East Dragon Hotel→Leofoo Village

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 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 East Dragon Hotel to Leofoo Village is between NT$900 and NT$1350 (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.

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from East Dragon Hotel to Leofoo Village, HSR is expensive, slow, and involves transfer hassles. From the earliest departure at 06:26 to the latest at 23:00, there are up to 61 high-speed rail from Taipei to Hsinchu each day. Assuming you depart from East Dragon Hotel (Wanhua District, Taipei City) and head to the nearest Taipei HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$200 and take approximately 16 minutes. After arriving at the HSR station, the time to walk in, purchase tickets, and wait on the platform is about 25 minutes. Then, take a 30-35-minute (34 min on average) HSR ride from Taipei Station to Hsinchu HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$290 per person, followed by a 5-minute walk to exit the station, wait for a ride at the taxi stand, and after a trip of about 33 minutes with a fare of NT$800, you will arrive at your destination at Leofoo Village (Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 1 hour and 53 minutes. Assuming 2 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$790. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$670, and the journey takes 1 hour. Choosing the HSR over a private charter will not only cost each person at least an extra NT$120 in fares but also waste an additional 53 minutes on transfers and waiting. Book with Tripool now! If you are traveling alone, you can also consider Tripool's carpooling service to save up to an additional 50% on transportation costs.

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the 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 East Dragon Hotel, such as 巨翼合作社, 台北市成功計程車, 巨翼計程車 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$1,415 and 1,700, which is not significantly different from Tripool. By comparison, Tripool offers a fixed, transparent fare that will not change due to traffic or detours. However, when considering the return trip, in Hsinchu County there are only about 730 licensed taxis. This is about 2% of the number of taxis in Taipei City, and its density is just 1.3% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 80 times more difficult to hail a cab there. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from East Dragon Hotel to Leofoo Village in terms of both price and service quality.

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.

Every order can only reserve one car, and it is easier for passengers to make any change or cancelation. Please make two separate bookings on the website or the app if passengers need a round trip. There is no particular promotion about a round trip for now, but it's welcome to use any coupon for each ride.

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.

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.

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.