Hualien→Anping Old Street

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Hualien to Anping Old Street, HSR is expensive, slow, and has difficult taxi access. From the earliest departure at 06:15 to the latest at 22:05, there are up to 72 high-speed rail from Nangang to Tainan each day. Assuming you depart from Hualien City, Hualien County and head to the nearest Nangang HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$5,200 and take approximately 225 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 96-131-minute (116 min on average) HSR ride from Nangang Station to Tainan HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$1,390 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 41 minutes with a fare of NT$700, you will arrive at your destination at Anping Old Street (Anping District, Tainan City). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 6 hours and 46 minutes. Assuming 3 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$3,360. However, in Hualien County, there are only just over 1,000 licensed taxis. The taxi density is 0.5% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area. In other words, hailing a taxi on the spot is 200 times more difficult than in a major city like Taipei. Even if you are lucky enough to hail a cab, a minority of taxi drivers in Hualien County 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$3,350, and the journey takes 6 hours and 21 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 25 minutes on transfers and waiting. Book with Tripool now! If you are traveling with just one other person, you can also consider Tripool's carpooling service to save up to an additional 50% on transportation costs.

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 20 rental car companies, such as 中港國際汽車租賃, 東合興國際企業, 錦順小客車租賃, available in the Hualien City, Hualien County 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 Hualien (Hualien City) and Anping Old Street, the estimated cost for a sedan is NT$4200 or NT$7200 for a 9-seater van. This is, of course, cheaper than taking a taxi. If you plan to sightsee along the way to Anping Old Street, 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 your home/office/starting point, 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.

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Hualien County area, you can use apps to hail a cab from 55688 Taiwan Taxi, and if you cannot hail a cab on the street, you can also consider calling taxi fleets, such as 統一無線計程車, 國聲計程車, 美崙計程車 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$6,535 and 9,800. However, in the whole Hualien County, there are only about 1,010 licensed taxis. The taxi density is just 0.5% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, meaning it is 200 times more difficult to hail a cab on the spot compared to Taipei or New Taipei. If you plan to make a return trip on the same or next day, be aware that taxis in Anping District, Tainan City are also not easy to find. It is recommended to plan ahead. Furthermore, some taxi drivers in Hualien County flat-out refuse to use the meter. Nearly 32% 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. Although a metered taxi from central Hualien to central Anping Old Street might be cheaper, you still face the risk of not being able to find a cab—or ending up with a driver who refuses to use the meter. If your group has more than four people, splitting into two taxis is inconvenient. In this case, Tripool, which offers pre-booking and reliable quality, might be a more suitable option for you. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Hualien to Anping Old Street in terms of both price and service quality.

Tripool provides private day tours and charter services all around the island, including Anping Old Street and Hualien. Tourists are welcome to choose from point-to-point transportation service to 2~12 hours private trip service. The price is 100% transparent without any hidden fee. What you see on the website/app is the actual price. There is no need to email us or even make a phone call to verify. The full-day service price may not be lower than other providers. But if you only need a few hours or just a one-way transfer service, we can guarantee that our price is the most competitive in the market and tripool is the best choice. We offer 5-seater sedans, SUVs, and 9-seater vans. If your group is more than 9, we can arrange a bigger bus for you.

Tripool only offers private car service, and there is no ride-sharing or carpooling service for now. Except for our driver, there will be no other stranger in the vehicle with you. During the pandemic, our drivers put extra effort into clearing and disinfection.

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.