Kaohsiung International (KHH) — The Complete 2026 Airport Guide
Southern Taiwan’s gateway is one of the easiest arrivals in Asia — the Red Line metro runs directly under the terminal and central Kaohsiung is barely 8 km away, so you can be checked into a downtown hotel 20 minutes after clearing passport control. The catch is the building itself: the international terminal is small and dated, and the whole airport is now a decade-long, roughly US$3 billion rebuild that broke ground in 2025. Know the metro and you’ll love it.
Last verified: July 2026. Fares, terminal works and Taiwan’s entry rules change often — confirm the specifics on your ticket and at official signage before you travel.
Quick reference
| Detail | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Airport | Kaohsiung International Airport, IATA KHH / ICAO RCKH — southern Taiwan’s main gateway, a warmer and calmer alternative to Taipei. A record ~6.97 million passengers in 2025 (up nearly 19%) |
| Location | Xiaogang District, ~8 km south of central Kaohsiung — genuinely close, unlike Taipei’s Taoyuan |
| Terminals | International Terminal (opened 1997, jet bridges) and an adjacent Domestic Terminal (1965). The metro station sits between them |
| Into the city | KMRT Red Line from the airport station (R4): ~NT$35 (~€1 / $1.10) and ~15–20 min to Formosa Boulevard downtown; ~NT$50 and ~28 min to the HSR at Zuoying. Taxi ~NT$250–400 (~€7–12) plus a NT$50 international-terminal surcharge |
| Entry | Visa-free 90 days for UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia and ~170 nationalities. The Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) is mandatory and online since 1 Oct 2025 — free, file within 7 days of arrival. No EES or ETIAS (those are European systems and do not apply) |
| Watch out for | The construction footprint · no high-speed rail at the airport (change at Zuoying) · a cramped international terminal at peak · the NT$50 taxi surcharge from the international side only |
The 2026 picture: a small airport in the middle of a big rebuild
Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second city and its industrial and port heavyweight, and for years its airport has punched below the region’s weight — a compact international terminal from 1997, an older domestic terminal beside it, and a single runway. In 2025 it handled a record ~6.97 million passengers, and that is precisely the problem: the international terminal was built for far fewer, and at busy departure banks it feels it.
So the whole airport is being rebuilt around you. In May 2025 the government broke ground on a roughly US$3 billion (NT$88 billion) redevelopment. Phase 1 puts an entirely new East Terminal and a new ground-transportation centre on the land between the two existing terminals, with completion targeted around 2032; a later phase (from about 2033) then redevelops today’s international terminal, eventually doubling the airport’s capacity to 16.5 million a year under one roof. For any trip in the next few years, expect hoarding, diverted walkways and shifting drop-off arrangements. Give yourself a few extra minutes and follow the live signage rather than an old map.
Two terminals, side by side
Unlike the sprawling multi-terminal hubs, KHH is simple. The International Terminal handles all cross-strait and overseas flights — China Airlines, EVA Air, Tigerair Taiwan and the foreign carriers — and every gate has a jet bridge. The older Domestic Terminal next door serves the island-hopper routes to outlying places like Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The two are adjacent and walkable, and the metro station sits between them, so there is no shuttle and no drama in switching sides.
The one thing to get right on arrival is which exit you want from the metro: Exit 6 feeds the International Terminal, Exit 2 the Domestic Terminal. If you overshoot, it’s a short walk, not a crisis.
Getting into Kaohsiung — take the metro
This is where KHH shines. The Kaohsiung MRT (KMRT) Red Line has a station directly beneath the airport — station code R4, signed “Kaohsiung International Airport” — running every 4–8 minutes. It is fast, cheap and immune to traffic, and for almost everyone it is the right answer. Here’s the honest comparison:
| Option | Price | Time to downtown | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRT Red Line (R4) | ~NT$35 (~€1 / $1.10) to Formosa Boulevard | ~15–20 min | The default — every few minutes, no traffic, tap in with EasyCard/iPASS |
| MRT to Zuoying HSR | ~NT$50 (~€1.45 / $1.60) | ~28 min | How you reach Taiwan’s high-speed rail — there is none at the airport |
| Taxi | ~NT$250–400 (~€7–12 / $8–13), metered | ~15–20 min | Worth it late at night or with a group and luggage; +NT$50 from the international terminal |
| Kenting Express bus | Varies by stop (buy at the counter) | ~2 hr to Kenting | Straight to the southern beaches without going into the city |
The Red Line — the quiet-genius choice
The Red Line runs north through the city, so from R4 you reach the useful stops without changing: Formosa Boulevard (R10) — the interchange with the Orange Line and home to the “Dome of Light”, the most photographed metro station in Taiwan — in around 15–20 minutes, and Zuoying / HSR (R16), where you connect to Taiwan’s high-speed rail and conventional trains, in about 28 minutes. Fares are distance-based, roughly NT$20 to NT$60, and there’s a discount when you tap a stored-value card rather than buy a single-journey token.
