Getting ready for a self-drive road trip in China

What is there to prepare?

Just like any other trips, there are a few things to prepare before heading to China for a road trip. None of them are difficult or time consuming and getting them right make the trip so much fun and enjoyable. The guides below take you through each step, and there is a checklist further down this page.

Driving an EV for a road trip in Zhejiang

How do I get the driving permit?

You drive on the license you already have, and the one extra step is a temporary Chinese driving permit, which the traffic police issue after you land. There is one thing to do before you fly, which is to order the certified translation of your license, and one thing to check, which is the opening hours of the office against your landing time.

The permit guide takes you through it in five steps, and it also has the documents, the offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.

GuideThe temporary driving permit: can foreigners drive in China and how to get one?Yes, on the licence you already have. The one extra step is a temporary Chinese driving permit, issued on the spot at the Shanghai and Beijing airports in about 30 minutes. Who is eligible, the five steps, the documents, the cost, and the offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.Read the guide · 12 min read

How do I rent the car?

Renting a car in China is simpler than it sounds. For a road trip starting outside of first tiers cities, you typically book with a Chinese company, and the one we use all the time is eHi (一嗨租车), which is Enterprise's partner in China. It has an English app and an English hotline, and your passport and your own phone number (no need to have a Chinese phone number) are enough to open an account.

The guide goes through the booking step by step and then through pick-up day at the counter.

GuideHow to rent a car in China as a foreignerLocal rental companies such as eHi have far more branches than the international brands and are typically about 60 percent cheaper, and eHi works in English with just your passport and your own phone number. How to choose, the five booking steps and what to bring on pick-up day, with our video.Read the guide · 9 min read

Checking the car's condition at pick-up

What do I set up on my phone?

Almost everything on a road trip in China runs through your phone: the map and the payments for everything like restaurant, fuel and parking. It's easier to set it up before you fly so everything is ready when you arrive.

GuideGetting your phone ready for a China road trip: payment, maps and eSIMFour things to set up at home: Alipay and WeChat with your card linked, an eSIM made for mainland China, Amap Global for navigation, and a translation app. Here is the checklist we use every time we go on a road trip.Read the guide · 7 min read

Scanning a QR code to pay for parking

What should I pack?

Pack as you would for any road trip, with two things to think about in advance. A child under four, or shorter than 1.4 m, has to ride in a child seat, and rental companies usually don't provide them. And there are rules for power banks on Chinese flights, and for drones, that are better to know before you stand at airport security.

Do I need a child seat in China, and can I rent one?Guide · 2 min read›

Bringing electronics to China: plugs, power banks and dronesGuide · 4 min read›

Drone footage from a self-drive trip in Sichuan

Your preparation checklist

1. Order the translation. A certified Chinese translation of your licence, which you can order by email if you land in Shanghai: The temporary driving permit.
2. Book the car. Book the rental car of your choice: How to rent a car in China.
3. Set up your phone. Alipay or WeChat Pay with your card linked, Amap in English, and a word to your bank that you are travelling to China: Phone, payments and maps.
4. Put the documents in one envelope. Your passport, your original license, the translation, and two 1-inch colour photos on a white background.
5. Not sure about something? If you do not know whether your license qualifies, or whether your arrival city works, ask us. We are happy to look at it with you.

Stop for a view of endless grassland in Inner Mongolia

Questions we get asked

Next step

Once you have the permit and the car, the trip starts. The next stage is about the driving itself and the days on the road.

GuideDriving in China and the day-to-day of the tripThis is the stage where you are on the road: what a driving day looks like, fuel and tolls, hotels, food and paying by phone, and the things worth knowing before you take the wheel.Read the guide · 5 min read