three stops to come down to Guting Station which will place you within three minutes' walking distance of the hostel. Read below for detailed directions.

Important Notes:
1) Eight Elephants is like a home stay place, hosted by some young people. Whichever way you choose to travel, it is important that you book ahead to to guarantee availability. We are very small and busy.
2) Please give us an accurate arrival time when you reserve online, call or email us. Keep us updated on any changes or delays in your schedule so that we can be sure someone is around to let you in. Our small size prevents us from being able to provide a fixed, 24-7 reception, so we strongly recommend that you contact us in advance.
3) If you have any trouble finding your way here, call us by payphone. We are always happy to help you. Coin-operated payphones can be located at the bus station in the airport, Taipei Main Station, and at the north end of Guting Station. We speak English and Chinese.


By Taxi

If coming from the airport directly by taxi, be sure to first call us from the airport to tell us when to expect you.

Most taxi drivers do not speak English, so be certain to have a printout of the Chinese address and directions with you (See Picture #8 for taxi directions in Chinese) . The trip should cost about 1300 Taiwan dollars (US $40), compared to the 150 Taiwan dollars the bus + MRT costs, detailed below.


From Taoyuan International Airport to Guting MRT Station


Note: MRT Station (short for Mass Rapid Transit Station) = Metro/Subway/Tube Station

You buy bus tickets before boarding at ticket counters, which are located in the Arrival Passenger Reception Areas of both Terminals of the airport. Here you can also find free travel info and maps. The attendants speak English and can help you buy a bus ticket for either Taipei Main Station or to Minchuan West Road MRT Station, which costs about 130 Taiwan dollars (US $5).

The MRT is closed from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 AM, so if you arrive on a late flight, take a taxi the rest of the way to the hostel (about 130 Taiwan Dollars, metered). Don't worry about figuring out the MRT. Everything is easy to understand and with English translations.

If you took the bus to Taipei Main Station, Guting Station is only three stops south on the Red Line. If you took the Minchuan West Road bus, it's six stops. Buy your MRT token from a machine (20 NTD) which lets you through the turnstile. Retrieve your token after you pass through--you'll need it for when you exit the MRT at Guting Station. Board a train heading towards either Nanshijiao or Xindian, which both pass through Guting.


From Guting MRT Station to Eight Elephants

(See map for a details)
When you arrive at Guting Station, head to Exit 1 (the elevator). Before going up, you may want to orient yourself using the large wall map by the exit. From here, it's only a three minute walk to our home!

1) Leave through Exit 1 and straight ahead you'll see TongAn Street. Cross TongAn first to have a wider sidewalk for carrying luggage, then turn RIGHT onto TongAn.
2) Walking down TongAn St., you'll pass a 7-11 at the first intersection. Continue to the second intersection which is Jin-Jiang St. Turn LEFT onto Jin-Jiang Street. (there is a big green recycling bin under the street lamp and a electronic scrolling sign with orange running words at the two corners of this side of Jin-Jiang St.)
3) Walk down Jin-Jiang St., and take the first RIGHT (this is Lane 46 of Jin-Jiang St.)
4) Walking down Lane 46 of Jin-Jiang St., take the SECOND LEFT, immediately after passing a very small parking lot.
5) Our door is the first one once you walk past the underground parking lot entrance on your right. The alley narrows and rises slightly just before our door and has a streetlamp plus parked bicycles and scooters out front. There is a little FLAG of TAIWAN hung at our door. Just ring the bell marked 'EE'.

Note: We apologize in advance for not having a huge sign outside. Hotels have a lot more influence on the business regulations for lodgings, and they wrote them so that hostels aren't allowed to advertise themselves very openly. Other hostels in Taipei are also low-key and don't have signs either. Sorry!