Overlanding is becoming increasingly popular as a method of travel and your mind starts wondering, could we drive there? With multiple overlanding trips under my belt I am here to help you answer that question.
There are plenty of ways to get your butt to China, with flying being the most boring option out there. In this article we share 4 ways to travel overland from Europe to China.
- By Car or by motorcycle
- By Train
- By Bicycle
- Hitchhiking
Travel with me from the West to the East, see the cultures, landscapes and faces change and learn about the world no other way of travelling can provide.
1. Can you drive from Europe to China?
Yes, it is possible to drive a car from Europe to China. The distance is roughly 7000km from Germany to the Western border of China and crosses 6 countries. Minimum travel time is 7 days with an average of 3 months for overlanders.
How long does it take to drive to China?
The distance between Amsterdam and the Western border of China is about 7000 kilometres so if you are in a hurry, it will take at least 7 days to complete the trip. For the fastest way stick to the northern route and stay in Russia as long as possible to minimise time lost at borer crossings.
But overlanding is not about the destination, it is all about journey so most people take at least a month to three months to slowly make their way east. It is common to travel faster through Europe as that is home for most of us thinking about this route and slow down once you change continent. Russia, Central Asia and the middle East have much to offer in every sense of the word.
Really slow travellers take about one to two years to travel until the Chinese border. Really taking their time to explore the Silk route that is on the way there and navigating the changing weather patterns making some areas extremely hot and others intensely cold.
What routes can I take to drive to China?
Wherever you want to start from, Netherlands, Germany, Italy or the UK your options are the same. North or South. Russia or Turkey. From there you can come back to the Stan countries and explore Central Asia or stay south and cross Iran and Pakistan to reach the border of China.
The map below shows you the options that are possible and give you an indication of popular routes. There are a few important things to take into consideration before deciding on your route.
- Iran requires a guide for British, Canadian and American passport holders when traveling with their own vehicle
- Turkmenistan only issues 3 - 5 day transit visas for independent travel (and notoriously hard to get), otherwise you will have to book a tour.
- The borders between Turkey and Armenia and Armenia and Azerbaijan are closed due to political differences.
- Afghanistan is a no-go
- The Pamir Highway in Tajikistan is only passable in summer
- The Khunjerab pass in Pakistan is only passable in summer
- Thorugart Pass in Kyrgyzstan is only passable in summer
- There are no border crossings between Tajikistan and Pakistan, only mountains
- There are no border crossings open between India and China
Can we go to China by road?
Yes, there is a continues road from Europe to China which you can drive. There is no need to fly or take a ferry. You will have to cross multiple borders. Almost all of the road is paved but not every section is in the best of conditions. It is possible to drive a normal car to reach China.
However, if you decide to take a detour through Central Asia and visit remote locations the road conditions will decrease dramatically. Prepare yourself and your vehicle accordingly.
What paperwork do I need to drive to China?
What paperwork you need to drive to China depends on the route.
- Car registration papers
- Greencard insurance for Europe extended for Turkey and Russia
- International drivers licence
- Carnet the Passage (necessary for Iran, Pakistan, Nepal and India)
- Visas
Get the 3rd party insurance for the other countries you plan to travel through at the border. This is usually quick and easy and saes you the pain of paying huge premiums trying to arrange it from home.
How much does it cost to drive to China?
That depends on your speed, route and level of comfort you are looking for. Average budgets lie between €4.000 to €8.000 or US$5.000 to US$10.000 for a three month trip per person. This includes everything such as petrol, accommodation, visas, insurance, shipping and other expenses.
Crossing into China with your own car
I need to address the elephant in the room when it comes to traveling in China with your own car. Theoretically it isn’t possible for many reasons. One is that China does not recognise the international drivers licence so you would need to pass a Chinese drivers licence test, in Chinese!
However, for the last two decades or so it has been possible to travel overland in your own vehicle through China when accompanied by a guide. You meet at the border and he/she will serve as a fixer arranging all the paperwork, including your bright and shiny new drivers licence, to allow you to cross into China.
