This guide, written by Jah from Ride China, explains everything you need to know about transiting through China with your own motorcycle…
Contents
Motorcycle Transit Through China
By Jah
Jah is a China motorcycle travel expert and runs Ride China
China is a cultural treasure. It is the third largest country at nearly 9.6 million square kilometres and has over 5,000 years of recorded history. So, travelling here is like visiting another world.
Landscapes such as the Three Parallel Rivers, Silk Road, Tibet and Yunnan spread across the land and are peppered with vestiges of ancient Chinese culture including the Great Wall, Forbidden City, X’ian’s Terracotta Army and Tiananmen Square.
China is a must travel destination – and for an adventurer, the best way to do that is on a motorcycle.
However, entering China with a foreign plated motorcycle can be tricky. In fact, it’s complicated and requires a lot of paperwork, planning, time and you must be accompanied by a licenced guide.
Some riders may wish to simply transit through China as quickly as possible due to the associated costs, and some might like to extend their time here and explore more by taking on a longer transit route and visiting some of the places mentioned above.
Either way, we put together this guide to help explain the requirements for transiting through China on your own motorcycle.
Transiting China
Can you transit China on a motorcycle?
First, let’s cover some basic information on transiting China with a motorcycle. You can certainly ride your own motorcycle (or drive your own car or vehicle) through China using over a dozen international borders. However, you can not freely do so. It’s not as easy as turning up at the border with your passport and paying for a temporary import.
To take your vehicle through China you must have a licenced guide accompany you and a registered company will need to sort out all of the paperwork for you in advance.
Which borders can you transit China through?
China is the largest Country in Asia and China is bordered by 14 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Vietnam.
Why would you need to transit China?
You may need to travel across China from one of the above countries to the other in order to complete your route or trip. This is especially important for overland motorcycle travellers. Or, you may wish to explore China on your bike, in which case you’ll want to take on a longer transit route or join an organised tour.
What are the difficulties in transiting China?
Paperwork is the biggest hurdle and is complicated. So you will need to hire a travel agent to handle the permits, customs papers and driver’s license. You also need a guide to accompany you. Luckily, there are some fantastic travel companies out there specialising in motorcycle transits who will handle all of this for you. Don’t be put off, with the right company, travelling through China on your bike will be fun, easy and an incredible experience.
Transit process
Paperwork
To travel through China with your own motorcycle, you will need to hire a registered travel company to sort your paperwork out. The paperwork includes a self-driving permit, customs broker service, a customs deposit, driver’s licence and a temporary number plate. There may be additional paperwork requirements too dependent on you, your route and motorcycle.
Paperwork preparation
It takes around 60 working days to prepare all your permits, temporary plates and driving licenses. So, if you’re considering transiting through China, you will need to start the ball rolling as early as possible.
Guide
You will also need a guide from a registered company. A guide must accompany your entire journey throughout China. You might find some agents offer the paperwork and say you can travel without a guide, but this is against the regulations laid out by the China Culture and Tourism Bureau.
A guide must be assigned to you or your group. It’s not worth the risk either, especially as you could end up in a traffic accident, or get caught at a check point or random police check. Without a guide you’ll face a hefty fine and deportation.
Don’t worry, guides are not there to spy on you. They’re professionals who know you want to explore and enjoy your time in China. They can either be on motorcycles up front leading the way or at the rear in a support vehicle. It’s up to you.
Transit routes
The most popular route for overland motorcycle travellers transiting China is from Kyrgyzstan to Laos. It’s an easy gateway from Central Asia to Southeast Asia – and an awesome ride. This is because it cuts out the tricky and expensive ride through Myanmar – which is also still currently closed.
Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan is also a very popular transit route. It takes around five days and is relatively cheaper than the longer routes, but you don’t get to see much of China.
There are a number of other routes you can take such as Kyrgyzstan to Nepal, Mongolia to Laos and Laos to Kyrgyzstan or Mongolia.
Costs
It is expensive to transit through China because of the amount of paperwork needed and the guide that must accompany you the entire way. If you take this transit route solo with a guide it will be very expensive as you will also need to pay for brokering at borders, customs deposits etc on your own. So it makes sense to transit in a group and split the costs.
Transiting China in a group
Group travel will greatly reduce the cost as common costs will be shared. However, it is possible to travel through China solo or with a small group if you prefer – it all depends on your budget and travel style.
Joining a group can be done in a number of different ways. You can join Facebook groups specifically set up for it, online forums, scour the web or ask around in other Facebook groups to see if anyone is going that way.
You may already have your own small group, or ask the motorcycle tour company you’re going to be using to transit if they have an existing scheduled group you could join.
When to transit China
China has a continental climate and latitude spanning nearly 50 degrees. Much of the landmass is situated in the temperate zone, with the tropical and subtropical zones to the south, and reaching the Frigid Zone in the north, so temperatures differ strikingly across the country.
The ideal months to travel in China would be from March to November, these months are Spring, Summer and Autumn which are good for most parts of China.
Due to varied altitudes and latitudes of different destinations, there are some general weather guidelines to different regions.
Transit companies
The company you go with must be a registered international travel company with a deposited bond to the China Tourism Bureau and Chinese Customs. Search around for companies with a lot of experience with foreign overland motorcycle travellers and an excellent reputation because your money, time, motorcycle and trip are on the line.
Our services
I run Ride China and have been working in tourism for over 20 years. We offer China transiting services for motorcycle travellers as well as guided tours and expeditions through China. We know every road, local regulation and the highlights throughout our country. We can help with border crossings, paperwork, guides, transport logistics, self-drive permits, imports, exports, shipping to and from China, and all your travel services. We’re a highly recommended one-stop-agent.
