Question 1

Is taking the HSR from Hsinchu City to Xitou Forest a good idea?

Accepted Answer

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from downtown Hsinchu City to Xitou Forest, HSR is quick but pricey. However, from the first train at 07:02 to the last train at 21:47, there are only up to 16 HSR trains from Hsinchu to Changhua 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 East District, Hsinchu City and head to the nearest Hsinchu HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$400 and take approximately 30 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 40-minute HSR ride from Hsinchu Station to Changhua HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$540 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 55 minutes with a fare of NT$1,300, you will arrive at your destination at Xitou Forest (Lugu Township, Nantou County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 2 hours and 21 minutes. Assuming 4 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$970. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$830, and the journey takes 2 hours and 41 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster than a car by 20 minutes, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$560. 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.

Question 2

Is it advisable to rent a car and drive from Hsinchu City to Xitou Forest?

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 Hsinchu 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 Hsinchu City (East District) to Xitou Forest is between NT$2450 and NT$3150 (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 Hsinchu City to Xitou Forest?

Accepted Answer

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Hsinchu 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, such as 金立衛星車隊, 紅帥衛星車隊, 順達計程車 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$4,445 and 5,300, but you could save up to NT$2,000 by booking with Tripool instead. However, when considering the return trip, in Nantou County there are only about 340 licensed taxis. This is about 45% of the number of taxis in Hsinchu City, and its density is just 0.2% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 490 times more difficult to hail a cab there. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Hsinchu City to Xitou Forest in terms of both price and service quality.

Question 4

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 5

How can I book a private car? Is it guaranteed that there will be a driver available? What is the latest time that I can reserve a driver?

Accepted Answer

If you are looking for a private car or a taxi from Hsinchu City to Xitou Forest, input the pick-up and drop-off locations (or addresses) on our website. You will get an actual quote in just three seconds. Follow the yellow buttons, fill up your travel information, and choose the payment methods. Once you get the order ID, you will get an SMS and a confirmation email, and your order is all set. We will provide the driver's contact and the car information one day before the ride at 8 PM. We will fulfill your reservation 100%, guaranteeing that our driver will show up. It's recommended to finish the booking one day before noon. Tripool still accepts orders by 6 PM if you have an urgent request, and the latest order can come in by four hours in advance.

Question 6

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 Hsinchu City to Xitou Forest, it's better to reserve it now to secure the best price.

Question 7

Do tripool and the drivers provide legal car-hiring services in Hsinchu City and Nantou 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 8

Where should I choose as a pick-up or a drop-off location if going to Xitou Forest from Hsinchu City?

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.

項目	tripool 旅步	高鐵	租車	計程車
行程時間	160 mins	140 mins	165-190 mins	165-175 mins
每人價格	NT$830/person	NT$970/person	NT$610-790/person	NT$1,110-1,330/person
優點	1–8 passengers Truly pickup anywhere Ride guaranteed No hidden fees	Comfortable seating No time wasted	Low-cost Flexible schedule	Meets urgent needs No upfront payment
缺點	Pre-booking only No cash	Tickets often sold out in peak season Multiple transfers needed Higher fare	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 Higher price

Hsinchu City→Xitou Forest

Don't waste your precious holiday on public transit

關於 tripool 旅步

我們的服務車款

五人座

七人座

九人座

合作夥伴＆企業用戶

Xitou Forest 接送常見問題

除了 Hsinchu City 到 Xitou Forest，還有⋯

立即下載 tripool App

到府接送直達服務

立即下載 tripool App

更多從 Hsinchu City 附近出發的路線

除了 Hsinchu City 到 Xitou Forest，還有⋯