Drive From Poland to China, Road Trip to China by Car from Poland

People living in Poland may wish to travel to China by car, motorcycle or another vehicle for all kinds of reasons, from the challenge, through to a desire to explore the country fully. Additionally, Poland’s location in central Europe makes it an ideal starting point or pit stop for people from other countries who may be planning a road trip to China. However, many of those hoping to drive from Poland to China soon find that they run into difficulties, especially given China’s laws around foreign drivers and foreign-registered vehicles. With that being said, all of these problems can be solved with the right preparation and assistance from experienced experts. In this article, we look closer at the preparation for your trip and the most efficient routes from Poland to China.

The two biggest problems most travellers run into when planning to drive from Poland to China are meeting China’s strict rules regarding driving licences and vehicle registrations. While many countries recognise foreign licences or an international driving permit (IDP), China requires drivers to have a Chinese driving licence instead. For most visitors, a temporary Chinese licence can be obtained, as long as you possess a valid licence, an officially translated copy and are willing to go through the procedures involved. If you are planning to stay in the country for a long time, a full licence may be needed, which will involve a theory test and potentially other testing.

China also has tight regulations restricting foreign-registered vehicles from being brought in. Realistically, you will have to work with an experienced tour operator, in order to navigate this process. You will need an up-to-date MOT, along with photos of your vehicle, and you will also have to obtain temporary Chinese number plates.

Feasibility of driving from Poland to china with own car

Is it possible to travel from Poland 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 a Poland-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 Poland

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 in Poland.

Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in Warsaw
Address: Sienna 39, 00-121 Warszawa, Poland
Application Submission: 9AM- 3PM (For Express service:9AM-11:30AM)
Passport Collection: 9AM- 4PM
Tel.:+48 222786300
Email: warsawcenter@visaforchina.org

Road Trip from Poland to China

The route that most people take when travelling from Poland to China by car or motorcycle involves travelling east, through Belarus and into Russia. You will then need to pass through Kazakhstan and from there, you may be able to pass straight into China, but many opt to go through either Mongolia or Kyrgyzstan first.

Ultimately, the exact route you take will depend on where in China you want to go. The route through Mongolia offers access to Inner Mongolia and the north east of China, whereas crossing the border from either Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan will usually be preferable for those wishing to access China via the north west of the country.

You will require a visa to travel through Russia and Mongolia, but you should be able to pass through Belarus and Kazakhstan without one. Both Russia and Mongolia collect biometric data, which will typically consist of fingerprint scanning. You must check the requirements for each country you pass through and be mindful of political events.

Alternative routes are also possible, but they will generally extend both the total distance you and your travel time. Calculating total travel time will depend on where in Poland you start and where in China you want to travel to, but you can expect a journey of more than 5,000 miles, which is likely to take you several weeks in total.

The following are the most commonly used routes for poland-china:

Route 1(Entering China from Kyrgyzstan): Poland-Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan)-Kyrgyzstan-Turkut Port or Irkstan Port-China

Route 2(Entering China from Mogolia): Poland-Belarus-Russia-Mongolia-Bulgan Gol or Zamiin-Uud-China

Route 3(Entering China from Kyrgyzstan): Poland-Czech Republic-Austria-Hungary-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China

Route 4(Entering China from Pakistan): Poland-Czech Republic-Austria-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

Road Trip from Poland to India

Route 1: Poland-Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan)-Kyrgyzstan-China (Xinjiang)-Pakistan-India

Route 2: Poland-Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan (or Uzbekistan)-Kyrgyzstan-China (Xinjiang, Tibet)-Nepal-India

Route 3: Poland-Czech Republic-Austria-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

Road Trip from Poland to South East Asia

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

Route 2: Poland-Belarus-Russia-Mongolia-Bulgan Gol or Zamiin-Uud-China-Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.

Route 3: Poland-Czech Republic-Austria-Hungary-Serbia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran – Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China-Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.

Route 4: Poland-Czech Republic-Austria-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.