So, if you have any queries about transiting China, please feel free to get in touch as we’re more than happy to help.
About the author
Jah
As a motorcycle enthusiast and a veteran in the adventure travel business for over 20 years, I teamed up with my riding mates to establish Ride China – offering motorcycle tours, transiting and self drive tours throughout China since 2012.
We strive to provide safe and high quality motorcycle tours for riders around the world and offer guided tours and transiting all over China, Tibet, Yunnan, to Everest Base Camp and the Silk Road. Ride China proudly provides a one stop service for round the world overlanders to travel across China.
You can get in touch with Jah here:
- Web: ridechina.com
- Facebook: Ride China
- Insta: Ride China
This article was contributed by Jah who runs Ride China, to share his expert knowledge on transiting China. If you’re interested in crossing China, please reach out to Jah directly via his website ridechina.com.
Read more on motorcycle touring in Asia
Thanks for checking out The Transit China by Motorcycle Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle travel in Asia that we recommend you read next.
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Are you planning a motorcycle trip in China? Do you have any questions, tips or suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.
请问，我是中国人，在新加坡工作，我想驾驶新加坡摩托车回中国，请问可行吗？费用需要多少？可以在国内待多久？谢谢您
TRANSLATED: Excuse me, I am Chinese and work in Singapore. I want to drive a Singaporean motorcycle back to China. Is it possible? How much does it cost? How long can I stay in the country? Thank you
Hi Shenjungang, please contact Jah directly via email. His email address is listed in this article – he may be able to help you with this. Thanks and best of luck,
Andy
Yeah I found this on youtube they done it a few months back and say strait away it’s not worth it out of all the countries they have done China was the worst. And expensive and a waist of time, even though had another country near there who also had to have guides but that was not to bad on price plus just give a location then goodbye see you there guide is gone just meat at each point. But then to China it was horibal
Hi Andr, thanks for your comment. China requires foreign vehicles to be accompanied by a professional and registered guide. So, this article has been written to help overland travellers who wish to transit China to another country. So, the journey is usually quick so as to keep costs down. It’s not designed to be a sightseeing tour. But China is an incredible country with a lot to offer, to better see it, it’s worth renting a Chinese bike or joining an actual tour there to properly experience the country and it would be a completely different trip!
Cheers!
Andy
Ive been to asia love it but not been to China yet but all I hear so far is to much of an hassle it’s not worth going to be honest unless like you said hire a bike there and do it, but its not worth the hassle. I would be traveling on my bike witch then id have to send to a different place to rent another bike so I can see around China, or pay someone else to ride through it as almost straight as can because of a guide? Its another pointless. I think just dont understand the increasing tourists of doing these things. It will be more of loss of thier money coming in to thier country. Sad I was looking forward to China ill just have to miss it.
Hi Andru, I know what you mean, it is a hassle.
You mentioned you don’t understand why tourists do these things. In this case, the author and most users of this website are overlander travellers – so they are travelling with their own motorcycle and need to get through China in order to continue their trip. So these are the ways in which you can do that.
But you’re right, it is a hassle, which is a shame, and if you just want to see China and spend a decent amount of time there, it would be far easier to rent a motorcycle or join a tour.
Cheers,
Andy
TRANSLATED: Good afternoon. We want to transit from Russia through China to South Korea on our motorcycles. Is this possible and how much will it cost?
Добрый день. Хотим транзитом из России проехать по Китаю в Южную Корею на своих мотоциклах. возможно ли это и сколько будет стоить.
Hi Vera,
Thanks for your comment, please contact Jah directly. His email and website are listed above in the About the author section.
Thank you,
Andy
Good morning.
We are Brazilians and are taking a motorcycle trip from Lisbon to Vladivostok. We will be visiting Kazakhstan and Mongolia in the region.
I would like to travel around China, in the Heihe region.
What are the procedures for entering China and taking tours in this region?
+5511974000919 – WhatsApp
Hi Mario,
This is an article explaining Jodie’s experience crossing China – not a guide written by the China tour company.
Please contact the company directly for more information, Jodie has listed their contact info in this article.
Cheers and best of luck with your trip.
Andy
hello i am hashir
can you please tell me how much will a 30 days tour from pakistan to china on a motorbike cost approximately with each and everything included plz…
regards
hashir ali shah
Hi Hashir, this is simply a guide explaining the process.
Please contact Jah via email for info on costings and to book your trip. His email is listed in this article.
Cheers,
Andy
Hello, I’m Mas Fan from Indonesia. Two friends and I are planning to travel across Yunnan from Laos to Kyrgyzstan, then on to Iran on our motorcycles. How much will it cost us from our arrival to our departure from China? Thank you.
TRANSLATED FROM:
Halo, saya Mas Fan dari Indonesia. Saya dan 2 orang teman berencana melintasi Yunnan dari Laos menuju Kirgistan, selanjutnya ke Iran dengan sepeda motor kami. Berapa biaya yang harus kami bayarkan sejak kami tiba dan meninggalkan China. Terima kasih
Hello Mas,
Thanks for your message. Please contact the author of this guide, Jah, directly.
His website is ridechina.com
Thanks,
Andy
Hello,
being from Germany I can meanwhile entry China for 30 days without a Visum.
Regarding the Motorcycle: Would it possible to hire a local spedition/forwarder to pick me and my Motorcycle up at the Kirgistan/China border and transfer me via Pick-Up or small Truck to China/Pakistan or China/India Border?
This way I would not ride my Motorcycle personally in China and avoid paperworks. Is it possible?