Yilan Car Rental: Choosing Between Yilan, Jiaoxi and Luodong Stations + How Pickup Works

Yilan Car Rental: Choosing Between Yilan, Jiaoxi and Luodong Stations + How Pickup Works

If you would rather not drive the Snow Mountain Tunnel yourself, you can reach Yilan (宜蘭) from Taipei by TRA train or intercity bus — and the easiest way to explore the county is to pick up a car once you arrive. GoodCars has three station pickup points in Yilan: Yilan Station, Jiaoxi Station and Luodong Station. This guide answers two questions: which station suits your itinerary, and how the self-service parking-lot pickup at Yilan Station works. We also cover which station is closest for the Toucheng coast, a few highlights within 30 minutes of each station, what to do if you arrive late at night, and how pricing works. For full itineraries see Yilan self-drive tour: 5 routes; for the Luodong back-station branch in detail, see our Luodong Station car rental guide.

Take the train to Yilan, Jiaoxi or Luodong and start driving from the station (Unsplash, location tagged Jiaoxi, Yilan)

Why rent your car in Yilan instead of Taipei?

If you drive yourself from Taipei, the hardest thing to predict is the Snow Mountain Tunnel on Freeway 5: when weekend or holiday traffic backs up, the trip out and the trip home can both take far longer than planned. The TRA train runs on rails, so tunnel jams don't affect it at all; an intercity bus does go through the tunnel, but if it's slow, someone else is doing the driving. The low-stress plan: get yourself to Yilan first, collect the car there, and only drive on the Lanyang Plain.

Yilan's sights fall into three areas: the north (Jiaoxi hot springs and the Toucheng coast), the middle (Yilan City, Yuanshan and Zhuangwei) and the south (Luodong, Dongshan, Sanxing, Su'ao and Taipingshan). Buses between them are limited and the sights are spread out, so a car is what ties them together — and GoodCars has one pickup point in each area.

• By train: Yilan, Jiaoxi and Luodong are all stations on the TRA Yilan Line; check TRA for timetables and train types.
• By bus to Yilan Bus Transfer Station (宜蘭轉運站): Google Maps puts the walk to Yilan Station at about 11–13 minutes (800 m–1 km).
• By bus to Jiaoxi Bus Transfer Station (礁溪轉運站): about an 11–13 minute walk to Jiaoxi Station (750–900 m).
• By bus to Luodong: the new Luodong Bus Transfer Station is on the back-station side — walking directions are in our Luodong Station guide.

Yilan, Jiaoxi or Luodong: which station should you choose?

The three pickup points differ in two ways: where they are and how pickup works. Decide by where you're staying and which direction you'll mostly drive, then by what time you arrive.

How far apart are they? On Google Maps (traffic dependent): Yilan Station ↔ Jiaoxi Station about 21–25 minutes; Yilan Station ↔ Luodong branch about 23–24 minutes; Jiaoxi Station ↔ Luodong branch about 28–31 minutes (fastest via Freeway 5, which has ETC tolls).

How pickup works at Yilan Station (self-service parking lot)

Yilan Station — and Jiaoxi Station, which works the same way — is a self-service parking-lot location: pickup and return both happen at a designated parking lot. GoodCars' official instructions say that for pickup, staff drive the car to the designated parking lot and you walk there to collect it; for return, you leave the car key inside the car and staff lock it with the remote locking system. Step by step:

1. Book online: choose Yilan Station as your pickup point, then your dates, times and car. Bookable pickup/return times are 00:00–23:55.
2. Upload documents, pay and sign the e-contract: once your booking is confirmed, upload your documents as instructed and complete payment and the online e-contract before pickup — no paperwork on the day.
3. Read your booking confirmation: where the designated parking lot is and how to find your car are whatever your booking confirmation says.
4. Walk from the station to the parking lot: the car will already be waiting there.
5. Walk around the car and take photos of the exterior and the odometer before you leave, and check that the fuel card is in the car. If anything looks wrong, call +886 3-956-0505 before driving off.
6. Return: park back at the designated lot as instructed, take a few photos, leave the key inside the car, and staff lock it remotely.

If it's your first self-service rental, our self-service pickup and return guide explains every step with pictures (document upload, payment and return) — worth a read before you travel.