When you’ve entered the guide will travel with you and your vehicle until you exit the country again. You can imagine that this is not a cheap approach. It isn’t. Costs can easily rack up to to US$770 per day when traveling solo excluding hotels, food and fuel consumption. My personal recommendation is to keep that cash in your pocket and travel in a different direction when driving your own vehicle.
An approach that most people take who don’t have any other option than to cross China tend to meet online and form groups to share the costs of the guide. This drastically decreases the daily expense to around US$200 per person per day.
If you take the shortest route through China from Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan which takes about 5 - 7 days the costs stay under US$1000. It is up to you to decide if the costs stack up to the experience or the convenience of the route.
Agents for traveling through china
Here are a few agents who offer to arrange overland travel in your own vehicle through China. I personally don’t have any experience with any of them. Let me know in the comments below if you do.
- Silk Road Adventures Co.
- Navo Tours (expensive)
- China Exploration
- Hidden China
- Chinaexped
- Adventure & Tour China (great reviews)
- Tibet Moto Tours
- China Chengdu Greatway Tour Co.
- West China Expeditions
Places to find other travelers to team up with
- Facebook groups such as overlanding Asia
- Horizons Unlimited Forum
2. Can you take a train from Europe to China?
Yes, starting from London you can take a train via Berlin to Moscow where you hop on the Trans-Siberian Express. From there you will ride the railroad classic to Irkutsk, where it changes direction to Mongolia. The train crosses the desert and from there arrives in Beijing, China.
A true adventure awaits when you are planning to take this trip, the Trans Siberian Express is a unique experience hardly found anywhere else. The landscapes you will pass through and the people you meet on the train truly make it journey you will never forget.
How long does it take for the Trans-Siberian Express to reach Beijing from London?
The journey can be broken into two sections. London to Moscow and Moscow to Beijing. The first part takes 3 days to reach the capitol or Russia. From there it takes 7 days to reach China.
That is if you take the direct route and don’t get off to explore. You will probably want to get out and explore. Make sure to book your tickets accordingly. The train tickets have the same validity as an airplane ticket, meaning you book for a specific section on a specific day. If you get off you cannot get back on with your old ticket. You will have to book a new one, like flying.
How much does the Trans-Siberian Express train from London to China cost?
Booking tickets for second class directly at the Russian Railroads a one way journey costs £811 or €886 from London to Beijing. This does not include food, hotel and visa costs you will need to take into account for the 10 day trip.
The trip can be broken up in two sections again.
- London to Moscow - 3 days
- Moscow to Beijing - 7 days
The first section of the trip there are many different routes you can take to reach Moscow. The cheapest is to take the train from London via Brussels, Cologne and Warsaw to Russia. It does involve changing trains quite often and it travels through Belarus for which you will need to get a visa for.
The second option is to take the train via Paris and from Paris take the direct route to Moscow. This train also travels through Belarus so you will need to arrange a visa too, but involves only 1 change of train which is way more convenient but a little bit more expensive.
London to Moscow via Paris
- 2nd class = £277 / €302 / US$ 366 - 4 bed sleeper
- 1st class = £430 / €470 / US$ 570 - 2 bed sleeper
The train from Moscow to Beijing
The second section of the trip has also has multiple options but I highly recommend the Trans-Siberian Express route from Moscow - Irkutsk - Ulanbatar - Beijing. The route through Mongolia is the most spectacular and shortest.
There are great differences in prices when traveling in different classes.
- 2nd class = £547 / €600 / US$ 763 - 4 bed sleeper
- 1st class = £848 / €925 / US$ 1.182 - 2 bed sleeper
Booking can be done at www.rzd.ru
Read more about the Trans-Siberian Railway on Seat 61.
Check out this video for some great tips onboard
3. Cycling to China
If you are not interested in driving from Europe to China nor taking the train a great adventure is to cycle from the West to the East. The trip will take you about a year and is the most budget friendly option to reach China by land.