The high-speed rail catch
There is no high-speed rail (THSR) station at the airport — a point that trips up first-timers who assume a big-city airport must have one. If you’re carrying on to Tainan, Taichung, Taoyuan or Taipei by high-speed train, ride the Red Line to Zuoying and change there. It’s a clean, well-signed interchange and the whole run from the airport takes under half an hour.
Buses, taxis and the road south
Taxis are metered and honest — roughly NT$250–400 into the city, with a NT$50 surcharge added only from the International Terminal (none from the domestic side). They wait curbside at Arrivals (1F). For the beaches, the Kenting Express (route 9117 / 9117A) leaves for Kenting and the south from the Pingtung Bus counter in the International Arrivals hall (1F, near Gate 5) — a good move if the resort coast, not the city, is your destination. Buses, trains and the metro all take EasyCard or iPASS, so a single stored-value card covers your whole trip.
Entry: visa-free, but file the Arrival Card
Taiwan is one of the easier entries in the region for Western passports — but there is one online form that is now compulsory, and skipping it can slow you at the desk.
- Visa-free for 90 days. Citizens of the UK, the EU/Schengen area, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and around 170 countries and territories enter Taiwan visa-free for up to 90 days. You need a passport valid for your stay and, in principle, proof of onward or return travel. Visa-free stays cannot be extended — you leave and re-enter if you need longer.
- The Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) is mandatory and digital. Since 1 October 2025, the old paper landing card is gone: every foreign traveller must file the free online Taiwan Arrival Card at the National Immigration Agency site (twac.immigration.gov.tw) within 7 days before arrival. There’s no printout to show — when the officer scans your passport, your details come up automatically. Use only the official government address, not a paid lookalike that charges a “service fee”.
- No EES, no ETIAS. Those are European Union border systems and have nothing to do with Taiwan — ignore any site that tries to sell you one for a Taiwan trip.
- Cross-strait note. KHH also handles direct flights to mainland China; those passengers use different documentation and channels. If you’re a Western tourist on a normal international ticket, the visa-free + TWAC path above is all that applies to you.
Lounges
KHH is a small international terminal, so the lounge scene is modest and airline-run rather than a spread of independent options:
- China Airlines Dynasty Lounge — on the 3rd floor of the International Terminal, near gates 23–25. Access for China Airlines business class, Dynasty Flyer Gold/Paragon and SkyTeam Elite Plus. Hot dishes, showers, Wi-Fi; opening hours track China Airlines’ departures rather than running all day.
- EVA Air VIP Lounge — for EVA Air business class and Star Alliance Gold / EVA Infinity MileageLands Silver-and-above passengers on international flights. Chinese and Western hot food, coffee, Wi-Fi.
- Priority Pass — it’s a restaurant, not a lounge. There is no walk-in independent lounge on the Priority Pass network here. Instead, homee KITCHEN in the International Terminal gives Priority Pass members a complimentary set menu (beef noodles, local and Western dishes) on presentation of the card. Useful to know before you go looking for a lounge that isn’t there — check that your specific Priority Pass tier includes non-lounge “dining” benefits.
Connections and transit
Connecting at KHH is refreshingly simple compared with the mega-hubs. Everything international runs through the single international terminal, so there’s no inter-terminal shuttle to catch and no risk of landing in the wrong building for an onward international flight. If you’re connecting from a domestic hop to an international departure (or vice versa), the terminals are adjacent — a short walk, not a bus ride.
The airport doesn’t publish a headline minimum connection time the way the giant hubs do, and layovers here are usually part of an itinerary the airline has already timed. The practical advice: if you’re self-connecting on separate tickets — collecting bags, clearing immigration and checking in again — treat it like any small airport and give yourself a comfortable couple of hours, more if you’re switching between the international and domestic sides. For a single-ticket connection the airline’s own timing holds.
Food, money and Wi-Fi
Food: this is a compact terminal, so don’t expect a food hall the size of Taoyuan’s. Landside and around the arrivals level you’ll find Taiwanese staples — beef noodle soup, rice boxes, bubble tea and convenience-store food that in Taiwan is genuinely good. The best meal of your trip won’t be at the airport; it’ll be at a Kaohsiung night market 20 minutes up the Red Line, so travel a little hungry.
Money & SIM: use bank ATMs over exchange booths, and if a machine offers to bill you in your home currency, decline and choose New Taiwan dollars. Prepaid tourist SIMs and eSIMs are easy to arrange; an eSIM bought before you land is the least-hassle route, and Taiwan’s mobile coverage is excellent.
