Tainan HSR Station Car Rental Guide: Pickup at the Station Parking Lot, Self-Service Return & Drive Times

Tainan HSR Station Car Rental Guide: Pickup at the Station Parking Lot, Self-Service Return & Drive Times

Taking the High Speed Rail (HSR) down to Tainan? Here is the first thing to know: THSR Tainan Station is in Guiren District (歸仁區), on the southeastern edge of the city — it is not the downtown Tainan Railway Station, and the old town, Chihkan Tower and Anping are still a drive away. The easiest way to make the most of your time is to pick up a car right at the HSR station. GoodCars Tainan HSR Station works as a self-service pickup and return at the station parking lot: our staff park your car in a designated lot beforehand, and you simply walk over from the station and drive off. This guide explains the two "Tainan stations," the pickup and return steps, drive times from the HSR station to Tainan's top sights, where to park in the old town, and how our pricing works.

THSR Tainan Station is in Guiren District — collect your car at the station parking lot and set off straight away (illustrative image)

First things first: THSR Tainan Station is not Tainan Railway Station

Many first-time visitors mix these up. They are two different stations on two different rail systems, and they are not next to each other:

What is the Shalun Line? THSR Tainan Station is connected to TRA Shalun Station (沙崙站). From the HSR station's 2nd-floor concourse you can walk straight to Shalun Station and board a TRA local train on the Shalun Line, which runs via Chang Jung Christian University and Zhongzhou stations onto the main line and reaches Tainan Railway Station in about 20–25 minutes. Check the TRA website for the timetable. There is also the THSR shuttle bus H31 towards Tainan City Hall. Either way, once you are downtown you will still need to change again to reach Anping, the coast or the mountains — which is why many travellers simply rent a car at the HSR station.

The HSR station sits in the countryside outside central Tainan — every destination is a drive from here (illustrative image)

Why rent a car when you arrive by HSR?

• The sights are spread out: the old town and Anping lie to the west, the Cigu and Beimen salt fields along the northwest coast, and Wushantou and Guanziling in the hills to the north — often tens of kilometres apart.
• The HSR station is outside the city: even getting downtown means one transfer, and buses to the coast or the mountains are infrequent with more changes.
• Easy with luggage and family: walk out of the station to the parking lot and load up — no dragging suitcases between trains and buses.
• Well connected by road: from the HSR station, Provincial Highway 86 (an expressway) takes you towards downtown and Anping, and national freeways lead north.

For a full list of Tainan attractions and day routes, see Tainan Self-Drive Tour: 5 Routes to Explore Tainan, and for an overview of renting in the city, Tainan Car Rental. This guide focuses on one thing: starting your trip from THSR Tainan Station.

GoodCars Tainan HSR Station: location details and how pickup/return works

Pickup in 5 steps

• Step 1 — Book online: on the booking page, choose "Tainan High Speed Rail Station," your times and your car. Set the pickup time a little after your train arrives, to allow for leaving the station and walking to the lot.
• Step 2 — Complete the paperwork in advance: upload your documents, pay and sign the e-contract as instructed by the system and your confirmation messages.
• Step 3 — Check your confirmation message: our staff will park the car in a designated lot beforehand; the lot and car details in your booking confirmation are what you follow.
• Step 4 — Walk to the lot and collect the car: walk around the car taking photos before you drive, and photograph the odometer — your mileage fee is based on the difference between pickup and return readings.
• Step 5 — Hit the road: set your navigation, confirm your return time, and go.

Return in 3 steps

• Drive back to the designated lot at THSR Tainan Station: set your GPS to "THSR Tainan Station" and park where your confirmation message tells you.
• Take photos and leave the key in the car: photograph the car and the odometer, then leave the key inside the car.
• Close the doors and go: our staff lock the car remotely through the system — no need to find anyone to hand the key to.

New to GoodCars self-service? Document upload, e-contracts, photo checks and what to do if something goes wrong are all covered in our Self-Service Car Pickup & Return Guide.

Drive times from THSR Tainan Station

The times below come from Google Maps driving routes starting at "THSR Tainan Station" (checked on Friday, 25 September 2026). Actual times depend on traffic; allow extra on public holidays and at rush hour.

Old town: Chihkan Tower, Tainan Art Museum, Shennong Street

Central Tainan is around half an hour from the HSR station. Chihkan Tower (赤崁樓), Tainan Art Museum and Shennong Street (神農街) are close together, so the best plan is to park once and explore on foot. For details on each sight and what to eat, see our 5 Tainan self-drive routes.

Anping: Anping Old Fort and Anping Old Street

Anping lies further west of downtown, about 35–50 minutes from the HSR station. The fort and the old street work well in the afternoon, followed by dinner nearby. It gets busy at weekends — see the parking tips below.

Closest to the station: Chimei Museum

Chimei Museum in Rende District is the closest major attraction to THSR Tainan Station, about 10–20 minutes by car. It is a relaxed first drive while you get used to the car, and a good choice on a rainy day.

The coast: Cigu Salt Mountain and Jingzaijiao Salt Fields

The salt fields along the Cigu and Beimen coast are one of Tainan's classic sunset spots. Allow about 45–60 minutes from the HSR station via the freeway, head out in the afternoon, and wait for sunset at the Jingzaijiao tile-paved salt fields. Petrol stations are more spread out along the coast, so if the gauge runs low, fill up at the nearest one with your fuel card — there is nothing to pay yourself.

