Taichung→Hualien: hiring a private car is the quickest and cheapest way to go
24/7 online booking for round-the-clock travel
Distance：310 km ｜Travel time：322 mins
fare estimation
Taichung to Hualien - secure online booking by tripool
The reason long-distance cross-county rides have traditionally been so expensive is that taxis are legally restricted to specific operating areas. Passengers can book an Uber through an app or call 55688 for a yellow cab, but after dropping off at Hualien, the driver has to drive back without passengers, and that cost gets built into your fare. Even when arranging with a licensed rental-car company, many are too small in scale or lack partnerships in Hualien, forcing them to pass the return trip cost on to the customer. Tripool, on the other hand, is a nationwide long-distance transfer platform with thousands of registered partner drivers across Taiwan. With our self-developed AI dispatching system, we reduce return trips without passengers caused by manual scheduling and, thanks to steady order volumes from corporate and travel agency partnerships, our drivers minimize wasted trips. The extra efficiency translates directly into savings for passengers. Whether you need a ride between In Joy Hotel, The Cloud Hotel, Taichung Hotel 7, Mini Voyage Hostel, Pink Corner Hotel, Fullon Hotel Hualien, or from Taichung to Hualien, Tripool has you covered—from shared rides starting at NT$2500 to 8-seater vans at NT$5100. For charter tours, business trips, or even weddings and family events, simply click the yellow button to see your instant price.
After analyzing the available data, we found the following alternatives to private charters or transfers. For the journey from Taichung to Hualien, the fastest land transportation is Tripool private car transfer, and it is also the most cost-effective transportation method for groups of 1-8 people. The data in the following table is based on a party of 1 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.
- 1–8 passengers
- Truly pickup anywhere
- Ride guaranteed
- No hidden fees
- Pre-booking only
- No cash
- Comfortable seating
- Tickets often sold out in peak season
- Multiple transfers needed
- Takes time and costs more
- On your schedule
- Extra commute to car pick-up
- Time restrictions for pick-up and return
- Costly
- Requires same-day return or a multi-day rental
- Meets urgent needs
- No upfront payment
- Inconsistent quality
- Usually limited to 4 passengers
- Higher price
- Risk of overcharging
| Item | tripool | HSR | Car Rental | Taxi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Time | 320 mins | 340 mins | 350-380 mins | 325-335 mins |
| Price per Person | NT$3,530/person | NT$6,250/person | NT$4,300/person | NT$7,800-9,400/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
- 國立臺灣師範大學
- 國立暨南國際大學
- 華安醫學股份有限公司
- 斯伯克國際創業投資有限公司
- 藥華醫藥股份有限公司
- 冠德建設股份有限公司
- 德麥食品股份有限公司
- 信義房屋股份有限公司
- 光群雷射科技股份有限公司
- 協益電子股份有限公司
Hualien private Transfer FAQs
- Tripool only offers private car service, and there is no ride-sharing or carpooling service for now. Except for our driver, there will be no other stranger in the vehicle with you. During the pandemic, our drivers put extra effort into clearing and disinfection.
- To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from downtown Taichung to Hualien, HSR is expensive and slow. From the earliest departure at 06:05 to the latest at 23:03, there are up to 103 high-speed rail from Taichung to Nangang each day. Assuming you depart from Xitun District, Taichung City and head to the nearest Taichung HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$300 and take approximately 20 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 54-81-minute (68 min on average) HSR ride from Taichung Station to Nangang HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$750 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 225 minutes with a fare of NT$5,200, you will arrive at your destination in Hualien City, Hualien County. The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 5 hours and 39 minutes. Assuming one person traveling alone, the total transportation cost is NT$6,250. 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, it will only cost NT$3,530, and the journey takes 5 hours and 22 minutes. Choosing the HSR over a private charter will not only cost at least an extra NT$2,720 in fares but also waste an additional 17 minutes on transfers and waiting. Book with Tripool now!
- Although you can choose to rent a car to drive from Taichung to Hualien, the cost can be significant. Rental companies typically charge by the day. A small sedan like a Toyota Yaris or Nissan Kicks starts at NT$1500 per day, while a 9-seater van like a Ford Tourneo or Volkswagen Transporter costs around 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 fines are not included. If your daily mileage exceeds 200-400 km, there will be an additional surcharge of NT$100-2,000. Since the vast majority of rental companies do not offer one-way rentals, you either need to make a same-day round trip between Taichung and Hualien or rent the car for multiple days. In this case, the estimated cost starts at NT$4300 for a sedan and NT$7300 for a 9-seater van. Booking a one-way private transfer with the Tripool app is the most affordable and convenient option for traveling to the Hualien.
- 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., and if you cannot hail a cab on the street, you can also consider calling taxi fleets, such as 龍興計程車行永福站無線車隊, 聯美汽車行, 大都會衛星車隊 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$7,800 and 9,400, but you could save up to NT$5,900 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 Taichung 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. 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 to Hualien 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.
- 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 Taichung to Hualien, it's better to reserve it now to secure the best price.
- 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.
- 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.
Besides from Taichung to Hualien , there are other popular routes, such as…
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Distance：310 km ｜Travel time：322 mins
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