Taoyuan→Smangus: chartered cars are the fastest

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from downtown Taoyuan to Smangus, HSR is affordable but time-consuming and involves transfer hassles. From the earliest departure at 06:49 to the latest at 23:21, there are up to 61 high-speed rail from Taoyuan to Hsinchu each day. Assuming you depart from Dayuan District, Taoyuan City and head to the nearest Taoyuan HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$400 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 15 minutes. Then, take a 9-11-minute (10 min on average) HSR ride from Taoyuan Station to Hsinchu HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$130 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 47 minutes with a fare of NT$900, you will arrive at your destination at Smangus (Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 1 hour and 37 minutes. Assuming 3 people traveling together, the average cost per person for the HSR and transfers is NT$560. In contrast, if you use Tripool for a door-to-door private car service, the average cost per person is about NT$1,080, and the journey takes 1 hour and 17 minutes. Although taking the HSR saves money compared to a private car, it requires an additional 20 minutes of travel time. So, if you are on a business trip and your time runs like a stock ticker, or a traveler wanting to get home quickly late at night, spending a little extra money can make your journey much more comfortable. Furthermore, if you have more people in your group, the average cost per person drops significantly when you book with Tripool. 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 Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan (Dayuan District) to Smangus is between NT$1150 and NT$1650 (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 Taoyuan 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 菓林計程車, 大園義交計程車, 大園多元化計程車聯合車隊 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$1,785 and 2,100. However, when considering the return trip, in Hsinchu County there are only about 730 licensed taxis. This is about 15% of the number of taxis in Taoyuan City, and its density is just 1.3% of the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, making it 80 times more difficult to hail a cab there. Although a metered taxi from central Taoyuan to central Smangus might be cheaper, you still face the risk of not being able to find a cab—or ending up with a driver who refuses to use the meter. If your group has more than four people, splitting into two taxis is inconvenient. In this case, Tripool, which offers pre-booking and reliable quality, might be a more suitable option for you. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Taoyuan to Smangus in terms of both price and service quality.

According to the law in Taiwan, all passengers have to fasten seat belts, no matter what ages they are. For a baby below 4-year-old or a young child who cannot comfortably be on the seat with a seat belt, it is necessary to use a car seat or a safety booster. There is a check box for renting a baby car seat or a child safety booster on the check-out page. Each rental fee is NT$300. If you need multiple car seats/boosters or you need an infant car seat, please check with our online customer service first. Tripool encourages parents to bring their car seats and boosters, and, of course, it is free of charge.

Passengers can request additional stops for a ride from Taoyuan to Smangus. Every 5 km of additional distance for a stop charges NT$200, whether it is along the way or not. It's necessary for the driver's extra time.

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.

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.

As long as you can choose the date, time, and finish the booking on our website or the app, tripool guarantees our driver will show up. However, tripool is not a ride-hailing yellow cab company. All the reservations have to be pre-booked. If you want to go to Smangus from Taoyuan, the soonest is finishing the booking four hours in advance.