Crossing China with your own car, rv, or motorcycle

Some overlanders want to travel to China with their own vehicle. Here are the important things you need to know for crossing china with own vehicle.

China crossing by car or motorcycle

Many overlanders wish to cross china in their own vehicle. The vehicle can be a car, RV, or motorcycle. It is possible to cross china with own car, but you need help from a Chinese agency.

China crossing with your own vehicle – planning the trip

Before the journey begins, it must first be planned well. Above all, this includes defining the travel route. Once the route has been approved, it is important to stick to it. Approval for the passage is required from the various provincial authorities, sometimes even from military authorities. Smaller deviations from the travel route are possible, but in principle the defined route is binding. Of course, changing itinerary is allowed in most cases, please contact your travel consultant

The duration of stay in a place or in which municipality an overnight stay takes place is not subject to the mandatory regulations.

When planning the route for your China crossing, the border crossings and the date of the passage must also be taken into account. So the guide will be waiting for you on the border that day. And the border must be open on the day of entry. Holidays and time differences must be taken into account.

At some borders, the opening times for tourists are limited. It is also recommended to avoid weekends for the day of entry, because there may be longer waiting times for the formalities to be processed.

China crossing with own car – local travel guide

A local travel guide is usually required for crossing China with won car. So there must be a seat for the local guide in the car. If the traveler is traveling by motorcycle, an escort vehicle is required.
The travel guide not only shows the tourist the sights of China, but also helps with the necessary organizational activities while crossing China with own car. In some provinces, accompanying by a local guide is even mandatory, such as in Tibet and Xinjiang. The travel Guide also carries all the necessary approval documents for the checking piont during your China crossing.

Of course, the travel guide’s language skills must also be clarified in advance, i.e. whether he must speak German or English is sufficient. In Tibet and Xinjiang there are only a few tour guides who speak German. Generally speaking, English-speaking tour guides are cheaper than tour guides who speak other languages

Crossing China with own vehicle – Chinese temporary driver’s license and temporary number plate

After your own car is imported to China, Chinese number plates and a temporary Chinese driver’s license are required. It is recommended with the help of a tour agency. To these information and photos of the vehicle, copies of the passport, information about accompanying passengers, the driver’s license and the vehicle license are forwarded.

Additional effort and additional costs should always be expected in your China crossing. In addition, long-term planning of the car trip is necessary, because the travelers should prepare at least 1 month before entering the country with a China visa and necessary documents.

If your travel plans include Tibet or Xinjiang, you should offer the agency necessary documents earlier.

China crossing with own car – Possible countries of entry

There are a few countries from which you can enter China. These primarily include Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Vietnam and Laos. Tibet can also be reached via Nepal. The trip across Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan can be completed in four to five days. The other routes require 15-40 days, which of course leads to higher costs.

China crossing with own car – The deposit for the vehicle

If you want to temporarily import your vehicle into China, you need to pay a customs deposit for your vehicle. After the vehicle leaves China, China Customs will refund this fee to you. The amount of the deposit depends on the value of the vehicle and is determined by customs. Some travel agencies will pay this fee for tourists, you can negotiate with you travel agency.

With your own vehicle to China – entry to Tibet

If your China crossing includes Tibet, additional permits for Tibet are required. You should aplly china visa in your home country or on the way, and you travel agency apply Tibet permit in china for you.

When traveling by motorhome through Tibet or Xinjiang, remember that there are some restrictions when traveling through special regions.

Crossing China with own car – What to do in the event of possible delays?
If there are delays in the intended date of arrival when you arrive in China, it is advisable to contact the Chinese tour operator promptly. Otherwise there is a risk that the travel guide will wait in vain at the border, which in turn causes unnecessary costs.

If there is a delay during your stay in China that affects the date of leaving china, it must be checked whether the delay coincides with the validity of the visa. If necessary, you can apply for an extension of the visa. You can get support from the travel guide and tour operator. Basically, it is important to integrate time buffers in the travel plan.

Camping in the wild when crossing china

If you occasionally want to spend the night outdoors while you cross China with own car, such as in a tent instead of in a hotel, the tour operator should be informed. He can select the travel guide according to these criteria and equip him with the necessary equipment. This also applies to the choice of meals during a longer trip.