Banqiao Station→雲林: booking a private car saves you the most

The quote on the website and the app already include the car rental fee, driver's fare, cost of gasoline, toll fee, insurance, and tips. Passengers don't have to pay for the driver's meals and accommodation fees. There is no other hidden fee. What passengers see on the website is the actual price.

Tripool offers a point-to-point private car service in Taiwan. As long as the destination connects to a road or can be searched on Google Maps, we assure you that a car can send you there. Try inputting your home/office address or a hotel's name in the search bar, and our driver will pick you up punctually and travel to a hotel or an airport with ease.

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Banqiao Station to 雲林, HSR is comfortable and quick but pricey. However, from the first train at 06:34 to the last train at 21:19, there are only up to 16 HSR trains from Banqiao to Yunlin a day. If your schedule is tight or you might miss the last train, you should consider booking a private transfer. Assuming you depart from Banqiao Station (Banqiao District, New Taipei City) , you may walk or take a bus—if available—to Banqiao HSR station. Including walking to the platform, buying a ticket, and waiting for the train, it takes at least 20 minutes. Then, take a 80-81-minute (80 min on average) HSR ride from Banqiao Station to Yunlin HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$900 per person, followed by a 5-minute walk to exit the station. Depending on the area, you may take a short walk or catch a bus (if available) to reach your final destination. The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes. Assuming 6 people traveling together (and have to split into two taxis), the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$900. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$850, and the journey takes 2 hours and 42 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$300. 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 have a Taiwanese driver's license, are confident in your driving skills, and you do not need to rest in the car (since you will be the one driving), and most importantly, if you plan to make a same-day round trip, then iRent, which allows you to pick up and drop off a car on the street in the New Taipei City area, is likely your cheapest option. After registering on the iRent app, you can rent a small car for NT$115-205 per hour with an additional charge of NT$3.2 per kilometer. The estimated cost from Banqiao Station to 雲林 is between NT$2800 and NT$3500 (the price difference depends on weekday/weekend rates, car model, and how soon you make the return trip after reaching your destination). Although the estimate already includes potential eTag tolls and a roadside parking fee of NT$40 per hour, you are responsible for any additional car insurance and potential traffic fines. Furthermore, iRent by Hotai only offers basic models like the Toyota Yaris, Prius C, and Vios—functional, yes, but far from the comfort you'd expect for anything beyond a grocery run. If your group has more than four people, larger 7-seater or 9-seater vehicles are not available. Moreover, the most common complaint about self-service car-sharing services is the vehicle's condition; you might open the door to find trash left by the previous user or unrepaired dents. Every rental feels like opening a blind box—sometimes fine, sometimes frustrating. Additionally, you might occasionally face issues like the previous user not returning the car on time for your reservation, or being unable to find a parking spot when you need to return it. This poses a significant risk for those in a hurry or traveling with other passengers. Finally, while picking up and dropping off the car on the street seems convenient, it is restricted to specific operational zones. The available parking spots may still be some distance away from your actual departure or arrival point, making it very inconvenient in rainy weather or when carrying luggage.

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the New Taipei City area, you can use apps to hail a cab from 55688 Taiwan Taxi, Uber, Line Go, Yoxi, etc., and if you cannot hail a cab on the street, you can also consider calling taxi fleets near Banqiao Station, such as 亞太衛星車隊, 慶安計程車, 新北市第一計程車 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$5,365 and 6,400, but you could save up to NT$2,600 by booking with Tripool instead. However, when considering the return trip, in Yunlin County there are only about 200 licensed taxis. This is about 1% of the number of taxis in New Taipei City, and its density is just 0.4% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 260 times more difficult to hail a cab there. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Banqiao Station to 雲林 in terms of both price and service quality.

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.

Among these options, Uber is the only one with broad and reliable coverage in Taiwan, available in major cities such as Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Grab does not operate in Taiwan. Didi previously entered the market but has since exited. Bolt has just launched in Taiwan and is currently limited to Taipei. Lyft is not available in Taiwan. If you are choosing among these five, Uber is by far the most practical and widely used option in Taiwan. However, for longer intercity transfers, airport rides, or day trips, tripool is often a better choice—offering transparent pricing, professional drivers, and coverage across Taiwan.