Taichung Airport (RMQ)→Shangri La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Taichung Airport (RMQ) to Shangri La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, HSR is comfortable and quick but pricey. From the earliest departure at 06:25 to the latest at 23:07, there are up to 74 high-speed rail from Taichung to Tainan each day. Assuming you depart from Taichung Airport (RMQ) (Shalu District, Taichung City) and head to the nearest Taichung HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$900 and take approximately 31 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 36-54-minute (45 min on average) HSR ride from Taichung Station to Tainan HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$650 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 24 minutes with a fare of NT$300, you will arrive at your destination at Shangri La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel (East District, Tainan City). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 2 hours and 5 minutes. Assuming 3 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$1,050. That said, a minority of taxi drivers in Taichung City 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$920, and the journey takes 2 hours and 6 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$390. Therefore, for those who are not in a major hurry, booking with Tripool is the more cost-effective option. 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 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 Taichung 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 Taichung Airport (RMQ) to Shangri La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel is between NT$2200 and NT$2850 (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.

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Taichung City area, you can use apps to hail a cab from 55688 Taiwan Taxi, Uber, Line Go, Yoxi, etc.. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$4,075 and 4,900, but you could save up to NT$2,100 by booking with Tripool instead. However, when considering the return trip, in Tainan City there are only about 4,140 licensed taxis. This is about 50% of the number of taxis in Taichung City, and its density is just 4.6% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 20 times more difficult to hail a cab there. Furthermore, some taxi drivers in Taichung City flat-out refuse to use the meter. Nearly 27% 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 Taichung Airport (RMQ) to Shangri La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel in terms of both price and service quality.

According to the latest Taiwan government announcement, all international inbound travelers cannot take public transportations but only wait for quarantine taxis. If you go to a quarantine hotel near Taipei, it takes around 5 to 10 minutes to leave the airport. Bad news for passengers who will travel down to Taichung or Kaohsiung, it may take up to one hour to wait for a quarantine taxi at the airport. There is no timeline for when the government will loose the regulation. Our suggestion is staying a hotel near Taipei. It is not only the waiting time at the airport for a taxi is shorter, but always it is easier to find an available room in Taipei. After 14-day quarantine, you are welcome to reserve a ride from the hotel to your home or dormitory. Tripool guarantees to provide private car service from anywhere to everywhere in Taiwan.

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.

If your flight is delayed, you can contact our online customer service. We will try our best to reschedule a car for your new time. But if we don't get a notification from you before landing and the driver has already reached the airport, we cannot guarantee that the rescheduled driver will be on time. You can contact our driver for an early pick-up for early arrival if our driver is available or already waiting at the airport.

Generally, international travelers have to reach the airport to check-in at least 2 hours before departure. However, we highly recommend having another 30 minutes buffer time. Taking a ride from Taichung City to Taoyuan Airport, for example, takes 1.5 hours to travel on a regular day. If your flight is 10 AM, it's better to schedule a taxi before 6 AM. After a plane landing, Taiwan citizens may take 30~40 minutes to collect their luggage but 60~90 minutes for foreigners. To avoid extra cost, reserving a taxi one hour later the arrival is ideal.

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.