Heading to Toucheng (Waiao, Wushi Harbor, Beiguan)? Pick up in Jiaoxi

The Toucheng (頭城) coast is the most popular drive in northern Yilan. Here's how Jiaoxi Station and Yilan Station compare on Google Maps (traffic dependent):

The answer is clear: for the Toucheng coast, Jiaoxi Station is the closest pickup point — roughly 10 minutes nearer than Yilan Station for each stop, and Luodong is further still. A simple plan: collect the car in Jiaoxi in the morning, follow Provincial Highway 2 north along the coast, and come back to Jiaoxi for a hot-spring soak in the evening. For full Toucheng itineraries, see Yilan self-drive tour: 5 routes.

Source: Google Maps driving routes from No. 1 Wenquan Road, Jiaoxi and No. 1 Guangfu Road, Yilan City, checked on the evening of Friday 25 September 2026.

Guishan Island seen from the Toucheng coast, about 20–30 minutes' drive from Jiaoxi Station (Unsplash, location tagged Binhai Road, Toucheng)

What's within 30 minutes of each station?

We list just a few highlights per station so you can see what's within half an hour of where you'll stay. Times show the range across Google Maps' suggested routes and will vary with weekend traffic and weather; follow the links for full guides.

From Yilan Station: Yilan City, Yuanshan, Zhuangwei

• Yilan Memorial Hall of Founding (宜蘭設治紀念館, Yilan City): about 6–8 min, 1.1–1.6 km — a Japanese-era wooden residence and garden in town.
• Wanglong Pond (望龍埤, Yuanshan): about 17–20 min, 7.4–9.9 km — a pond at the foot of the hills with a lakeside path.
• Zhuangwei Sand Dune Visitor Park (壯圍沙丘旅遊服務園區, Zhuangwei): about 19–20 min, 8.4–8.7 km — coastal dunes and visitor facilities.

From Jiaoxi Station: the hot-spring town and the hills behind it

• Jiaoxi Hot Spring Park (礁溪溫泉公園): about a 13–15 min walk, 850 m–1 km — right in the hot-spring district, no car needed.
• Wufengqi Waterfall (五峰旗瀑布, Wufengqi Scenic Area): about 10 min, 3.5 km — a multi-tiered waterfall in the hills above Jiaoxi.
• Linmei Shipan Trail (林美石磐步道): about 17–19 min, 7.2–7.8 km — a stream-side forest trail.
• Longtan Lake Scenic Area (龍潭湖風景區): about 19–21 min, 7.9–10.6 km — a lake with a waterside path.

For hot springs, food and more around Jiaoxi, see our Jiaoxi car rental guide.

The hot-spring district starts right next to Jiaoxi Station — the natural pickup point for a soak-and-drive trip (Unsplash, location tagged Jiaoxi, Yilan)

From Luodong Station: Luodong, Dongshan, Wujie, Su'ao

• Dongshan River Water Park (冬山河親水公園): about 10–15 min, 4.5–5.6 km — big riverside lawns and water play.
• National Center for Traditional Arts – Yilan (國立傳統藝術中心): about 12–15 min, 6.1–7.2 km — red-brick old street and traditional crafts.
• Meihua Lake Scenic Area (梅花湖): about 15–20 min, 7.8–8 km — lakeside walking and cycling paths.
• Su'ao Cold Spring Park (蘇澳冷泉公園): about 20–30 min, 14–16 km — a naturally carbonated cold spring; faster via Freeway 5.

How to walk from Luodong's back exit to the branch, where to park for Luodong Night Market and what to know before driving up Taipingshan are all in our Luodong Station car rental guide.

Source: Google Maps driving routes from each pickup point's official address, checked on 25 September 2026. Routes via Freeway 5 incur ETC tolls.

If most of your plans are south of Luodong, pick up at the Luodong branch (Unsplash, location tagged Luodong, Yilan)

How pricing works: rental + mileage fee + fuel card

Pricing is the same at all three Yilan stations and has just two parts: the rental fee and the mileage fee.

