Sun Moon Lake→Kaohsiung Harbor
Unlock the freedom to explore Taiwan your way
Distance：207 km ｜Travel time：185 mins
fare estimation
Sun Moon Lake to Kaohsiung Harbor - rent a car with driver
There are many ways to travel from a scenic area to a harbor, but if you want to balance cost, time, and convenience without driving yourself, booking a private transfer is usually the best choice. Among the many car hire ads and ride-hailing groups, legality should always come first. If the ride is accepted directly by the driver rather than arranged through a licensed company or travel agency, you could run into problems if stopped by the police—and if the vehicle’s license plate does not begin with T or R, it is essentially illegal (commonly known as an unlicensed private car). Before booking, it’s also wise to check online reviews of the company or platform. While higher average ratings on Google Maps or Facebook suggest better service, the number of reviews is equally important, as platforms with thousands of reviews are far more reliable than those with only a few dozen. Tripool is a legally registered ride-hailing platform in Taiwan. For example, if you’re planning to travel from the main island to and need transfers between Sun Moon Lake and Kaohsiung Harbor, you can instantly check fares online with full transparency. All transactions are processed securely via credit card or convenience store payment, ensuring clear, traceable records and avoiding the disputes that often come with cash payments. Planning a private day tour? Let Tripool handle it. Don't waste your precious holiday on public transit. We provide daily cleaning and disinfection for vehicles. Your itinerary, your schedule. We just drive.
After analyzing the available data, we found the following alternatives to private charters or transfers. For the journey from Sun Moon Lake to Kaohsiung Harbor, the fastest land transportation is Tripool private car transfer, and it is also the most cost-effective transportation method for groups of 2-8 people. The data in the following table is based on a party of 2 and compares the pros and cons of a private car transfer, car rental, taxi, and high-speed rail. For a more complete analysis of transportation costs and time, please see the FAQ below. For a single traveler, Tripool's shared ride can offer further savings at just NT$2,200 per person (for details, please click the yellow button to inquire).
- 1–8 passengers
- Truly pickup anywhere
- Ride guaranteed
- No hidden fees
- Pre-booking only
- No cash
- Comfortable seating
- No time wasted
- Tickets often sold out in peak season
- Multiple transfers needed
- Higher fare
- -
- Overnight parking is expensive
- Meets urgent needs
- No upfront payment
- Inconsistent quality
- Difficult to find a ride
- Higher price
- Risk of overcharging
| Item | tripool | HSR | Car Rental | Taxi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Time | 185 mins | - | Overnight parking is expensive | 200-215 mins |
| Price per Person | NT$1,860/person | NT$2,240/person | N/A | NT$2,620-3,900/person |
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Whether you're on a business trip or a family getaway, book your round-trip in one go and save more effortlessly!
About tripool
tripool is a licensed smart ride platform offering shared rides, point-to-point transfers, charter services, and airport pickups. Whether you're traveling solo or with family, you’ll always find the most suitable way to get around.
In addition to Taiwan, we also offer airport transfers and private tours in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand — ensuring your journey stays smooth and worry-free from the moment you land.
Save Up to 40%Our smart dispatch system reduces empty trips, helping you save up to 40% on fares—saving both money and time.
Flexible Cancellation, Zero StressPlans changed? No worries. Cancel within the allowed time and receive a full refund—completely stress-free.
Trusted by Real UsersEvery driver is carefully selected and trained. With over 500,000 rides served and a 99% satisfaction rate, we’ve earned travelers’ trust across Asia.
Our vehicles
5-Seater Sedan
Toyota Altis or similar
7-Seater MPV
Toyota Corolla Cross, RAV4, or similar
9-Seater Van
Volkswagen Caravelle, Ford Tourneo or similar
Trusted by industry leaders
- 長榮海運股份有限公司
- 六角國際事業股份有限公司
- 泰福生技股份有限公司
- 廣穎電通股份有限公司
- 科誠股份有限公司
- 強茂股份有限公司
- 德麥食品股份有限公司
- 州巧科技股份有限公司
- 永鴻國際生技股份有限公司
- 統振股份有限公司
Kaohsiung Harbor private Transfer FAQs
- Every order can only reserve one car, and it is easier for passengers to make any change or cancelation. Please make two separate bookings on the website or the app if passengers need a round trip. There is no particular promotion about a round trip for now, but it's welcome to use any coupon for each ride.
- 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.
- To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Sun Moon Lake to Kaohsiung Harbor, HSR is quick but pricey and has difficult taxi access. From the earliest departure at 06:25 to the latest at 23:07, there are up to 89 high-speed rail from Taichung to Zuoying each day. Assuming you depart from Sun Moon Lake (Yuchi Township, Nantou County) and head to the nearest Taichung HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$2,500 and take approximately 70 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 45-68-minute (57 min on average) HSR ride from Taichung Station to Zuoying HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$790 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 26 minutes with a fare of NT$400, you will arrive at your destination at Kaohsiung Harbor (Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung City). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 3 hours and 3 minutes. Assuming 2 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$2,240. However, in Nantou County, there are only just over 300 licensed taxis. The taxi density is 0.2% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area. In other words, hailing a taxi on the spot is 500 times more difficult than in a major city like Taipei, and since Sun Moon Lake is not located in a downtown area, it may be impossible to find a taxi at all. Even if you are lucky enough to hail a cab, a minority of taxi drivers in Nantou 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$1,860, and the journey takes 3 hours and 5 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster than a car by 2 minutes, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$760. Therefore, for those who are not in a major hurry, booking with Tripool is the more cost-effective option. If you are traveling alone, you can also consider Tripool's carpooling service to save up to an additional 50% on transportation costs.
- Travelers usually do not choose to rent or drive to Kaohsiung Harbor. After all, leaving a car parked for multiple days means that parking fees and rental costs become a substantial expense.
- If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Nantou County area, you can use apps to hail a cab from 55688 Taiwan Taxi and Yoxi, and if you cannot hail a cab on the street, you can also consider calling the only neighborhood taxi company in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, 日月星光計程車 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$5,225 and 7,800, but you could save up to NT$4,100 by booking with Tripool instead. But if you cannot book in advance or prefer to hail a cab on the spot, be aware that in the whole Nantou County, there are only about 340 licensed taxis. The taxi density is just 0.2% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, meaning it is 500 times more difficult to hail a cab on the spot compared to Taipei or New Taipei. Furthermore, some taxi drivers in Nantou County flat-out refuse to use the meter. Nearly 58% 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 Sun Moon Lake to Kaohsiung Harbor in terms of both price and service quality.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Besides from Sun Moon Lake to Kaohsiung Harbor , there are other popular routes, such as…
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Distance：207 km ｜Travel time：185 mins
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