It is a great adventure and you won’t be alone, I’ve met plenty of people cycling their way East on my motorcycle trip to Asia. I even know a guy who did it on a unicycle. Long distance cyclers are the most adventurous in my opinion because it is much harder to plan how far you want to go each day compared to a motorised vehicle.
How long does it take to cycle from Europe to China?
It really depends but on average most cyclists take 1 year for the route and cycle about 15.000 kilometres which gives an average of 41km/day. Crossing 2 continents and multiple countries before arriving in China.
Similar with the car, the timing depends on which route you take. There are plenty of options and with the bicycle you are not limited to any Carnet restrictions but your passport will determine if you need a guide in Iran or not. Otherwise you are free to roam all the countries on your route. Including China. I think cycling is probably the best way to explore this unique country.
You don’t need a Super Hero costume to cycle to China but Will is riding his bicycle to raise money for charity.
How long does it take to cycle from London to Istanbul?
The average cyclist will take 90 days to ride a bicycle from London to Istanbul. The 3.000 kilometre / 1800 miles journey follows European Route 6 and Route 15. The route is best started at the end of Spring.
The trip through Europe will be one to train your legs for what is to come with a hint of familiarity. Leaving home behind and cycling through the European Union you will feel like a tourist and you will be treated like a tourist.
Using websites like couch surfing and warm showers you can find people on your route that will host you for free to keep your budget at a minimum. It is also an incredible way to get to know Europe better. Slowly the cultures starts to shift and you will enter Turkey before you know it.
How long does it take to cycle from Istanbul to China?
The second half of the Europe to China route is from Istanbul to the land border of China which takes the average cyclist 7,5 months to complete. It includes crossing the mountains in Central Asia and exploring the Pamir highway. A travellers classic among all overlanders.
Check out the website caravanistan for all the details on traveling through Central Asia, as this is one of the more difficult to navigate visa sections. The mountain passes will be closed during winter so make sure you plan to be there around summer.
How long does it take to cycle through China?
The average cyclist will take 3 months to cycle from West to East China. The 4.000 kilometre / 2.500 miles journey can be done any time of the year. Most will cycle 100 km / 62 mi per day. The rest is used for resting and sightseeing.
However, this off course depends on the route you are traveling through China and what you want to see. Tibet is in the far South where as Beijing is in the North. It is very easy to take the bicycle on the train so in case you are bored or tired you can skip any sections you like.
Important to know is that you will need to arrange a visa before arriving at the land border. When applying for a visa outside of your home country you will probably get a three month valid visa which is not enough because it’s validity starts from the day it was issued. You can easily extend the visa in bigger cities so make sure to keep that in mind when planning your route.
Helpful blogs to help you prepare
https://www.saporedicina.com/english/travel-by-bicycle-in-china/http://travellingtwo.com/resources/10questions/cycling-in-china
4. Hitchhiking Europe to Asia
Sticking out your thumb and hitching a ride from Europe to Asia is possible for the adventurous and budget conscious traveler. Hitchhikers typically spend US$10 per day traveling especially in Asia. It will take you around 3-6 months to reach Asia.
The routes that you can take a similar to the driving routes as the border closures and other safety factors have the same effect on hitchhikers as on other overlanders. North or South, it really depends on your preference.
Hitchhiking is common around the world, although the sign for hauling a ride varies throughout the world. The famous thumb will get you through Europe but waving a car to slow down will also work. Let the generosity of strangers surprise you as you travel the world!
Hitchhiking is not particularly faster or slower than traveling with your own car on a long overland trip. It sometimes may take a while to get a ride while other times you will be passed on through networks of relatives and friends. Hitchhiking is by far the best way to get to know a culture and meet locals.
Hitchhiking in China
Hitchhiking in China is complicated by the language barrier but not impossible. The following tools will make your travels easier A map with Roman and Chinese signs A letter about what hitchhiking is A sign where you want to go
Useful blogs to read for hitchhiking in China
Conclusion
Whichever method you decide to travel with, an overland journey from Europe to Asia is going to be one you will never forget. Let me know in the comments below what your choice is.
