Question 1

Is taking the HSR from Midtown Richardson to Alishan a good idea?

Accepted Answer

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Midtown Richardson to Alishan, HSR is quick but pricey. From the earliest departure at 06:26 to the latest at 22:16, there are up to 59 high-speed rail from Taipei to Chiayi each day. Assuming you depart from Midtown Richardson (Zhongzheng District, Taipei City) , you may walk or take a bus—if available—to Taipei HSR station. Including walking to the platform, buying a ticket, and waiting for the train, it takes at least 25 minutes. Then, take a 73-103-minute (91 min on average) HSR ride from Taipei Station to Chiayi HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$1,080 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 142 minutes with a fare of NT$2,600, you will arrive at your destination at Alishan (Alishan Township, Chiayi County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 4 hours and 23 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$2,120. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$1,840, and the journey takes 5 hours and 22 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$1,400. 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 Midtown Richardson to Alishan?

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 30 rental car companies, such as 遠信租車, 一銀租賃, 蘋果交通, available in the Midtown Richardson - Zhongzheng District, Taipei 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 Midtown Richardson and Alishan, the estimated cost for a sedan is NT$4400 or NT$7400 for a 9-seater van. This is, of course, cheaper than taking a taxi.  If you plan to sightsee along the way to Alishan, 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 Midtown Richardson, 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 Midtown Richardson to Alishan?

Accepted Answer

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Taipei 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 near Midtown Richardson, such as 歐亞交通, 國華衛星車隊, 藍天使衛星車隊 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$8,140 and 9,800, but you could save up to NT$2,800 by booking with Tripool instead. However, when considering the return trip, in Chiayi County there are only about 330 licensed taxis. This is about 1% of the number of taxis in Taipei City, and its density is just 0.4% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 240 times more difficult to hail a cab there. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Midtown Richardson to Alishan in terms of both price and service quality.

Question 4

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 Midtown Richardson to Alishan, 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 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 Midtown Richardson to Alishan), 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

Do tripool and the drivers provide legal car-hiring services in Taipei City and Chiayi 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 to book a hotel at the lowest price in Taiwan?

Accepted Answer

Fewer travelers book hotels through traditional travel agents, and most go through OTAs (online travel agents). It is easy to filter areas, prices, types of rooms, special needs on OTAs' websites. Still, customers can also get a 20~40% discount compared to hotels' official websites. The most popular OTAs in Taiwan are Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia.com, and Trip.com. In general, travelers can make reservations on websites or apps. Once finishing the online payment, everything is set, and there is not necessary to double-check the reservation by phone. However, some hotels may oversell their rooms on multiple platforms. To avoid being rejected by hotels once you arrive, choose high-rated hotels with more reviews online or make a phone call to hotels to confirm again. For B&Bs (also called minsus), locals prefer to book rooms through B&Bs' websites or contact the hosts directly. Sometimes, the price is better than OTAs. The downside is that their websites don't accept foreign credit cards or guests have to do wire transfers. If you want to save all these troubles and find decent B&Bs, Airbnb and AsiaYo (a local brand) are the best alternatives.

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$1,840/person	NT$2,120/person	NT$1,480/person	NT$3,260-3,920/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

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