CTBC Financial Park Ice Rink 中信園區溜冰場

12/25/2024

CTBC Financial Park’s Ice Rink in Nangang District of Taipei is Taiwan’s only outdoor skating rink. It also includes a man-made snow play area for people who have never experienced snow. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season, and the best part is it's free!

Background:
The CTBC Financial Park is the headquarters of China Trust Commercial Bank, which was completed in 2013.
The free outdoor ice rink at the China Trust Financial Center Park has been running since 2015, as a charitable way to give back to the community. The ice rink can get especially busy during holidays and weekends, so it is best to book online in advance if you have a group of 10 or more.

Price:
Free

Skating Season:
December to March every year (closed Chinese New Year's Eve)

Session Times:
Weekend Additional Session (Saturday and Sunday): 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
First Session: 3:30 - 5 PM
Second Session: 5:30 - 7 PM
Third Session: 7:30 - 9 PM
Notes:

Tickets open 60 minutes before each session
Entrance is allowed in order of ticket number up to 150 people per session (170 people on weekends)
Limit one ticket per person, waiting on behalf of friends or family members is not allowed
Group booking tickets for 10 people or more is allowed 14 days in advance on the website, but is not allowed for weekends and holidays
Masks are required
Eating and Drinking is not allowed
Skates are 16 - 29 cm on a first come first serve basis. If they don't have your size, too bad.
Only Children 6 years and older are allowed to skate alone. Children 6 years and under must have skating skills and must be accompanied by an adult at all times. To prove your under 6 years old child has skating skills, you must show photos or videos of them skating in the past.
Be sure to dress warmly and wear long socks
Get there early to line up! Most sessions fill up even on weekdays. Expect to get there at least an hour before the session starts to make sure you get a ticket!

Website (Chinese only):
https://www.ctbcfinancialpark.com/activity/Detail/102?category=2

Tours:
You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here.

Where to stay:
High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here).
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

Activities in Nangang:
You can take 14% off the buffet at Courtyard Marriot Nangang on KKday here.
You can also get a discount ticket to Crazy Car Café in Nangang, the only restaurant in Taiwan that offers Go-Karting, on KKday here.

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Nangang Road at Nangang Exhibition Center MRT station, turn north toward CTBC Financial Park. There is paid parking on the south entrance.
Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
By Bus/MRT: Take the MRT to Nangang Software Park Station. The Ice rink is across the street. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.

Map:
Please see below:

Our Journey:

We have visited the CTBC Financial Center every year since 2016. There are usually lots of people (mostly kids) lined up every weekend during the winter to go ice skating. Because Taiwan rarely sees weather below freezing, much less snow, it is a very popular sport for local Taiwanese people.

The good part about this place is it's free. However the wait is long. You have to line up at least an hour before the session starts to get a ticket (per my experience, every session fills up even on weekdays!). Then after getting a ticket, you have to wait at least half an hour (I think they do this on purpose so you are forced to buy food at their food court).

See above for a short video of the skating rink.

Getting here is easy. Just take the MRT to the Nangang Software Park (pictured above).

They are also building a gigantic new mall across the street that should be open soon. I think they are building another pedestrian bridge too.

View of the ice rink from above.

View of the ice rink from below.

On weekends there are always tons of people lined up here to buy tickets.

Above are the rules that I laid out in the intro above.

On these two days 120 and 170 people were allowed per session.

About 150 people can fit in the chained area, so if you line up within the chains, then you will be able to get a ticket most likely.

In 2024-2025, the theme was feathered Dinosaurs.

When you buy a ticket, you also get a discount on all the restaurants nearby. So, even though the event is free, you are strongly encouraged to buy their food.
After getting tickets, you will have about half an hour more to wait, so that is a good time to get some food. We hit up McDonald's. But be sure you show up at least 30 minutes before it ends or you will not be let in.

After you get your ticket, you have to wait about half and hour before they call your number to get in line for skates. You can measure your foot here.

Here you can get your skates and a helmet. It is no guarantee that they will have your size. It is also best to go a size up because the skates can be tight.

There are benches to change on and also lockers to store your belongings in.

We got the white skates.

View of kids playing in snow!

Kids skating inside. You should be prepared to skate with a ton of noobs. I mean most people will be skating for only the first or second time in the life. Be prepared for lots of slow people, unexpected stops and turns, and people falling over and perhaps even running into you.