Practicalities: free airport Wi-Fi is available, and the terminal is walkable end to end in minutes. Because the airport is mid-redevelopment, the exact locations of left-luggage, information desks and some shops can move — follow current signage rather than a saved floor plan.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Kaohsiung Airport to the city centre?+
Take the Kaohsiung MRT Red Line from the airport station (R4), directly beneath the terminal. It’s about NT$35 and 15–20 minutes to Formosa Boulevard downtown, running every 4–8 minutes. A metered taxi is roughly NT$250–400 (plus a NT$50 surcharge from the International Terminal) and takes a similar time. The metro is the default choice for almost everyone.
Is there a high-speed rail station at Kaohsiung Airport?+
No. There’s no THSR station at the airport itself. Ride the MRT Red Line from R4 to Zuoying (R16), about 28 minutes and NT$50, and change there for Taiwan’s high-speed rail to Tainan, Taichung and Taipei. Zuoying is the southern terminus of the high-speed line.
Do I need a visa or an arrival card for Taiwan in 2026?+
Most Western nationalities — UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and around 170 countries — enter visa-free for up to 90 days with a valid passport. Since 1 October 2025 you must also file the free online Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) at twac.immigration.gov.tw within 7 days of arrival. There is no printout to show; your details are pulled up when your passport is scanned. Taiwan has no EES or ETIAS — those are European systems.
Which terminal do international flights use at KHH?+
All overseas and cross-strait flights use the International Terminal (China Airlines, EVA Air, Tigerair Taiwan and foreign carriers). The adjacent, older Domestic Terminal serves island routes such as Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. From the metro, Exit 6 is the International Terminal and Exit 2 the Domestic Terminal.
Is Kaohsiung Airport being expanded?+
Yes. A roughly US$3 billion (NT$88 billion) redevelopment broke ground in May 2025. A new East Terminal and ground-transportation centre are being built between the current terminals, targeted for completion around 2032, with a later phase eventually doubling capacity to 16.5 million passengers a year. Expect construction hoarding and changing walkways in the meantime, so allow a little extra time.
Can I use EasyCard or iPASS at Kaohsiung Airport?+
Yes. Buy an EasyCard or iPASS (iPASS is the Kaohsiung card) at the metro station or a convenience store and it covers the MRT, light rail, city and most intercity buses, conventional trains and many shops — one tap-and-go card for your whole Taiwan trip. Contactless credit cards also work on the MRT.
Which lounges can I use at Kaohsiung Airport?+
The China Airlines Dynasty Lounge (near gates 23–25, for its business class, Dynasty Flyer Gold and SkyTeam Elite Plus) and the EVA Air VIP Lounge (for EVA business class and Star Alliance Gold / Silver-plus members) are the two airline lounges. There’s no independent walk-in lounge on Priority Pass; instead, Priority Pass members get a complimentary set menu at the homee KITCHEN restaurant in the International Terminal — check your card tier includes dining benefits.
How do I get from Kaohsiung Airport to Kenting?+
Take the Kenting Express bus (route 9117 / 9117A), which leaves for Kenting and the south from the Pingtung Bus counter in the International Arrivals hall (1F, near Gate 5). It’s the direct way to the southern beaches without going into the city, roughly a two-hour ride, and accepts EasyCard/iPASS.
At a glance
| Codes | KHH / RCKH — Kaohsiung International Airport (Xiaogang) |
| Terminals | International Terminal + adjacent Domestic Terminal; new East Terminal under construction to ~2032 |
| Distance to city | ~8 km south of central Kaohsiung |
| Fastest to downtown | MRT Red Line R4 → Formosa Boulevard, ~NT$35, ~15–20 min |
| To high-speed rail | MRT R4 → Zuoying (R16), ~NT$50, ~28 min; no THSR at the airport |
| Taxi | ~NT$250–400 metered + NT$50 international-terminal surcharge |
| Entry | Visa-free 90 days for most Western nationalities; mandatory online Taiwan Arrival Card since 1 Oct 2025 |
| Payment | Cashless with EasyCard / iPASS across transport |
| Wi-Fi | Free airport Wi-Fi |
Before you fly
- 📊 Check what a good fare to Taiwan looks like — our price-check tool shows the typical deal range so you know a bargain when you see one.
- 🧳 Baggage checker — confirm your airline’s carry-on and checked allowance before you pack.
- 🌏 Taiwan travel guide — best time to go, regions beyond Taipei, night markets and how to get around.
🌏 Planning the trip? Read our Taiwan travel guide — best time to go, where to stay, and how to get around.
