There is no such thing as a 24 hour pharmacy in Taipei. The closest thing to 24-hour pharmacy is a Watson's (a large international chain) or Cosmed (the local equivalent).
Medicines sold in both are usually packaged in both English and the Chinese equivalent, so the consumer will have no problem deciding which medicines to buy.
All these listed pharmacies are open 24 hours, every day throughout the year with the exception of one or two days for the Chinese New Year. In the case of Cosmed and Watson's, the days are normally staggered so at least a few outlets are open every day.
Phone orders are not recommended, as the pharmacists are not native English speakers and the risk of confusion is possible, considering the complex generic and trade names of medicines. Despite that, Cosmed claims to be willing to fill and accept phone orders. Prescriptions must be filled in person.
Cosmed 24-hour outlets in Taipei:
500, Chung Hsiao East Road, Section 4
Tel: +886-2 2720-1464
Fax: +886-2 2758-5831
Pharmacists' on-duty hours: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Location: close to the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial, but not convenient to many downtown hotels.
62, Fu Hsing North Road
Tel: +886-2 2751-6322
Fax: +886-2 2751-6427
Pharmacists' on-duty hours: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Location: Reasonably close to major hotels and Tun Hua Road. Within a short taxi ride of the Sherwood, Tony Roma's, Trader Vic's, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and large international banks
411 Lin Shen North Road
Tel: +886-2 2564-2922
Fax: +886-2 2564-2905
Pharmacists' on-duty hours:
Location: Located close to the Imperial Hotel and within a short cab ride of the Regent and the Chung Shan North Road business district. Close to the Lin Shen North Road pub district (the Combat Zone), might have more value as a place to buy hangover remedies after a night in the Zone.
164 Fu Hsing North Road
Tel: +886-2 2514-7158
Fax: +886-2 2514-7114
Pharmacists' on-duty hours: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Location: within a few blocks of the outlet listed above, services the same places, same hotels. Not the best example of planning on the part of Cosmed
54 Sung Chiang Road
Tel: +886-2 2567-8763
Fax: +886-2 2567-8829
Pharmacists' on-duty hours: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Location: near the Nanking East Road business district, not near too many hotels since the two Fu Hsing North Road outlets are closer to the Tun Hua hotels like the Asiaworld.
29, Cheng Te Road, Section 1
Tel: +886-2 2556-0180
Fax: +886-2 2556-0254
Pharmacists' on-duty hours: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Location: close to the train station, this Cosmed would serve the local population more than the business traveler. It is hard to imagine the traveler needing an after-hours pharmacy in the vicinity of the train station.