• Rental fee: varies by car and by date (weekdays, weekends and holidays differ); live quotes for Yilan, Jiaoxi and Luodong are on the booking page.
• Mileage fee: you pay for the kilometres you drive, and there is no cap on distance — Toucheng to Su'ao and back is no problem.
• Fuel card: each car carries its own fuel card. Use it whenever you fill up and the fuel costs you nothing extra, because it's already part of the mileage fee; there's also no need to stop for fuel before you hand the car back.
• Paid at the pump yourself? Hold on to the receipt — the full amount can be deducted from your mileage fee.
• Tolls: freeway ETC tolls are settled separately under the website's terms.

To understand the mileage fee in detail, read the mileage fee page and our mileage charges explainer; for rough prices by car type and when to book, see How much does car rental cost in Taiwan.

Picking a car: two to four people sticking mostly to the plain will be fine in a 5-seat economy car such as a Vios or Yaris, which is also easy to park; five or more people, or lots of big bags, call for a 7–9 seater. Browse the 5-seater and 7–9 seater fleet pages, but what each Yilan station actually has on your dates is shown on the booking page.

One-way rentals: between the three stations, or Yilan to Taipei

GoodCars supports one-way rentals (pick up and return at different locations). Two common uses:

• Between the Yilan stations: for example, pick up in Jiaoxi, work your way south, then drop the car in Luodong and take the train home — no need to backtrack.
• Pick up in Yilan, return in Taipei (or the other way round): take the train out to skip the tunnel traffic, then drive straight back to Taipei at the end of the trip.

Choose different pickup and return locations on the booking page to see whether it's available and what it costs — any one-way charge is shown there. See our one-way rental guide with 10 routes.

FAQ

Q1. What documents do I need to rent a car in Yilan?

Foreign visitors: bring your passport and your home-country driving licence; travellers from most countries also need an International Driving Permit (IDP). Japanese visitors are covered by the Taiwan–Japan licence reciprocity arrangement and use a Japanese licence with an official Chinese translation instead of an IDP. A credit card in the booker's name is required too. Taiwan residents: national ID, a valid licence and a credit card. You can upload your documents for review as soon as the booking is confirmed, so there's nothing to check at the parking lot.

Q2. My train arrives late at night or very early. Can I still pick up a car?

Yes. Yilan Station and Jiaoxi Station are self-service parking-lot locations with bookable pickup/return times of 00:00–23:55; the Luodong branch can be booked online for pickup and return between 09:00 and 21:00 (at least 2 hours ahead); it lists self-service outside business hours (21:00–09:00), but if you need a night-time pickup or return, call first to confirm (+886 3-956-0505). For a late-night or early-morning arrival, Yilan or Jiaoxi Station is the easiest choice. Whichever you choose, book before you travel, upload your documents, pay and sign the e-contract in advance, then collect the car following your booking confirmation.

Q3. Where is the parking lot for Yilan Station pickups?

It's whatever your booking confirmation says. GoodCars' official instructions are that staff drive the car to a designated parking lot and you walk there to collect it; on return you leave the key in the car and staff lock it remotely. If you can't find the car, call +886 3-956-0505.

Q4. Yilan, Jiaoxi or Luodong — which should I choose?

Northern plans (Jiaoxi hot springs, Toucheng coast) → Jiaoxi Station; based in Yilan City or driving both north and south → Yilan Station; southern plans (Luodong, Dongshan, Sanxing, Su'ao, Taipingshan) → Luodong. If you'd like a staff handover, choose Luodong between 09:00 and 21:00.

Q5. We're a big group — can we get a 7–9 seater in Yilan?

GoodCars' fleet does include 7–9 seaters (models on the 7–9 seater page), but the three Yilan stations each have their own mix of cars, so which station has a large vehicle on your dates is whatever the booking page shows. Big cars are the first to go on holidays and in summer — book as soon as your group size is fixed.

Q6. Should I stop at a gas station before returning the car?

No need. Fuel is already built into the mileage fee — if you need fuel on the road, pay with the car's fuel card — and you don't have to top up before the return. Just park the car back at the designated lot or branch on time.

Q7. Can I rent a scooter in Yilan?

Scooter numbers at the Yilan stations are very limited and not always available; whether one is available, and which models, is whatever the booking page shows at the time. See our scooter rental guide for what to know.