Chiayi Car Rental Guide: Pick Up at THSR Chiayi Station (Taibao), Getting There from Chiayi TRA Station & Drive Times

Chiayi Car Rental Guide: Pick Up at THSR Chiayi Station (Taibao), Getting There from Chiayi TRA Station & Drive Times

If you rent a car in Chiayi with GoodCars, there is exactly one pickup point: Chiayi HSR Station (嘉義高鐵站). THSR Chiayi Station is in Taibao City, Chiayi County (嘉義縣太保市) — not in downtown Chiayi, and not at the TRA Chiayi Station (台鐵嘉義車站), which is roughly half an hour away by car. The good news is the location: the HSR station sits between the National Palace Museum Southern Branch, downtown Chiayi, the Dongshi and Budai coast, and the Alishan Highway, so every direction is an easy drive. This guide covers the parking-lot self-service pickup, how to reach the HSR station if you arrive by TRA train, drive times from Taibao, how the fees work, and what this station does not offer.

The National Palace Museum Southern Branch is in Taibao, about 10–15 minutes' drive from THSR Chiayi Station (Unsplash; location tagged as the museum)

THSR Chiayi Station vs. TRA Chiayi Station: GoodCars Is Only at the HSR Station

Chiayi has two major stations and visitors mix them up all the time. They belong to different rail systems, sit in different municipalities, and are not connected by rail:

Coming from TRA Chiayi Station

• BRT express bus 7211 / 7212 (Chiayi Bus Co., 嘉義客運): board at the Chiayi City Bus Transfer Center (嘉義市轉運中心) on the rear side of TRA Chiayi Station — about a 4-minute, 290 m walk from the front exit. The BRT runs on dedicated bus lanes and reaches THSR Chiayi Station in about 30 minutes, depending on the departure and traffic. THSR notes that free rides are only for passengers holding a same-day HSR ticket for that station, so if you come from the TRA station to collect a car you normally pay the fare. Check timetables and fares with Chiayi Bus before you go.
• Taxi: there is a taxi stand at THSR Chiayi Station; a ride from the TRA station takes about as long as driving, 25–35 minutes.

THSR Chiayi Station has no rail link to the TRA station, so train travellers transfer by BRT or taxi (illustrative photo, not THSR Chiayi Station)

GoodCars Chiayi HSR Station: Station Info & How Pickup Works

Pickup in 5 steps

1. Book online: on the booking page, choose Chiayi HSR Station, your times and a car. Set the pickup time a little after your train arrives so you have time to exit and walk to the lot.
2. Finish the paperwork before you travel: document upload, payment and the e-contract are all done online, following the system and your confirmation message.
3. Read your confirmation: staff park the car in a designated parking lot in advance. Which lot and which car are given in your booking confirmation — follow that.
4. Walk to the car and photograph it: take photos all around the car and one of the odometer. The fuel charge is based on the difference between the pickup and return readings.
5. Check the fuel card is in the car, set your navigation, and go.

Return in 3 steps

• Drive back to THSR Chiayi Station and park where your confirmation tells you.
• Photograph the car and the odometer, then leave the key inside the car.
• Close the doors and go: staff lock the car remotely through the system, so you don't need to hand the key to anyone.

New to GoodCars' self-service locations? The self-service pickup & return guide walks through documents, the e-contract and photo checks step by step.

Drive Times from THSR Chiayi Station

Times below are Google Maps driving routes from "高鐵嘉義站", checked on Friday evening, 25 September 2026. Traffic was light at that hour, so the ranges have been widened for daytime; weekends, holidays and mountain traffic controls can add more. Chinese names are included so you can paste them into your navigation app.

National Palace Museum Southern Branch

The museum is in Taibao itself, only 11–12 minutes from the station on Google Maps — an easy first drive while you get used to the car. Check opening days and exhibitions on the museum's official website.

Downtown Chiayi

Downtown is 25–35 minutes away, mostly via Gaotie Boulevard (高鐵大道). The TRA station, Wenhua Road and Hinoki Village are close together, so park once in a paid car park and explore on foot. Wenhua Road Night Market gets busy in the evening; don't try to find street parking right on the market street.

The coast: Dongshi and Budai

Head west on Provincial Highway 82 for about half an hour to Dongshi Fisherman's Wharf; the High-Heel Wedding Church is further south in Budai, so the two fit into one afternoon. The coast is lined with oyster racks and fish farms, and sunsets over the Taiwan Strait are the highlight — you can still be back in Taibao for your return train.

Oyster floats on Chiayi's west coast, about half an hour from THSR Chiayi Station (Unsplash; location tagged as Chiayi)

Across the county line: Beigang and Guanziling

Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin is 20–30 minutes north. Guanziling Hot Springs in Baihe, Tainan, is 35–45 minutes south; Google's fastest route uses National Freeway 3, and freeway tolls (ETC) are charged separately.

