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Hotel & Travel

Welcome to Taiwan!

Make your room reservation before October 5, 2012 for SPECIAL RATE !

The conference will be held at Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Tainan. This hotel is located on University (Dasyue) Road about 100m from the rear exit of Tainan Railway Station (see hotel map).

City Tour (departure with a minimum of 40 persons)

http://www.66travel.com.tw/ENG/index.html
Please contact with the agency directly.

Visa Information

PLEASE NOTE: IEEE reserves the right to exclude a paper from distribution after the conference (e.g., removal from IEEE Xplore) if the paper is not presented at the conference for all reasons including the VISA problems. Therefore, the authors are strongly encouraged to apply for VISA as soon as possible.

Tourist visas for the Taiwan can be obtained from Taiwan (ROC) embassies, consulates, or designated representative offices in foreign countries. Citizens of the following countries (please refer to the Visa-Exempt Entry link) are allowed visa-free entry to Taiwan at any of its major international ports and harbors. Please also refer the following VISA information:

Visa for Mainland Chinese Participants

Please read the instructions (in traditional Chinese) carefully before completing the visa application. Also, please download the application forms.

Visa Assistance from IEEE Communications Society

Technical Paper Authors can generate their Visa Assistance Letters from ComSoc through EDAS.

  • Log into EDAS site, and find your paper.
  • Toward the bottom of the page, you will find in the properties column the words "visa letter", and beside it, an image of an envelope.
  • Click on this envelope, and you will be able to confirm or change your address information reflected in the letter.
  • Then the system will generate the letter for your use.

All Other Participants (i.e., speakers, committee members) should follow the instructions listed at the COMSOC VISA Assistance Web site. 

PLEASE NOTE:

  1. We will NOT issue "hard copies of invitation letters" to the potential attendees, and we can only issue e-copy of the invitation letters for Taiwan visa application purposes.
  2. We will not respond to requests submitted after October 31, 2012.

Transportation Information

Airplanes are the major tools of transportation to Taiwan. There are three major international airports in Taiwan. One is Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), located in Taoyuan County, approximately 300 kilometers from Tainan, and takes about 90 minutes by Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) or 3.5 hours by car/bus to Tainan. About thirty-five airlines provide the service from different countries. Another is Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH), which is located at Kaohsiung city, approximately 50 kilometers to Tainan. However, only about thirteen airlines provide the service. The other is Taipei SongShan International Airport (TSA), which is located at Taipei city, approximately 400 kilometers from Tainan, and takes about 105 minutes by Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) to Tainan. However, only about fourteen airlines provide the service.

(A) From Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)

A usual way to get to the venue from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) is by Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) as follows.

Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) → Taoyuan Station, THSR → Tainan Station, THSR → Taiwan Railway Shuttle Train → Tainan Railway Station
  1. Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) → Taoyuan Station, THSR:
  • By United Highway Bus (Ubus 705): fare is about NT$ 30 (20 minutes); or
  • By Taxi: fare is about NT$ 350.
  1. Taoyuan Station, THSR → Tainan Station, THSR:
  • The journey will take about 83 minutes. Please check here for timetable & fare.
  1. Tainan Station, THSR → Tainan Railway Station (Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Tainan):
  • By Taiwan Railway Shuttle Train: fare is about NT$ 25 (22 minutes); or
  • By Taxi: fare is about NT$ 350.

(B) From Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH)

  1. Take Kaohsiung MRT from the Airport Station (R4) to Kaohsiung Main Station (R11): fare is about NT$ 35 (17 minutes); and
  2. Take TRA train from Kaohsiung Main Station to Tainan Railway Station: fare is about NT$ 106 (40 minutes) for express trains.

(C) From Taipei SongShan International Airport (TRA)

  1. Take Taipei MRT from the Airport Station to Taipei Main Station (transited at Zhongxiao Fuxing Station): fare is about NT$ 25 (16 minutes);
  2. Take THSR train from Taipei Station to Tainan Station: fare is about NT$ 1350 (105 minutes); and
  3. Take Taiwan Railway Shuttle Train to Tainan Railway Station: fare is about NT$ 25 (22 minutes).

