I'm riding from London to Bangkok around June. I'm not sure of the route that's best to take, I'm pretty new to planning a route outside of europe. My immideate thought would be over Russia, Mongolia and through China. I was planning to get a train through China and shipping the bike as cargo. I've since been told (not totally reliable source) that it's unlikely as China don't generally allow people in. That isn't what I'd heard before from my partner (who lives in Bangkok) who thought it would be pretty straightforwards. Anyway, what are suggestions for most straightforward way to get from where I'm going to where I'm heading? Thanks.

A correction: China allows entry for tourists with visas, but makes it extremely complicated for their vehicles, so you need to be very well off financially, and probably have the patience of a saint, to even think about doing it with your own bike!

Search this forum - "to China with my own moto" gets asked almost daily.

+1

Avoid China if you are traveling on your own motorbike otherwise get your wallet out and kiss the $$$$$ goodbye!!!

The alternative route would be via Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal then fly to Bangkok from Kathmandu. We did the opposite direction in 2009.

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What sort of costs are we talking about? I had considered the Iran, Pakistan, India route but figured that would be a lot harder with Visas. How hard is it to get through Iran?

Based on what I´ve read (mostly here at the HUBB) I wouldn´t expect to be able to enter China with my own vehicle for under 1000 euros. And that would be the shortest/´cheapest´ route, from the Stans to the Karakoram Highway and Pakistan. You probably could easily multiply that sum 5 or 6 times, if you´d want to go all the way to Laos (because that means crossing China west to east, and it´s a huge country). Might be a bit lower per head, if you´re able to arrange more people in a group.

But then think what else you could do with that kind of money, if you´re on a trip in Asia (which is mostly quite cheap to travel, compared to Europe or US), and you´ll probably start to realise, why it is not such a popular option! I´m sure it´s a very interesting place, but there´s no shortage of those elsewhere, and you can do them a LOT cheaper. It is a royal pain-in-the-*** for many overlanders, that Burma&China together practically cut off the route you´re thinking about, but it is what it is, and looks like it won´t change anytime soon.

Route thru Iran to Pakistan to India should be no problem, if you´ve got the carnet - and they´re both really well worth seeing! But getting visas for Iran & Pakistan can be troublesome for some nationalities (was a bit tough to get the Pakistani one for me, too, in 2007).

Get into China from Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan on Aug/Sept. 2010. as lonesome, agency has ask me 1,200 euro for a 3 days transit. went to the HUBB, put a thread on it looking for people, then got 6 bikes more. we get in on August 27 from Torugart and out on Sept. 1th through Khunjerab, by the way, YOU CAN GET PAKISTANI VISA ON ARRIVAL AT SOST BORDER POST, mine costs 24 $ as italian. then rode down the KKH, 2010 the worst year, from Sost to Islamabad on 11 days ride... get into India up to Ladakh & Kashmir, then roll down till the bottom in Kanyakumary, and up along the east cost 'till Kolkata where i shipped the bike (by air) to Bangkok.
Expenses
for China:
5 nights hotel accomodations, all the permits, paperworks and guide, 571 euro each, we were 8 people. fuel & food not included
for bike shipping
700 euro for the bike flew with thai (it's an Harley, so 530kg crate!), 100 euro as my flyfare, with air asia.
hope this can be useful to you,
cheers,

www.lungastrada.it

ah, i've forgot,
if may you're planning to get through China untill Laos, be prepared to pay, as lonesome, not less than 5,000 euros; it's a 21 days trip...

www.lungastrada.it