driving from hk to mainland china
Wed, 2006-03-15 11:02 — Anonymous
Apologies if this is an intelligence insultingly stupid question, as I don't live in HK, and am just considering the future possibility of doing so.
If you have a car in HK, is it possible/feasible to drive into mainland China, assuming of course, you have all the necessary visa paperwork etc? I'm aware that the road systems are different, but wondered if it would be possible for HK based drivers to explore past the border by car.
Appreciate any input -thanks.
Yes, you can drive from HK to China
I've never done it, and in fact have only driven in HK once, but it's common to see cars here that have HK and China licence plates.
But, whether you'll want to after viewing this is another matter...
MrB
Thanks for that.
Would also be really interested to hear from anyone who has actually done it, or knows someone who has, particularly about the practicalities - insurance, do HK plates on the mainland make your car a target for unwelcome attention. Also, I heard that in HK you need a special permit to use a left-hand drive car - is the reverse true on the mainland?
Cheers also for the link, although it didn't really put me off. I've driven in a few countries with crowded, chaotic, crazy roads, but you get used to it. Didn't seem so different to Paris actually!!!
As far as I know, lefthand
As far as I know, lefthand drive cars cannot be registered in HK. (can be registered elsewhere like China and then use HK plates as supplementary)
As for owning a car in HK and applying for registration in China, this can be a lengthy process depending on how much you are willing to pay. The more the quicker and I have heard that standard procedure can be anything up to a year.
China driving license also involves money. If you hold a HK license you can 'apply' for a China one by paying for it.
Another thing in China is when you are involved in an accident, it is often who you know and how important they are in the province which determines whose fault it is and how much compensation is paid.
all in all, not really a good idea to drive in China and a better option is to find a trustworthy driver who you can call up whenever you need transport and pay him to drive you around.
Driving from HK to mainland China
The conditions for driving from HK into China are:
1. that your car has been granted a China licence plate, something like:粵AB128港。To obtain such a cross-border licence, you either need to invest $8 million in China doing some sort of businesses, or you are appointed as one of the members of some important political parties;
2. you need to have a China driving permit (that can be obtained quite easily by converting your HK driving licence in China or through some agents in HK);
3. or you can join some of the motor vehicle organizations in HK which conduct HK-China driving experience tour. Then they would grant you a temporary entry permit just for a single entry. The cost depends on what type of the tour is.
There are some simple ways for those people who want to experience driving in China - i.e. rent a car in China and you can drive to any parts of China to Lasa, e.g. But of course you need to apply for a China driving permit (it is a simple thing to do if you have a Hk driving licence). The cost is only a few hundred dollars a day. You can drive to Beijing if you like.
Driving in China is different from driving in HK - they drive on the wrong side of the road. If you have driven in the US & Canada, then you'll be OK. If you come from UK, then you need some time to adjust your driving habit.
If you want to feel it, you can go to Yuen Long via the west rail, and then take the new B2 bus which goes to Shenzhen Bay. You can see how the road change from driving on the left side to driving on the right side. (First of all, you need to have a visa or permit for going into China as the bus terminal is situated in China and it is restricted area).
David