Alishan Visitor Center→Lishan Guesthouse

Once the booking process is completed and getting an order ID, the reservation is confirmed. Tripool promises a private car will pick passengers up on time. All the essential information, such as the driver's name, mobile number, car model, and car plate number, will be sent via SMS and email. If the driver is not at the pick-up location, passengers can contact the driver via mobile phone. The driver may be away due to a lack of parking space and waiting nearby. Suppose there is some serious emergency or traffic jam to delay the trip. In that case, tripool will rearrange a driver to reduce passengers' waiting time.

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Alishan Visitor Center to Lishan Guesthouse, HSR is quick but pricey and has difficult taxi access. From the earliest departure at 06:21 to the latest at 23:27, there are up to 60 high-speed rail from Chiayi to Taichung each day. Assuming you depart from Alishan Visitor Center (Alishan Township, Chiayi County) and head to the nearest Chiayi HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$2,600 and take approximately 142 minutes. After arriving at the HSR station, the time to walk in, purchase tickets, and wait on the platform is about 15 minutes. Then, take a 22-35-minute (28 min on average) HSR ride from Chiayi Station to Taichung HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$380 per person, followed by a 10-minute walk to exit the station, wait for a ride at the taxi stand, and after a trip of about 70 minutes with a fare of NT$1,800, you will arrive at your destination at Lishan Guesthouse (Heping District, Taichung City). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 4 hours and 25 minutes. Assuming 5 people traveling together (and have to split into two taxis), the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$2,140. However, in Chiayi County, there are only just over 300 licensed taxis. The taxi density is 0.4% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area. In other words, hailing a taxi on the spot is 200 times more difficult than in a major city like Taipei, and since Alishan Visitor Center is not located in a downtown area, it may be impossible to find a taxi at all. Even if you are lucky enough to hail a cab, a minority of taxi drivers in Chiayi County may not use the meter, and might overcharge or take detours, especially with passengers who appear to be from out of town. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$1,600, and the journey takes 4 hours and 28 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster than a car by 3 minutes, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$2,700. Therefore, for those who are not in a major hurry, booking with Tripool is the more cost-effective option. If you are traveling in a group of three or less, you can also consider Tripool's carpooling service to save up to an additional 50% on transportation costs.

If you are considering renting a car, unfortunately, there are likely no rental companies in the vicinity of Alishan Visitor Center. If you do not want to spend extra time traveling to a nearby city to rent a car, nor spend a large sum of money on a taxi to Lishan Guesthouse, then a direct Tripool private car is your best option.

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Chiayi County area, you can use apps to hail a cab from 55688 Taiwan Taxi. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$4,195 and 6,300, which is not significantly different from Tripool. By comparison, Tripool offers a fixed, transparent fare that will not change due to traffic or detours. But if you cannot book in advance or prefer to hail a cab on the spot, be aware that in the whole Chiayi County, there are only about 330 licensed taxis. The taxi density is just 0.4% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, meaning it is 200 times more difficult to hail a cab on the spot compared to Taipei or New Taipei. A word of caution regarding transportation: In a remote area like Lishan Guesthouse, taxis do not patrol for passengers. They are generally stationed at specific locations or operate on a dispatch-only basis. This means you will need to book one through a mobile app or by calling a taxi company, and should be prepared for a potentially long wait for it to arrive. Furthermore, some taxi drivers in Chiayi County flat-out refuse to use the meter. Nearly 47% of them will try to negotiate the fare on the spot—often asking far above the standard rate. If you’re not familiar with local pricing, you are an easy target. To avoid getting ripped off, it is strongly advised to book online in advance. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Alishan Visitor Center to Lishan Guesthouse in terms of both price and service quality.

Tripool provides 5-seater sedans, SUVs, and 9-seater vans for private car service. Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen are the most used brands, and there are also a few Lexus, Tesla, and Mercedes-Benz. All vehicles are legal, in good condition, non-smoking, and with up to $5 million insurance. If you have special requests or passengers are more than 8, tripool can arrange a VW Crafter, a 20-seater minibus, or a 40-seater tour bus. Please fill up the request form on our homepage, and we will provide a quote.

There are many gypsy cabs or illegal taxis in Line and Facebook groups. Their fares are cheap but with many risks. If the cabs are pulled over by polices, passengers cannot continue the trip. If there is an accident, none of the insurance companies will settle a claim. Worst of all, illegal drivers may conduct crimes without any trace. Don't put your life at risk for just saving a few bucks. On the other hand, tripool contracts with legal drivers without any criminal record. All vehicles provide up to $5 million in insurance. The easiest way to distinguish a legal vehicle is the car plate number. Unless the initial character of the car plate number is either T or R, the car is 100% illegal for taxi service.

Tripool will send a receipt through the third-party system one week after the ride. If passengers need to claim reimbursement for travel expenses, there is a blank to fill with the company's title and tax ID. It's legal, and there is no extra 5% for the receipt. Once the receipt is received via email, it can be printed out for reimbursement or saved as a PDF.

Some drivers in Line and Facebook groups claim that they can offer private transportation services with a group of more than 8 in a single van, but their services are illegal. According to Taiwan traffic laws, a van can only accommodate nine people maximum, including a driver. Excluding a driver, the maximum number of passengers is 8. If your group is 9 or more and you prefer to travel together in one vehicle, a bus is the only legal option. Some 9-seater van drivers modify their cars and add one or two extra chairs. If these modified vans are detected by the polices on the street, your trip will be terminated immediately. Worst of all, there are additional risks for accidents. And insurance is definitely not covering it. Don't risk your family's and friends' life for a lower price. If your group is no more than 10, we recommend hiring a 9-seater van and a 5-seater sedan. It is cheaper than booking a bus on most occasions. But if your group is more than 12, hiring a bus may be ideal. However, there are few exceptions, such as traveling to mountain areas or narrow lanes. It is better to consult our online service before booking.