Drive from Austria to China, Road Trip to China by Car from Austria

You may want to drive from Austria to China for a wide variety of different reasons. After all, China has a fascinating history, an interesting culture and plenty of natural and man-made attractions. On top of that, the journey itself spans thousands of miles, providing a real challenge and allowing you to see new parts of the world. With that being said, a road trip to China also provides a number of problems, because the country has very strict laws governing who can drive on its roads and which vehicles can cross its borders. In this article, you will find out more about how to prepare, the best route to take, and why you should work with an experienced tour operator.

It is important to understand that, unlike many other countries, you cannot simply turn up at the Chinese border in your own vehicle and drive in. Instead, you need to go through an extensive process, and requirements include obtaining a visa, acquiring a temporary or full Chinese driving licence and registering your car or bike. Assuming you hold a recognised international driving licence, you should be able to drive from Austria to China with a temporary Chinese licence. You will need to provide your original licence and an official translation. If you intend to stay in the country for a long time, a full licence may be needed and this will require you to pass a theory test.

Bringing your own vehicle into the country also requires you to register it in advance. This can be a complicated process and you will need to have a detailed itinerary. For these reasons, it is recommended that you work with a Chinese travel agency or tour operator, with prior experience of arranging road trips to China from Austria.

Feasibility of driving from Austria to china with own car

Is it possible to travel from Austria to China or South East Asia by Motor vehicles? Yes, this is possible. Every year there are people who have done it. They drive normal cars, motor homes, old timer, trucks, buses, vintage cars, pure electric vehicles, and even ride motorcycles to China, India or Southeast Asia.

How to drive into china with Austria-registered vehicle?

Because China is not a party to the United Nations International Treaty on Land Transport, international driving licenses are not recognized in China. using ATA Carnet or Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD) to temporary import the used vehicles of tourists into China is not currently feasible. Tourists’ vehicles need to be registered after entering China and they must obtain temporary Chinese number plates to drive on the road. Therefore, tourists driving in China and driving on Chinese roads usually need to complete the following procedures

Therefore, foreign tourists who want to drive own car/motorbike into China and drive on Chinese roads usually need to complete the following procedures:

• Passport (valid for six months)
• Chinese tourist visa (It is recommended to apply in in your own country, of course, it is also possible in a third country, but if possible, apply in your own country)
• Temporary import of vehicles into China (via a China Travel Agency)
• Apply for a temporary driver’s license in China (via a China Travel Agency)
• Apply for Chinese temporary number plate (via a China Travel Agency)
• Need local guide (via a China Travel Agency)

Chinese travel agencies usually ask for following Materials and documents

• Passport, valid for at least 6 months
• Chinese tourist visa
• Vehicle registration certificate
• Vehicle inspection report (TÜV, MOT, DEKRA, Contrôle Technique, ITV etc.)
• National driving license (no international driving license required in China)
• Vehicle photos
• ID photo of the driver (people who want to get Chinese temporary driver license)

Apply china visa in Austria

You can apply for a Chinese tourist visa(L Visa) in your home country, or you can apply for Chinese tourist visa in a third country on the road. If conditions permit, we always recommend that you apply in your home country. To apply for a Chinese visa in your home country, you need to ensure that your visa is still valid when you reach the Chinese border. Following is place for applying china visa in austria.

Office Address: Schoenbrunner Strasse 108, Top 1.101, 1050 Wien,Oesterreich
Business hours: Monday-Friday (except Chinese and Austria public holidays)
Application Submission: 9:00AM-3:00PM
Payment and Passport Collection: 9:00AM-4:00PM, The Center is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Phone: +43 1 544 3601
Tax: +43 1 544 3591 23
E-mail: viennacenter@visaforchina.org

Road Trip from Austria to China

The precise route you take may depend on where in Austria you start from and where you actually want to cross the Chinese border. However, starting from the capital of Vienna, the most efficient route will likely see you travel through the Czech Republic, Poland and Belarus, before reaching Russia. From there, you will pass through Kazakhstan and potentially either Mongolia or Kyrgyzstan, before reaching China. It is important to check requirements for each individual country you pass through along the way. Most of the European section of this journey will be relatively hassle-free, due to the absence of strict border checks or separate visas. Kazakhstan will also usually allow entry without a visa, as long as you will not be in the country for longer than 30 days. Yet, you will need a visa to enter Russia and the process for this will involve providing a fingerprint scan.

Some people do come up with alternative routes and your decision may depend on whether you have interest in seeing any of the other neighbouring countries, or whether you are simply planning to get from A to B as quickly as possible. If you do deviate from the basic route to explore other countries, you will need to check local laws and regulations.

The following are the most commonly used routes for Austria-China:

Route 1(Entering China from Kyrgyzstan): Austria-Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Russia – Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan) – Kyrgyzstan – Turkut Port or Irkstan Port – China

Route 2(Entering China from Mogolia): Austria-Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Russia – Mongolia – Bulgan Gol or Zamiin Uud – China

Route 3(Entering China from Kyrgyzstan): Austria-Croatia-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China

Route 4(Entering China from Pakistan): Austria-Croatia-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran – (Many governments will advise their citizens to stay away from the Iran-Pakistan border, please refer to the latest Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel security tips) – Pakistan – China

Road Trip from Austria to India

Route 1: Austria-Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Russia – Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan) – Kyrgyzstan – Turkut Port or Irkstan Port – China (Xinjiang)-Pakistan-India

Route 2: Austria-Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Russia – Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan) – Kyrgyzstan – Turkut Port or Irkstan Port – China (Xinjiang, Tibet) – Nepal – India

Route 3: Austria-Croatia-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran – (Many governments will advise their citizens to stay away from the Iran-Pakistan border, please refer to the latest Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel security tips) – Pakistan-India

Road Trip from Austria to South East Asia

Route 1: Austria-Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Russia – Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan) – Kyrgyzstan – Turkut Port or Irkstan Port – China-Laos-Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.

Route 2: Austria-Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Russia – Mongolia – Bulgan Gol or Zamiin Uud – China – Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.

Route 3: Austria-Croatia-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China-Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.

Route 4: Austria-Croatia-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran – (Many governments will advise their citizens to stay away from the Iran-Pakistan border, please check the latest travel security tips from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) – Pakistan-India-Myanmar-Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.