The Lottery Ends, The Toothbrush is Gone, and The Airport is (Partially) New
Taiwan usually feels like a warm bath: comfortable, safe, and full of snacks. In January 2026, the water is still warm, but the admission price just went up.
If you are flying into Taoyuan (TPE) this month, you are landing in a timeline of deadlines and “soft openings.” The government is handing out free money for a few more days, the hotels have stopped giving you amenities, and the trains are finally charging real-world prices.
The “Free Money” Deadline: Jan 30
This is the most urgent paragraph you will read. The “Taiwan the Lucky Land” campaign—that glorious government handout giving tourists NT$5,000 ($155)—is ending.
- The Cut-off: The “Thank You Season” draw closes at 12:00 PM on January 30, 2026.
- The Strategy: If you are arriving before the 30th, register online now. Do not wait until you land. If you arrive on Feb 1, you get nothing but a smile. This is the last call for the stimulus check.
The Airport Mirage: Terminal 3 (North Concourse)
After years of looking like a dirt pit, the Terminal 3 North Concourse is finally live. It officially opened December 25, 2025.
- The Experience: If your boarding gate is D11-D18, congratulations. You get to use the new, shiny facility with high ceilings and functioning AC.
- The Catch: It is an island. The main Terminal 3 building is still under construction (opening 2027). So you check in at Terminal 2, walk through a connector, and suddenly step into the future. It’s a “mullet” airport experience: business in the front (old T2), party in the back (new T3 concourse).
The “BYO Toothbrush” Law
Do not expect a razor in your hotel bathroom. The Single-Use Amenity Ban is now strictly enforced in 2026.
- The Reality: In 2025, hotels were “phasing it out.” Now? It’s illegal to give them for free. If you want a toothbrush, a shower cap, or a comb, you have to buy it at the front desk or bring your own.
- The Vibe: It’s annoying for the unprepared traveler, but excellent for the ocean. 7-Eleven is making a fortune selling travel kits.
The Train Price Shock
If you haven’t visited since 2024, the ticket machine will surprise you. The Taiwan Railway (TRA) hiked fares by an average of 27% last year.
- The Impact: A ride from Taipei to Kaohsiung on the slow train isn’t the dirt-cheap steal it used to be. The gap between the TRA and the High-Speed Rail (HSR) has narrowed.
- The Advice: Unless you are going to the East Coast (Hualien/Taitung), just pay the extra for the HSR. The slow train is now just “slow,” not “cheap and slow.”
The Silence Before the Metro
If you want to see a piece of old Taiwan before it gets “Tokyo-fied,” go to Sanxia.
- The Reason: The new MRT Sanying Line (Light Blue Line) is in its final ghost-run testing phase. It opens to the public in March 2026.
- The Window: Right now (January), Sanxia Old Street is still relatively quiet because you have to take a bus to get there. In two months, the metro will dump thousands of day-trippers directly into the district. Go now. Eat the “Golden Croissant” bread without a 45-minute queue. Enjoy the red brick archways before they become a subway exit.
Taiwan in January 2026 is in transition. It is weaning itself off the tourism subsidies (Lucky Land ending) and modernizing its infrastructure (T3, Plastic Ban).
