Question 1

Is taking the HSR from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan a good idea?

Accepted Answer

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan, HSR is expensive and slow. From the earliest departure at 06:25 to the latest at 23:07, there are up to 60 high-speed rail from Taichung to Chiayi each day. Assuming you depart from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou (Central District, Taichung City)  and head to the nearest Taichung HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$300 and take approximately 25 minutes. After arriving at the HSR station, the time to walk in, purchase tickets, and wait on the platform is about 20 minutes. Then, take a 22-37-minute (29 min on average) HSR ride from Taichung Station to Chiayi HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$380 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 142 minutes with a fare of NT$2,600, you will arrive at your destination at Alishan (Alishan Township, Chiayi County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 3 hours and 41 minutes. Assuming 4 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$1,110. That said, a minority of taxi drivers in Taichung City 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$1,100, and the journey takes 3 hours and 26 minutes. Choosing the HSR over a private charter will not only cost each person at least an extra NT$10 in fares but also waste an additional 15 minutes on transfers and waiting. Book with Tripool now! 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.

Question 2

Is it advisable to rent a car and drive from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan?

Accepted Answer

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 Taichung 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 Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan is between NT$2450 and NT$3200 (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.

Question 3

Would it be economical to take a taxi from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan?

Accepted Answer

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Taichung 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 Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou, such as 金鼎順計程車, 干城衛星車隊, 國泰交通 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$4,125 and 5,000, but you could save up to NT$600 by booking with Tripool instead. However, when considering the return trip, in Chiayi County there are only about 330 licensed taxis. This is about 4% of the number of taxis in Taichung City, and its density is just 0.4% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 240 times more difficult to hail a cab there. Furthermore, some taxi drivers in Taichung City flat-out refuse to use the meter. Nearly 27% 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 Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan in terms of both price and service quality.

Question 4

Do tripool and the drivers provide legal car-hiring services in Taichung City and Chiayi County?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

Why does tripool charge cheaper than other taxis?

Accepted Answer

For regular long-distance travelers, they find Tripool's price may be too low to be good. On the contrary, Tripool has a high standard for selecting drivers and vehicles. Besides dropping drivers who are low rated, we also send mystery shoppers regularly to test drivers' service. Tripool's drivers are not allowed to smoke in the cars, and they have to wear masks all the time during the pandemic. We don't compromise our service for a low cost. Tripool can provide excellent service with 70~80% of the market price because of AI algorithms. We use these to dispatch vehicles to increase efficiency. Tripool can use fewer drivers to serve more travelers, especially in high seasons like Chinese New Year, Christmas, and summer vacation. Fewer drivers mean better quality control. The price on tripool's website and app are dynamic. Generally, the earlier a ride is booked, the lower price it is. Most of all, all booking are 100% refundable as long as the cancelation request is made one day before noon, no matter what the reason is. If you are preparing to go from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan, it's better to reserve it now to secure the best price.

Question 6

Which is the best taxi app in Taiwan? Uber? Grab? Didi? Bolt? Lyft?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

Does tripool really offer private car service at a lower price? What are the price ranges for other taxi companies? What is the cheapest option?

Accepted Answer

Customers are always looking for a lower price with better service. There are Taiwan Taxi, Metro Taxi, Line Taxi, and Uber for short-range service in the Taiwan taxi market. There are CallCarBar, JoinMe, Car Plus, Easy Rent for long-range private car services. And for charter day tour services, there are KKDAY and Klook. Tripool focuses on long-distance point-to-point transportation and hourly ride service. No matter where you're from or where you'll go (of course, including Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan), we guarantee there will be a vehicle available to take you there. Tripool uses AI algorithms to dispatch hundreds of cars around the island to increase efficiency and lower the price by 20~30%. Travelers can easily find that tripool is the best choice for private car service.

Question 8

Where should I choose as a pick-up or a drop-off location if going to Alishan from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou?

Accepted Answer

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.

Item	tripool	HSR	Car Rental	Taxi
Travel Time	205 mins	-	210-235 mins	210-220 mins
Price per Person	NT$1,100/person	NT$1,110/person	NT$610-800/person	NT$1,030-1,250/person
Pros	1–8 passengers Truly pickup anywhere Ride guaranteed No hidden fees	Comfortable seating	Low-cost Flexible schedule	Meets urgent needs No upfront payment
Cons	Pre-booking only No cash	Tickets often sold out in peak season Multiple transfers needed Takes time and costs more	Extra commute to car pick-up Time restrictions for pick-up and return Additional risk involved Requires same-day return or a multi-day rental	Inconsistent quality Usually limited to 4 passengers Risk of overcharging

Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou→Alishan

Your itinerary, your schedule. We just drive

About tripool

Our vehicles

5-Seater Sedan

7-Seater MPV

9-Seater Van

Trusted by industry leaders

Alishan private Transfer FAQs

Besides from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan , there are other popular routes, such as…

Download the tripool App Now

From your doorstep to anywhere

Download the tripool App Now

More popular routes from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou

Besides from Guide Hotel Taichung ZiYou to Alishan , there are other popular routes, such as…