Driving Up to Alishan: 5 Things to Know

Alishan is the most popular reason to rent a car in Chiayi. For sights, sunrise, the forest railway and 1–3 day itineraries, see our Alishan self-drive guide. Here is what matters when you start from THSR Chiayi Station:

• Route and time: Google Maps routes you along Provincial Highway 18, the Alishan Highway (阿里山公路). Fenqihu is from about 1 hr 20 min, the Forest Recreation Area from about 2 hrs. The second half is continuous mountain bends and slower in daytime traffic, so set off in the morning.
• Which car: a 5-seater is fine for 2–4 people; choose a 7–9 seater for larger groups with luggage (subject to the booking page). On winding roads, a calm driving pace matters more than car size.
• Use low gear downhill: don't ride the brakes on long descents — shift to a low gear for engine braking. Taiwan drives on the right: don't overtake on bends, and keep right when passing oncoming cars.
• Fuel with the fuel card: top up with the car's fuel card on the plains before you climb, as gas stations are not everywhere in the mountains. The cost is already covered by the fuel charge.
• Flower season and weather: during the Alishan flower season (around March–April), private cars have often been restricted on weekend mornings on the upper section of Highway 18, with shuttle transfers instead. Dates change every year — check announcements from the Highway Bureau and the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Chiayi Branch. Afternoon fog is common; use headlights and slow down.

The Fanlu hills on the way towards Alishan, where morning cloud seas are common (Unsplash; location tagged as Fanlu Township, Chiayi County)

How Rental Fees Work (Pricing Rules Only — See the Website for Rates)

• Rental fee: depends on the model, rental length, weekday or weekend, and time slot; the booking page shows the live price.
• Fuel charge: (return odometer − pickup odometer) × the per-km rate for your car class. There is no distance cap, and fuel costs are included in this fee.
• Fuel card: pay at the pump with the fuel card in the car — you never pay for fuel yourself, and you don't need to visit a gas station before returning.
• Forgot to use the fuel card? Keep a valid receipt dated within your rental period; it can be deducted from that rental's fuel charge (up to the full amount).
• Freeway tolls (ETC): charged separately and settled when you return the car.

Current per-km rates are listed on the fuel charge page. Distances vary a lot around Chiayi: a round trip from the HSR station to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area is about 165–170 km, while the NPM Southern Branch and back is just over 10 km — worth factoring into your budget.

Which Car Should I Choose?

• 1–3 people, city and coast: a 5-seat compact such as the Toyota Vios, Yaris or Mitsubishi Colt Plus.
• 4–5 people or lots of luggage: a 5-seat crossover such as the Toyota Yaris Cross.
• 6–9 people: a 7–9 seater such as the Toyota Wish, Luxgen M7, Volkswagen Touran, Hyundai Staria or Hyundai Starex.

These are examples from GoodCars' fleet list; what you can book at Chiayi HSR Station on your dates is shown on the booking page.

FAQ

Q1. Where do I pick up a rental car in Chiayi? Can I pick up at TRA Chiayi Station?

GoodCars' only Chiayi pickup point is Chiayi HSR Station in Taibao, with self-service pickup in the station parking lot. There is no GoodCars pickup at TRA Chiayi Station — take BRT 7211/7212 from the Chiayi City Bus Transfer Center behind the TRA station (about 30 minutes) or a taxi.

Q2. What documents do I need?

Most foreign visitors need their home-country driving licence, an International Driving Permit (IDP) and their passport, plus a credit card. Japanese licence holders can drive with their Japanese licence and an official Chinese translation instead of an IDP. Documents are uploaded online after booking.

Q3. Are trucks or hourly rentals available?

No. The official station information states that Chiayi HSR Station does not offer truck rental or hourly rental, so plan on a standard car rental period.

Q4. Can I rent a scooter here?

No — there is no scooter plan at Chiayi HSR Station. (Note that GoodCars scooters, where offered, are refuelled by the renter; the fuel card applies to cars.)

Q5. Are 7–9 seaters available?

Yes, 7–9 seaters can be booked here (models such as the Toyota Wish, Luxgen M7, Volkswagen Touran, Hyundai Staria/Starex). What is actually available on your dates is shown on the booking page; book early for holidays.

Q6. What should I know before driving to Alishan?

Allow about 2 hours or more on Highway 18, most of it mountain bends: start early, use low gear downhill, top up with the fuel card before the climb, and check traffic-control notices in flower season. Itineraries and sights are in the Alishan self-drive guide.

Q7. Can I pick up in Chiayi and return in Tainan or Taichung?

You can choose different pickup and return locations when booking (one-way rental); which return locations and fees apply is shown on the booking page. See 10 one-way rental routes, plus the Tainan HSR and Taichung HSR station guides.

Q8. My train arrives late at night. Can I still pick up?

Pickup and return can be booked between 00:00 and 23:55 with self-service in the parking lot — just set your pickup time after your train arrives. THSR Chiayi Station itself is open 06:00–23:45; check first and last trains on the THSR website.

Q9. Do I need to stop for fuel before I return the car?

No. The car comes with a fuel card and fuel is covered by the fuel charge. If you paid for fuel yourself, keep the receipt and it will be deducted from your fuel charge.

Start Your Chiayi Trip at the HSR Station

GoodCars has one pickup point in Chiayi, and it is well placed: the NPM Southern Branch in about 10 minutes, downtown and the coast in around half an hour, and the Alishan Highway within easy reach. Arrive by HSR and walk to the car park; arrive by TRA and it is one BRT ride away. You pay rent plus a fuel charge with a fuel card included, and returning is as simple as leaving the key in the car.