Yilan→Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead

To take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Yilan to Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead, HSR is expensive, slow, and has difficult taxi access. From the earliest departure at 06:15 to the latest at 22:05, there are up to 87 high-speed rail from Nangang to Zuoying each day. Assuming you depart from Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County and head to the nearest Nangang HSR station, a taxi ride would cost about NT$900 and take approximately 50 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 105-145-minute (125 min on average) HSR ride from Nangang Station to Zuoying HSR Station. The ticket price is NT$1,530 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 292 minutes with a fare of NT$7,200, you will arrive at your destination at Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead (Haiduan Township, Taitung County). The entire journey, including transfers, takes a total of 8 hours and 17 minutes. Assuming one person traveling alone, the total transportation cost is NT$9,630. However, in Yilan County, there are only just over 700 licensed taxis. The taxi density is 0.9% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area. In other words, hailing a taxi on the spot is 100 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 Yilan 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$7,410, and the journey takes 6 hours and 17 minutes. Choosing the HSR over a private charter will not only cost at least an extra NT$2,220 in fares but also waste an additional 120 minutes on transfers and waiting. Book with Tripool now!

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 5 rental car companies, such as 宜蘭租車, 博旅天下租賃, 欣詠順小客車租賃, available in the Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County 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 Yilan (Jiaoxi Township) and Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead, the estimated cost for a sedan is NT$3800 or NT$6800 for a 9-seater van. This is, of course, cheaper than taking a taxi. If you plan to sightsee along the way to Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead, 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 your home/office/starting point, 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.

If you choose to take a taxi directly, in the Yilan County 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 三全計程車, 三全計程汽車行, 礁溪計程車 to try to book a ride. Based on the meter, the estimated fare is between NT$5,190 and 6,200. However, in the whole Yilan County, there are only about 750 licensed taxis. The taxi density is just 0.9% of that in the Taipei/New Taipei metro area, meaning it is 100 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 Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead (in the Taitung County area), as Taitung County has only about 351 taxis. It is recommended to plan ahead. Furthermore, some taxi drivers in Yilan 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 Yilan to central Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead might be cheaper, if your group has five people or more, taking two taxis will be more expensive; booking a 9-seater van with Tripool could save you up to NT$900. Considering all factors, Tripool is your best choice for traveling from Yilan to Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead in terms of both price and service quality.

Passengers can request additional stops for a ride from Yilan to Jiaming Lake National Hiking Area Trailhead. 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.

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.

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.

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.