Language

Mandarin is the official language in Taiwan, though other dialects are also spoken. The most commonly used foreign language is English. Taxi drivers; however, generally only speak Mandarin or Taiwanese (see helpful tips in Mandarin).

Climate

Taiwan's climate is subtropical with average annual temperatures of 19°C (66°F) in the north and 21°C (69°F) in the south. Autumn is from September through November, and is usually cool with an average temperature from 20°C to 24°C (68°F to 75°F). The weather report of Taiwan can be found at the website of Central Weather Bureau: http://www.cwb.gov.tw

Time Zone

Taiwan is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and does not practice daylight saving time during summer. Local time in Taiwan and the time difference from your home country can be found via this link: http://www.worldtimeserver.com

Electricity Power Supply

The utility power supply used in Taiwan is 110 volts/60 Hz. Appliances from Europe, Australia or South-East Asia will require an adaptor and/or transformer.

Currency

Taiwan's currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$). Bill denominations are NT$2,000, NT$1,000, NT$500, NT$200, and NT$100. Coin denominations are NT$1, NT$5, NT$10,NT$20, and NT$50. The exchange rate is around NT$32 to US$1. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at the airport upon arrival, or at government-authorized banks, tourist hotels, and department stores. Please retain the currency exchange receipt to exchange unused NT Dollars back to original currency. Traveler's checks in major currencies may be cashed at some tourist-oriented businesses and for customers at most international tourist hotels.

Credit Card

Major credit cards are accepted by hotels, department stores, airlines, most stores and restaurants. Cash can be withdrawn from the ATM which has the same logo on your cards. Cash is generally preferred in most places in Taiwan.

Telecommunication Service

A single local call from a public phone costs NT$1 for 3 minutes with additional coins insertion for continuing service. If needed, the overseas operator may be reached by dialing "100". Direct international call is available from some phones, after dialing the prefix “002”. Rate for direct international calls is charged every six seconds.

Customs

Personal items are free of duty. Visitors over 20 years old may bring in, duty free, 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 0.5 kg of tobacco, one bottle of liquor and one used camera. Gold cannot be exported without a permit issued by the Ministry of Finance. Passengers arriving with gold and silver and planning to take it out at departure must declare it and leave the items with Customs until they leave Taiwan.

About Tainan City

Tainan city is located on Taiwan's southwest plain, the climate is hot in all seasons, and it is the first developed city in Taiwan. Ancestors left the word, " Tainan is the most famous city of Taiwan, Lukang the second, and Mengchia the third." Now, Tainan is the fourth city in Taiwan. People in Tainan are hospitable and friendly. Tainan is so historic that it is filled with abundant ancient remains and cultural heritage now.

Everywhere in Taiwan's ancient capital city of Tainan you can see structures with an air of the past. These include Chikan Towers, among the best-known historic sites in the southern part of the island, which exude a pain and simple architectural style and preserve a substantial number of historic artifacts. The Ancient Fort of Anping is the site of the first fortress built in Taiwan; this was Fort Zeelandia, constructed the 17th century when the Dutch occupied the island. The Confucius Temple here was also the first of its kind in Taiwan, and was the highest government-run school here in the days prior to the late Qing. Quite a number of historical artifacts are well preserved here, including records carved in stone, tablets presented by different national leaders, and ritual and musical instruments from the early Qing up to the present. The Eternal Fortress was the first modern Western-style fort to be built in Taiwan, and its construction marked a milestone in the history of southern Taiwan military emplacements.


Helpful Phone Numbers

English Speaking Police: +886-2-2555-4275 or +886-2-2556-6007
Emergencies/Fire Department: 119
Police: 110
24 hours English/Japanese/ Korean hotline: 0800-011-765
English Speaking Directory Assistance: 106
English Speaking Telephone Operator: +886-2-2311-6796
International Operator Assistance: 100
Taxi Service: +886-6-236-3636 or +886-6-599-9999 or +886-6-255-7700


  		 
 


 
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