Question 1

Is taking the HSR from Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake a good idea?

Accepted Answer

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake, HSR is expensive and slow. From the earliest departure at 06:21 to the latest at 23:27, there are up to 60 high-speed rail from Chiayi to Taichung each day. Assuming you depart from Mega Hotel (West District, Chiayi City)  and head to the nearest Chiayi HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$400 and take approximately 23 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 22-35-minute (28 min on average) HSR ride from Chiayi Station to Taichung HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$380 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 70 minutes with a fare of NT$2,500, you will arrive at your destination at Sun Moon Lake (Yuchi Township, Nantou County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 2 hours and 26 minutes. Assuming one person traveling alone, the total transportation cost is NT$3,280. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, it will only cost NT$2,270, and the journey takes 1 hour and 57 minutes. Choosing the HSR over a private charter will not only cost at least an extra NT$1,010 in fares but also waste an additional 29 minutes on transfers and waiting. Book with Tripool now!

Question 2

Is it advisable to rent a car and drive from Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake?

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 Chiayi 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 Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake is between NT$1550 and NT$2100 (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 Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake?

Accepted Answer

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Chiayi City 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 near Mega Hotel, such as 大嘉義計程車, 台灣嘉義大車隊, 大嘉義高鐵車隊 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$2,095 and 2,500, which is not significantly different from Tripool. By comparison, Tripool offers a fixed, transparent fare that will not change due to traffic or detours. However, when considering the return trip, in Nantou County there are only about 340 licensed taxis. This is about 65% of the number of taxis in Chiayi 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 Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake 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 make sure the driver will pick me up? What if the driver doesn't show up?

Accepted Answer

Once the booking process is completed and getting an order ID, the reservation is confirmed. Tripool promises a private car will pick passengers up on time. All the essential information, such as the driver's name, mobile number, car model, and car plate number, will be sent via SMS and email. If the driver is not at the pick-up location, passengers can contact the driver via mobile phone. The driver may be away due to a lack of parking space and waiting nearby. Suppose there is some serious emergency or traffic jam to delay the trip. In that case, tripool will rearrange a driver to reduce passengers' waiting time.

Question 6

Do tripool and the drivers provide legal car-hiring services in Chiayi 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 7

Will tripool provide a receipt for my booking? Can I use it for employee expense reimbursement?

Accepted Answer

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.

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.

Item	tripool	HSR	Car Rental	Taxi
Travel Time	115 mins	-	120-145 mins	120-130 mins
Price per Person	NT$2,270/person	NT$3,280/person	NT$1,550-2,100/person	NT$2,100-2,500/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

Mega Hotel→Sun Moon Lake

Unlock the freedom to explore Taiwan your way

About tripool

Our vehicles

5-Seater Sedan

7-Seater MPV

9-Seater Van

Trusted by industry leaders

Sun Moon Lake private Transfer FAQs

Besides from Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake , 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 Mega Hotel

Besides from Mega Hotel to Sun Moon Lake , there are other popular routes, such as…