Question 1

Is taking the HSR from Taipei Main Station to Budai Harbor a good idea?

Accepted Answer

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Taipei Main Station to Budai Harbor, HSR is comfortable and 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 Taipei Main Station (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 37 minutes with a fare of NT$700, you will arrive at your destination at Budai Harbor (Budai Township, Chiayi County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 2 hours and 38 minutes. Assuming 6 people traveling together (and have to split into two taxis), the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$1,310. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$1,240, and the journey takes 3 hours and 41 minutes. For long-distance travel, the HSR is indeed faster, but it comes with an extra transportation cost of about NT$420. Therefore, for those who are not in a major hurry, you may consider a cheaper and door-to-door private transfer option, like Tripool. 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 Taipei Main Station to Budai Harbor?

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 普拉多, 白宮租賃, 永運汽車租賃, available in the Taipei Main Station - 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 Taipei Main Station and Budai Harbor, the estimated cost for a sedan is NT$3900 or NT$6900 for a 9-seater van. This is, of course, cheaper than taking a taxi.  If you plan to sightsee along the way to Budai Harbor, 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 Taipei Main Station, 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 Taipei Main Station to Budai Harbor?

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 Taipei Main Station, such as 北松衛星車隊, 日昇計程車, 永達交通 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$6,990 and 8,400, 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 Taipei Main Station to Budai Harbor in terms of both price and service quality.

Question 4

Why does tripool charge cheaper than other taxis?

Accepted Answer

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 Taipei Main Station to Budai Harbor, it's better to reserve it now to secure the best price.

Question 5

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 6

Does tripool provide charter tour services? Is there a price list that I can check first?

Accepted Answer

Tripool provides private day tours and charter services all around the island, including Budai Harbor and Taipei Main Station. Tourists are welcome to choose from point-to-point transportation service to 2~12 hours private trip service. The price is 100% transparent without any hidden fee. What you see on the website/app is the actual price. There is no need to email us or even make a phone call to verify. The full-day service price may not be lower than other providers. But if you only need a few hours or just a one-way transfer service, we can guarantee that our price is the most competitive in the market and tripool is the best choice. We offer 5-seater sedans, SUVs, and 9-seater vans. If your group is more than 9, we can arrange a bigger bus for you.

Question 7

Can I request a refund for the cancelation of a ride from Taipei Main Station to Budai Harbor?

Accepted Answer

Passengers can request free cancelation one day before by noon. 100% refundable for any reason. Just send us an email or fill up the cancelation form. No additional administration fee is guaranteed.

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	220 mins	-	250-280 mins	225-235 mins
Price per Person	NT$1,240/person	NT$1,310/person	NT$1,150/person	NT$2,330-2,800/person
Pros	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
Cons	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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