Yehliu Shifen Jiufen Taxi Tour Review: Price & Route from Taipei, Taiwan

Yehliu Shifen Jiufen Taxi Tour Review: Price & Route from Taipei, Taiwan

If it’s your first trip to Taiwan, I really recommend not limiting yourself to Taipei city alone. Set aside at least one day fora day trip outside the city.

Eating your way through Taipei and shopping around town is definitely fun, but for me, Taiwan really clicked after seeing the ocean views at Yehliu, the railway tracks and sky lanterns in Shifen, and the glowing red lanterns in Jiufen. Once you add the outskirts to your itinerary, the whole trip feels so much richer.

That said, Yehliu, Shifen, and Jiufen are pretty spread out, so if you want to see several places in one day, transportationis the first thing you need to figure out.

We added Shifen Waterfall to the mix and did the full Yespokji route, and since I firmly believe spending a little more for comfort is worth it, a taxi tour was the way we went!

We booked a taxi tour that left central Taipei at 10 a.m. and got back around 8 p.m. It covered four major sights in one day, but we still had the freedom to explore each stop on our own, which made the whole experience feel easy and satisfying.

1. Yespokji Route Guide

Yehliu, Shifen, Shifen Waterfall, Jiufen, Jinguashi, Houtong

In Taiwan, the Yespokji route refers to Yehliu + Shifen Waterfall + Shifen + Jiufenas a classic day trip from Taipei. You’ll also see names likeYesji, Yesjinji, or Yeshouji depending on which stops are included.

On our trip, we started at Yehliuwhere we walked along the coast and checked out the dramatic rock formations, then headed to Shifen Waterfall,and after that Shifenfor sky lanterns, before ending the day in Jiufen.

After visiting four major spots in one day, I can honestly say the biggest factor is how efficiently you move between them.

We even got a quick rain shower in the middle of the day, and whenever the sun came out it was seriously hot. Being able to hop into an air-conditioned taxi and move around without stress made the day so much easier. Since our driver was experienced, we also picked up useful travel tips along the way.

The tours currently on sale come in several versions depending on how many places you want to visit, ranging from 6 to 11 hours, and the Yespokji route is available as a 9-hour, 4-stop course.

See the full route details (click)

2. Transportation Comparison

Even if you don’t book a taxi for the Yespokji route, a bus touror public transportationcan also work. The original post included a comparison table you could swipe through.

If keeping costs low is your top priority, public transportation or a bus tour makes more sense. On the other hand, a taxi tour costs more, but you get the huge advantage of traveling only with your own group, adjusting your sightseeing time, and enjoying a much more comfortable ride. Honestly, other than the price, it wins on pretty much everything. And it’s not outrageously expensive either.

3. Yehliu Shifen Jiufen Taxi Tour Price

The pricing for the Yespokji route can be a little confusing at first because of how it appears on the booking page, so let me break it down clearly.

For the 4-stop, 9-hour Yespokji course I checked, each taxi can take up to 4 people, and when you book, you have to select 4 passengers no matter what. The listing may show $141 total per carwhich works out to about $35 per person if you fill all four seats.

In other words, if four people share it, it’s about $35 each. Even if only 1 to 3 people ride, you’re still reserving the whole car, so the total price stays the same. We used it as a party of two.

A vancan hold up to 8 people. Just like the taxi, regardless of how many people are actually joining, you need to select the full capacity of 8 when booking.

Since the price is basically split per vehicle, a taxi for two or a van for four will naturally feel pricier. But if you fill the seats close to capacity, the per-person cost of a taxi tour really isn’t bad at all.

For me, it was absolutely worth paying extra to avoid being grouped with random people on a bus tour, and to have the flexibility to adjust the schedule or even tweak the route depending on how we felt that day.

Just keep in mind that the price I checked was current as of September 2026, so it may vary a little depending on your travel date and the route you choose.

^{Check the Yespokji taxi tour price}

4. Taipei Day Trip Taxi Tour Review

My favorite part of booking a taxi tour was being able to travel just with our own group. As an introvert, that alone was a huge plus. It was comfortable, flexible, and honestly just easy from start to finish.

Whenever we arrived at a stop, we agreed on a meeting time with the driver and then explored on our own.

If we finished earlier than expected, we didn’t have to wait around. We could just message the driver and head straight to the next stop, since he was usually waiting nearby.

Our driver was a veteran, so he even suggested switching the order of Shifen and Shifen Waterfall based on the day’s timing and crowd levels.

During the drive, he also pulled over at a hidden ocean-view photo spot, bought us bread and milk tea from a local shop he personally liked, and even recommended a place for dinner. Those little touches made the day feel extra special.

That said, those extras weren’t officially included in the tour. It was more our driver being thoughtful, so I’d assume the experience can vary depending on who you get.

The car was a mid-size Toyota driven by a Taiwanese driver, and we were able to communicate in English. He also used a little Korean and Chinese, so getting around and coordinating everything was easy.

Translation apps are so good these days that it probably won’t be an issue, but if communication really breaks down, the tour information says interpretation support is available through the call center.

5. Who I Recommend It For

If you’re traveling solo or as a pair and saving money is your number one priority, a bus tour is still worth comparing.

But if you’re traveling with family or friends in a group of 3 to 4 or more, I highly recommend the taxi option because once you split the cost, it doesn’t feel that expensive at all.

It’s especially convenient if you’re traveling with a baby, young kids, or older parents. In those cases, a taxi tour is on a completely different level of comfort. If you don’t want your mom in her 60s getting tired and complaining all day, or your child melting down mid-trip, this is the answer.

Infant car seats are also available to rent for freeaccording to the listing, so if you’re traveling with a child, make sure to confirm that when you book.

There’s also an extra coupon for Chinese-language region products right now, so check the link below if that applies to you.

Also, MyRealTrip card discount benefits(click)