Question 1

Is taking the HSR from HSR Taichung Station to Shimenshan Trail a good idea?

Accepted Answer

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from HSR Taichung Station to Shimenshan Trail, HSR is quick but pricey. From the earliest departure at 06:05 to the latest at 23:03, there are up to 103 high-speed rail from Taichung to Nangang each day. Assuming you depart from HSR Taichung Station (Wuri District, Taichung City) , it is about a 10-minute walk to the HSR boarding platform, with an estimated 10 minutes. Then, take a 54-81-minute (68 min on average) HSR ride from Taichung Station to Nangang HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$750 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 199 minutes with a fare of NT$4,700, you will arrive at your destination at Shimenshan Trail (Xiulin Township, Hualien County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 4 hours and 57 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$2,630. 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$2,030, and the journey takes 5 hours and 19 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster than a car by 22 minutes, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$3,000. 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 HSR Taichung Station to Shimenshan Trail?

Accepted Answer

If you have a driver's license, do not mind driving yourself, and you do not need to use the travel time to rest in the car, there are about 15 rental car companies, such as 騰雲汽車租賃, 卡爾博物業, 合順租賃, available in the HSR Taichung Station - Wuri District, Taichung City area. Typically, car rentals are billed by the day. A small sedan like a Toyota Corolla or Ford Fiesta costs around NT$1500 per day, while a 9-seater van like a Hyundai Staria or Volkswagen Caravelle starts at NT$4500 per day. Extra costs such as fuel (approx. NT$3/km), eTag tolls (approx. NT$1/km), roadside parking (approx. NT$40/hour), insurance, and potential fines are not included. Most rental agreements specify a daily mileage limit of 200-400 km, with surcharges ranging from NT$100 to NT$2,000 for exceeding it. Since the vast majority of rental companies do not offer one-way rentals, assuming you make a same-day round trip between HSR Taichung Station and Shimenshan Trail, the estimated cost for a sedan is NT$4300 or NT$7300 for a 9-seater van. This is, of course, cheaper than taking a taxi.  If you plan to sightsee along the way to Shimenshan Trail, renting a car for the day is certainly convenient and affordable, but it means the driver will not get to relax or fully enjoy the trip. Moreover, the rental location may be some distance from HSR Taichung Station, and you must adhere to their business hours for pickup and return. The rental process itself is tedious, often taking an extra 30 minutes for contracts and vehicle inspection. You may even need to refuel the car yourself before returning. If you encounter a dishonest operator, you risk being hit with various unjustified charges upon return.

Question 3

Would it be economical to take a taxi from HSR Taichung Station to Shimenshan Trail?

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 the only neighborhood taxi company in Wuri District, Taichung City, yoxi車隊 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$7,775 and 9,300, but you could save up to NT$1,500 by booking with Tripool instead. However, when considering the return trip, in Hualien County there are only about 1,010 licensed taxis. This is about 10% of the number of taxis in Taichung City, and its density is just 0.5% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 190 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 HSR Taichung Station to Shimenshan Trail in terms of both price and service quality.

Question 4

Do tripool and the drivers provide legal car-hiring services in Taichung City and Hualien 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 HSR Taichung Station to Shimenshan Trail, it's better to reserve it now to secure the best price.

Question 6

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 HSR Taichung Station to Shimenshan Trail, 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 7

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 8

How can I book a car with a lot of luggage or oversized objects?

Accepted Answer

In common, a 9-seater van can accommodate eight passengers with six 30" luggage. Suppose there are fewer passengers in the car. In that case, our driver can fold down the rear seats. There will be more space for oversized objects, such as surfboards, golf clubs, instruments, foldable bikes, desktop computers, etc. As long as these objects won't block the driver's sight and do no damage to the car body, passengers can put as many luggage and items as they like. But extra charge may be needed. You can find the details in the FAQ section. We suggest measuring the size, telling how many items to our online service first, and making the order afterward.

項目	tripool 旅步	高鐵	租車	計程車
行程時間	320 mins	-	350-380 mins	325-335 mins
每人價格	NT$2,030/person	NT$2,630/person	NT$1,460/person	NT$3,110-3,720/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 Risk of overcharging

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