Drive from India to China – Road Trip to China by Car from India

Is it possible to drive from India to China?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, some of them even continue to europe. This article tell you how to travel to China by car or motorcycle from India.

Road trip from india to china

India and China are bordered. The total length of the China-India border exceeds 2,000 kilometers, but there are territorial disputes between the two countries at the border. Therefore, as a tourist, you cannot enter China directly from India by land. There are usually two routes from India to China: one is from India to Nepal and from Nepal to China’s Tibet. The second is from India to Pakistan, and then from Pakistan to China. But Pakistan does not issue tourist visas to Indian citizens, so if you have an Indian passport, then India-Nepal-China (entering from Tibet) is the choice for most Indian tourists.

How to drive into china with a india-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, ContrôleTechnique, 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 India

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 are places for applying china visa.

• Chinese Visa Application Service Center in New Delhi
• Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Mumbai
• Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Kolkat
• Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Kathmandu

Chinese Group Visa from Nepal to Tibet            

According to Chinese immigration regulations, all international tourists entering Tibet from Nepal should apply for a Chinese group visa and a Tibetan travel permit in Kathmandu.

The group visa is a one-time entry tourist visa issued by the Embassy of the People`s Republic of in China in Kathmandu, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. This is a special group visa, which only permits passengers to enter Tibet through Nepal. If you have obtained a Chinese visa in your own country or region, the old visa will be invalid at the time of issuing a Chinese group visa. Therefore, if you plan to enter Tibet from Nepal, you need to apply for a visa in Kathmandu.            

In addition, Chinese group visas from Nepal to Tibet are usually valid for no more than 30 days. You can also enter mainland China after traveling in Tibet. This is a sheet of paper listing the names of all people in your group, including their nationalities, date of birth and passport number.

How to get China Group Visas in Kathmandu            

To apply for a group visa in Nepal, you need to arrive in Kathmandu a few days (at least three days) before the start of the trip, because you need to provide the original passport. Here are the detailed procedures for obtaining a Chinese visa in Nepal for your Tibetan trip to Kathmandu.

Step 1: After confirming your travel details, you need to send us a scan of your passport by e-mail.

Step 2: Then our travel consultant will help you receive the invitation letter and send it to you by e-mail. You need to print it out and use it to get a group visa.            

Step 3: You need to arrive at Kathmandu at least three days in advance, and submit a copy of your invitation letter and the original passport, your photo (a recent photo with a white background) and the visa fee to the visa application agency in Kathmandu. Then the staff of the Visa Intermediary Office will help you apply for a Chinese group visa at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu.