A drive from Norway to China is an exciting and challenging adventure. Unfortunately, however, the challenges involved in such a road trip extend to the logistical as well as the physical, with China having strict laws surrounding the use of its roads by foreign visitors, as well as the use of foreign-registered vehicles within the country. With that being said, these logistical obstacles should not deter you, as there are solutions, especially if you work with an experienced tour operator based in the country. In this article, we take a closer look at the steps you will need to take to prepare for such a journey, and help you to plan your basic route from Norway to China.
Driving to China requires more preparation work than many other locations, which is why it is recommended that you work with a team of experts, who have helped to plan such a trip before. The two main challenges revolve around gaining clearance to drive on Chinese roads and gaining clearance to bring your own vehicle into the country. With the former, it is important to understand that China does not recognise foreign driving licences or an international driving permit. Instead, assuming you wish to drive on China’s roads, you will need to obtain a Chinese driving licence. In most cases, a temporary licence can be acquired, but the process can still be complex.
You will also need to gain permission to bring a foreign-registered vehicle into the country. Doing so will require significant paperwork. You will need an up-to-date MOT, a translation of the documentation, photographs of your vehicle from all sides, a detailed itinerary and you will need to obtain temporary Chinese number plates upon arrival. On top of these steps, you will also need a visitor’s visa, a valid passport and insurance that covers travel to China.
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Is it possible to travel from Norway 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.
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:
Chinese travel agencies usually ask for following Materials and documents
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 Norway
Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Oslo
Application Submission: 9AM- 3PM
Passport Collection: 9AM- 4PM
Address: 2nd floor, Sørkedalsveien 10D, 0369 Oslo, Norway
Tel.: +47 22463003
Email: [email protected]
The first stage of your journey involves travelling to Russia and your route will depend on where in Norway you are starting from. The two basic options are to travel through Sweden and Finland and into Russia near St. Petersburg, or travel through Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland and Belarus, before travelling on to Russia and heading for Moscow.
Regardless of the route you opt for, your next step will be to travel through Kazakhstan. Then, the most common options are to either travel through Mongolia or Kyrgyzstan, before reaching China. Some people do opt to enter from Kazakhstan itself, and China also has borders with other countries, but passing through these may complicate things.
You will usually be able to travel through countries like Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany and Poland without separate visas for each nation. However, you will certainly need to apply for visas for countries like Russia and Mongolia. The process itself is usually fairly simple, but it will involve providing biometric data, such as fingerprints.
The following are the most commonly used routes for Norway-China:
Route 1(Entering China from Kyrgyzstan): Norway-Finland-Russia-Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan)-Kyrgyzstan-Turkut Port or Irkstan Port-China
Route 2(Entering China from Mogolia): Norway-Finland-Russia-Mongolia-Bulgan Gol or Zamiin Uud – China
Route 3(Entering China from Kyrgyzstan): Norway-Denmark-Germany-Czech Republic-Hungary-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China
Route 4(Entering China from Pakistan): Norway-Denmark-Germany-Czech Republic-Hungary-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
Route 1: Norway-Finland-Russia-Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan)-Kyrgyzstan – China (Xinjiang) – Pakistan – India
Route 2: Norway-Finland-Russia-Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan)-Kyrgyzstan – China (Xinjiang, Tibet) – Nepal – India
Route 3: Norway-Denmark-Germany-Czech Republic-Hungary-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
Route 1: Norway-Finland-Russia-Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan)-Kyrgyzstan -Turkut Port or Irkstan Port – China – Laos – Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
Route 2: Norway-Finland-Russia-Mongolia-Bulgan Gol or Zamiin Uud – China – Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
Route 3: Norway-Denmark-Germany-Czech Republic-Hungary-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China-Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
Route 4: Norway-Denmark-Germany-Czech Republic-Hungary-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.
We help our customers drive to china and cross china with car or motorbike. We organize road trips with automobile and motorcycle clubs. With our extensive experience and in-depth knowledge, we also provide following services for your Automotive Events: drive or ride event, media event, test drive, support for automotive show, customer relation and brand image production.
+86 28 8503 0959
Mon - Fri 9.00 - 18.00
No 51, Section 4, South Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041 China
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