Sunset over the tile-paved salt pans on the Tainan coast, about 45–60 minutes' drive from the HSR station (illustrative image)

The hills: Wushantou Reservoir and Guanziling Hot Springs

Wushantou Reservoir (Guantian District) and Guanziling Hot Springs (Baihe District) are about 40–55 and 50–65 minutes north of the HSR station via the freeway, and fit nicely into one day. The road up to the Guanziling hot-spring area has some bends, so take the downhill sections slowly and use a lower gear.

Sample plans

• 1 day: pick up at the HSR station → Chimei Museum → old town (Chihkan Tower, Shennong Street) → Anping → return at the HSR station.
• 2 days: day 1 as above; day 2 head north to Guanziling and Wushantou, catch the sunset at Jingzaijiao, then drive back to the HSR station to return the car.
• Continuing to Kaohsiung or Taichung? Consider a one-way rental — see One-Way Car Rental in Taiwan: 10 Best Routes.

Narrow lanes in the old town: how to park without stress

• Park on the edge and walk: the lanes around Chihkan Tower, Shennong Street and Guohua Street are narrow, with many one-way streets and few kerbside spaces. Use a paid or public car park nearby and walk between the sights — much faster than circling the alleys.
• Check before you go: the Tainan City Government's parking information website (臺南市停車管理資訊網) lists public car parks, and searching "parking" in Google Maps shows what's nearby.
• Watch for scooters: central Tainan has lots of scooters — check behind you and to your right before turning or opening a door.

Temples and historic sites are packed closely together in West Central District — park on the edge and walk (illustrative image)

How pricing works (no fixed prices here — check the website)

GoodCars charges a rental rate plus a mileage fee. Your total depends on:

• Rental rate: based on car type, rental length, weekday/weekend and booking time — the booking page shows the live quote.
• Mileage fee: charged on the actual kilometres driven, with no cap on distance; fuel costs are already included in the mileage fee.
• Fuel card: every car comes with a GoodCars fuel card — pay at the pump with the card, and you never pay for fuel yourself. There is also no need to top up before returning the car.
• Forgot to use the card? If you paid for fuel yourself, keep the receipt — it is credited in full against your mileage fee.

Per-kilometre rates vary by car type; see the latest on our mileage fee page. For a rough trip budget, read How Much Does Car Rental Cost in Taiwan?

Which car should you choose?

• 1–3 people, light luggage: a 5-seat economy car (Toyota Vios / Yaris class) — easy to park in the old town.
• 4–5 people or lots of luggage: a 5-seat compact SUV (e.g. Toyota Yaris Cross) for a roomier boot.
• 6–9 people or multi-generation trips: a 7–9 seater (models on our website include the Toyota Wish, Luxgen M7, Volkswagen Touran and Hyundai Staria / Starex).

These are examples from the GoodCars fleet; the cars you can book at Tainan HSR Station on your dates are shown on the booking page. For the old town, the smaller the car, the easier the parking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What's the difference between THSR Tainan Station and Tainan Railway Station? Where do I pick up?

THSR Tainan Station is in Guiren District (No. 100, Guiren Blvd.), while Tainan Railway Station is downtown. They are about 25–40 minutes apart by car, or linked by the TRA Shalun Line from the HSR station's 2F concourse. GoodCars' pickup location in Tainan is Tainan HSR Station, at the station parking lot.

Q2. What documents do I need?

Most international visitors need their home driver's licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) and passport. Japanese visitors, under the Taiwan–Japan reciprocal arrangement, may use a Chinese translation of their Japanese licence instead of an IDP. Taiwanese residents need their driver's licence, ID and the booker's credit card. Get your IDP in your home country before you travel.

Q3. Can I rent a truck or rent by the hour at Tainan HSR Station?

No. Tainan HSR Station offers neither truck rental nor hourly rental — please plan your booking as a regular car rental.

Q4. My train arrives late in the evening. Can I still pick up the car?

Pickup and return can be booked for any time between 00:00 and 23:55, and this location is self-service at the station parking lot. Set your pickup time after your train arrives and follow your confirmation message to the designated lot. Check the last train times on the Taiwan High Speed Rail website. If you can't find the car, call +886 7-801-1122.

Q5. Can I pick up in Tainan and return in Kaohsiung or Taichung?

You can choose different pickup and return locations when booking (a one-way rental). Which return locations are available, and the cost, are shown on the booking page. For route ideas see One-Way Car Rental in Taiwan; heading south, see Zuoying HSR Station, Kaohsiung; heading north, see the Taichung HSR Car Rental Guide.

Q6. Do you have 7–9 seaters?

Yes. GoodCars' 7–9 seat models include the Toyota Wish, Luxgen M7, Volkswagen Touran and Hyundai Staria / Starex. Availability at Tainan HSR Station on your dates is shown on the booking page — book early for long weekends.

Q7. Do I need to stop for fuel before I bring the car back?

No. The car comes with a GoodCars fuel card and fuel is already covered by the mileage fee, so there's no need to stop for fuel before you return. If you paid for fuel yourself along the way, keep the receipt — it is credited in full against your mileage fee.

In short: arrive by HSR, drive straight out of the station

THSR Tainan Station is in Guiren, not downtown, and Tainan's sights are spread across the city, the coast and the hills — so rather than chaining trains and buses, pick up a car at the station. GoodCars Tainan HSR Station is self-service at the station parking lot: walk to the car at pickup, leave the key inside at return. Pricing is rental rate + mileage fee, with a fuel card included so you never pay for fuel yourself. Use the drive-time table above to plan your days, and spend the rest of your time enjoying Tainan.