Taichung Car Rental: Choosing Between Taichung Station, HSR Taichung and Taichung Airport (RMQ) + How the Daily Cost Works

Taichung Car Rental: Choosing Between Taichung Station, HSR Taichung and Taichung Airport (RMQ) + How the Daily Cost Works

Taichung is spread out: the city center, the High Speed Rail station in Wuri and Taichung International Airport near Qingquangang are 20–35 minutes apart by car, so picking the right pickup point saves you a detour on day one. GoodCars has three pickup points in Taichung: Taichung Railway Station branch, HSR Taichung Station and Taichung Airport (RMQ). This page answers three questions: which one fits how you arrive, how late-night and early-morning pickup works, and how a day's rental cost is calculated. Step-by-step guides for each location: Taichung Train Station car rental, HSR Taichung car rental guide and Taichung Airport (RMQ) pickup guide.

Taichung Park is a 9–10 minute walk from the Railway Station branch, so downtown sightseeing starts easily from there (Unsplash; location tagged Taichung Park)

How far apart are they? By Google Maps (traffic dependent): the Railway Station branch to HSR Taichung is about 18–23 minutes, to the airport about 34–36 minutes, and HSR Taichung to the airport about 22–29 minutes. The simple rule: pick up your car where you arrive, instead of taking a taxi across town to collect it.

Which pickup point should you choose?

What can you reach within 30 minutes of each pickup point?

Four examples per location, as Google Maps driving-time ranges (traffic dependent). For itineraries, see the linked route guides.

From Taichung Railway Station branch: museums, culture and Dakeng

• Shenji New Village (審計新村): about 8–9 min, 2.9–3.1 km
• National Museum of Natural Science (國立自然科學博物館): about 9–10 min, 3.0–3.3 km
• National Taichung Theater (臺中國家歌劇院): about 15–19 min, 5.8–7.8 km
• Dakeng Scenic Area (大坑風景區): about 22–23 min, 8.7–9.2 km, a hillside area full of hiking trails

Walking directions to the branch, trucks and scooters: Taichung Train Station car rental. Full itineraries: Taichung self-drive tour: 5 routes.

The National Taichung Theater is about 15–19 minutes from the Railway Station branch (Unsplash; National Taichung Theater)

From HSR Taichung: Nantun, Xitun and Wufeng

• Rainbow Village (彩虹眷村): about 7–8 min, 3.4–3.6 km
• Fengjia Night Market (逢甲夜市): about 15–16 min, 10.3–11 km via Provincial Highway 74
• 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan (921地震教育園區): about 16–19 min, 18–20 km via National Freeway 3
• Wufeng Lin Family Gongbao Residence (霧峰林家宮保第園區): about 18–24 min, 12.3–17.9 km

Parking-lot pickup at the HSR station: HSR Taichung car rental guide. Heading into the mountains: Sun Moon Lake self-drive guide and Cingjing & Hehuan Mountain self-drive guide.

From Taichung Airport (RMQ): the coast and Dadu Plateau

• Dajia Jenn Lann Temple (大甲鎮瀾宮): about 19–24 min, 15.4–16.6 km
• Wuqi Fishing Harbor (梧棲觀光漁港): about 20–22 min, 12.2–19.5 km
• Luce Memorial Chapel, Tunghai University (路思義教堂): about 20–24 min, 10.8–14.2 km
• Gaomei Wetland (高美濕地): about 21–23 min, 11.8–13.3 km

Airport parking-lot pickup and flight timing: Taichung Airport (RMQ) pickup guide.

Source: Google Maps driving routes from each pickup point's official address, checked Friday evening, 2026-09-25. Daytime, weekend and holiday traffic is usually heavier; freeway routes incur ETC tolls.

Gaomei Wetland is about 20 minutes from the airport pickup point (Unsplash; location tagged Gaomei Wetland, Qingshui, Taichung)

Late-night and early-morning pickup in Taichung

• HSR Taichung and Taichung Airport: self-service parking-lot pickup, bookable online 00:00–23:55, so these are the two to choose for late arrivals and early starts. There is no staffed 24-hour counter; follow your booking confirmation.
• Taichung Railway Station branch: bookable online 09:00–21:00. To pick up or return outside business hours (21:00–09:00), call +886 4-2201-0077 in advance and the branch will arrange it for you.

For a late High Speed Rail arrival or an early flight, book in advance, upload your documents and finish payment and the online e-contract before you travel, then follow the instructions in your booking confirmation on arrival. The full self-service process is explained in the self-service pickup and return guide.

Arriving in the evening? Pick up at HSR Taichung or the airport, both bookable online until 23:55 (Unsplash; location tagged Taichung)

How much does a car rental in Taichung cost per day?

GoodCars charges two things, and both depend on how you use the car:

• Rental fee: based on car type and dates (weekday, weekend and holiday rates differ). Live prices for all three Taichung locations are on the booking page.
• Mileage fee: charged per kilometer actually driven, with no distance cap.
• Fuel card included: every car comes with a GoodCars fuel card. Pay for fuel with the card, so you never pay for fuel yourself (fuel cost is built into the mileage fee), and there is no need to top up before returning.
• Paid for fuel by mistake? Keep a valid receipt from your rental period; it can be deducted from that rental's mileage fee, up to the full amount.
• Freeway tolls: ETC tolls are settled separately.

So your daily cost ≈ rental fee + kilometers driven × the car type's mileage rate (+ tolls). See the mileage fee page for rates and how much car rental costs in Taiwan for typical price levels. Car types: 5-seaters and 7–9 seaters; what is available at each Taichung location on your dates is shown on the booking page.

In Taichung, trucks can only be rented at the Railway Station branch (small Veryca trucks, very limited numbers); HSR Taichung and the airport do not offer trucks, and trucks must be picked up and returned at the same branch. Scooters are also listed only at the Railway Station branch, and they are the exception to the fuel card rule: scooter renters refuel themselves, and scooter charges follow what the booking page shows.

One-way rentals

You can pick up and return at different locations, for example fly into Taichung Airport, drive the coast, then return at HSR Taichung and take the train out; or pick up in Taichung and return at a branch in another city. Choose different pickup and return points on the booking page to see availability; whether a one-way fee applies is shown there too. Trucks are excluded: online booking currently does not allow one-way truck rentals, so a truck must be picked up and returned at the same branch; contact the branch for special requests. More in one-way car rental in Taiwan: 10 routes.

FAQ

Q1. What documents do foreign visitors need?

Your passport and home driving license; most nationalities also need an International Driving Permit (IDP). Japanese visitors can use a Japanese license with an official Chinese translation instead. Upload documents after booking so pickup is quick. Traffic rules for visitors: driving in Taiwan.

Q2. Can I pick up a car late at night in Taichung?

Yes, at HSR Taichung or Taichung Airport: both are self-service parking-lot pickups bookable online 00:00–23:55. The Railway Station branch can be booked online for 09:00–21:00; for 21:00–09:00, call the branch in advance and staff will arrange it.

Q3. Where exactly is the parking lot at HSR Taichung or the airport?

Staff park the car in a designated lot (the airport parking lot at RMQ) and you walk over. Follow the location given in your booking confirmation; if you cannot find the car, call +886 4-2201-0077.

Q4. Do I have to stop at a gas station before drop-off?

No. Use the fuel card whenever you need fuel; you do not need to bring the tank back to any particular level. Scooters are the exception: they have no fuel card.

Q5. Can I get a 7–9 seater in Taichung?

GoodCars has 7–9 seaters (see the 7–9 seater page), but each location's fleet differs, so check the booking page for your dates and book early for holidays.