Question 1

Is taking the HSR from Kaohsiung City to Taroko Gorge a good idea?

Accepted Answer

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Kaohsiung City to Taroko Gorge, HSR is quick but pricey. From the earliest departure at 05:50 to the latest at 22:10, there are up to 87 high-speed rail from Zuoying to Nangang each day. Assuming you depart from Kaohsiung City (Sanmin District, Kaohsiung City)  and head to the nearest Zuoying HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$200 and take approximately 21 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 105-145-minute (125 min on average) HSR ride from Zuoying Station to Nangang HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$1,530 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 Taroko Gorge (Xiulin Township, Hualien County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 6 hours and 15 minutes. Assuming 4 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$2,760. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$2,550, and the journey takes 7 hours and 39 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$840. Therefore, for those who are not in a major hurry, you may consider a cheaper and door-to-door private transfer option, like Tripool. 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 Kaohsiung City to Taroko Gorge?

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 25 rental car companies, such as 裳悅實業, 太平小客車租賃, 安心小客車租賃, available in the Sanmin District, Kaohsiung 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 Kaohsiung City and Taroko Gorge, the estimated cost for a sedan is NT$5900 or NT$8900 for a 9-seater van. This is, of course, cheaper than taking a taxi.  If you plan to sightsee along the way to Taroko Gorge, 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 Kaohsiung City, 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 Kaohsiung City to Taroko Gorge?

Accepted Answer

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Kaohsiung 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 有限責任高雄市大昌計程車, 享順交通, 大都會衛星車隊 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$9,935 and 11,900, but you could save up to NT$1,700 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 Kaohsiung 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. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Kaohsiung City to Taroko Gorge in terms of both price and service quality.

Question 4

What are included in the service fee? Is there any extra charge or hidden fee?

Accepted Answer

The quote on the website and the app already include the car rental fee, driver's fare, cost of gasoline, toll fee, insurance, and tips. Passengers don't have to pay for the driver's meals and accommodation fees. There is no other hidden fee. What passengers see on the website is the actual price.

Question 5

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 Kaohsiung City to Taroko Gorge), 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 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 Kaohsiung City to Taroko Gorge, 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 Kaohsiung 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 8

Where should I choose as a pick-up or a drop-off location if going to Taroko Gorge from Kaohsiung 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.

Item	tripool	HSR	Car Rental	Taxi
Travel Time	460 mins	-	490-520 mins	465-475 mins
Price per Person	NT$2,550/person	NT$2,760/person	NT$1,480/person	NT$2,490-2,980/person
Pros	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
Cons	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

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