Xianglin Giant Tree→Dongpu Lodge

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 Dongpu Lodge from Xianglin Giant Tree, the soonest is finishing the booking four hours in advance.

Whether going from Xianglin Giant Tree to Dongpu Lodge or to anywhere in Taiwan, tripool can be your driver for long-distance traveling. You can reserve a ride online for all kinds of purposes, such as a private day trip, attending a wedding, checking out from a hospital, going hiking/camping, moving, a business trip, picking up your pet, or airport transfer. As long as your reservation is made one day before by 6 pm, tripool guarantees a car for you tomorrow. If you need a receipt for a business trip, you can provide your company's title and tax ID on the checkout page. We will send the receipt which is accepted by the government via email within a week.

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.

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Xianglin Giant Tree to Dongpu Lodge, HSR is expensive, slow, involves transfer hassles, and has difficult taxi access. However, from the first train at 06:21 to the last train at 23:27, there are only up to 28 HSR trains from Chiayi to Changhua a day. If your schedule is tight or you might miss the last train, you should consider booking a private transfer. Assuming you depart from Xianglin Giant Tree (Alishan Township, Chiayi County) and head to the nearest Chiayi HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$2,600 and take approximately 142 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 21-24-minute (21 min on average) HSR ride from Chiayi Station to Changhua HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$250 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 77 minutes with a fare of NT$1,900, you will arrive at your destination at Dongpu Lodge (Xinyi Township, Nantou County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 4 hours and 20 minutes. Assuming one person traveling alone, the total transportation cost is NT$4,750. However, in Chiayi County, there are only just over 300 licensed taxis. The taxi density is 0.4% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area. In other words, hailing a taxi on the spot is 200 times more difficult than in a major city like Taipei. Even if you are lucky enough to hail a cab, a minority of taxi drivers in Chiayi 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, it will only cost NT$2,720, and the journey takes 46 minutes. Choosing the HSR over a private charter will not only cost at least an extra NT$2,030 in fares but also waste an additional 214 minutes on transfers and waiting. Book with Tripool now!

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 Chiayi County 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 Xianglin Giant Tree to Dongpu Lodge is between NT$600 and NT$1050 (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 Chiayi County area, you can use apps to hail a cab from 55688 Taiwan Taxi. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$515 and 800. However, in the whole Chiayi County, there are only about 330 licensed taxis. The taxi density is just 0.4% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, meaning it is 200 times more difficult to hail a cab on the spot compared to Taipei or New Taipei. If you plan to make a return trip on the same or next day, be aware that taxis are even harder to find in Dongpu Lodge (in the Nantou County area), due to limited taxi services in the area. It is recommended to plan ahead. Furthermore, some taxi drivers in Chiayi County flat-out refuse to use the meter. Nearly 47% 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. Although a metered taxi from central Xianglin Giant Tree to central Dongpu Lodge 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 Xianglin Giant Tree to Dongpu Lodge in terms of both price and service quality.

Tripool provides 5-seater sedans, SUVs, and 9-seater vans for private car service. Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen are the most used brands, and there are also a few Lexus, Tesla, and Mercedes-Benz. All vehicles are legal, in good condition, non-smoking, and with up to $5 million insurance. If you have special requests or passengers are more than 8, tripool can arrange a VW Crafter, a 20-seater minibus, or a 40-seater tour bus. Please fill up the request form on our homepage, and we will provide a quote.

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.