Motorbikes / Expressways

[bikerdoc]

So are motorbikes now allowed on the toll roads?
I thought all toll roads were express ways, where motorbikes were not allowed?

Gra.

No Gra, tolls do not apply to just Expressways (Gaosu Gong Lu's)... there are tolls on many provincial highways too, usually found when entering or exiting one jurisdiction to another on those highways, though many in recent times have been removed as road and infrastructure costs were added as taxes to fuels purchased at the pump. Notwithstanding though that there are some Expressways where motorcycles are allowed (e.g. around Beijing) and motorcycles pay the same toll charge as a passenger car.

So in relation to the fee waiver, essentially where any motorcycle is allowed on an Expressway and normally charged accordingly, then the fee during the Spring Festival is waived. It unfortunately doesn't mean that motorcycles have free access to all expressways where they are normally "not allowed". It just means that where motorcycles are normally granted access and would normally be required to pay a toll, then this is waived. That's all.

[Lain]

To be honest, I have made 2 trips for the sprint festival 10 hours away in Guangxi and I would not be to certain I want to mix it up with the traffic and the even worse driving methods I normally witness. In a few days I will be doing it again, sadly by bus again as there are no other ways to the itsy-bitsy teeny-tiny village I am going to spend with my inlaws....but when I am there, sure would be great to have a bike. Last year the bus driver said I could bring my scooter for an extra 200 rmb, only 100 less than my ticket...maybe this year I will.

[bikerdoc]

To be honest, I have made 2 trips for the sprint festival 10 hours away in Guangxi and I would not be to certain I want to mix it up with the traffic and the even worse driving methods I normally witness. In a few days I will be doing it again, sadly by bus again as there are no other ways to the itsy-bitsy teeny-tiny village I am going to spend with my inlaws....but when I am there, sure would be great to have a bike. Last year the bus driver said I could bring my scooter for an extra 200 rmb, only 100 less than my ticket...maybe this year I will.

Maybe consider taking with you a foldie. That is a fold up bike. I have a Dahon Courser (full suspension front and rear) 20" wheels, 8 speed. Un/Folds in only 10-15 seconds. Have a reinforced bag, and I've carried it both throughout China and abroad; OZ, NZ, Thailand, Vietnam, UAE, KSA. There are other good brands e.g birdy. Giant also do a few foldies too. Check out this taobao seller http://yxmbike.taobao.com/

[ZMC888]

The expressways and express routes are freeways. We are allowed on them if it is 'free for all' public holiday, maybe. National highways we like the G309 which runs through our cities we are allowed to use, and circumvent the tolls.

[bikerdoc]

Expressways are only deemed free and accessible to motorcyclists during the CHN-New Year period if motorcycles are ordinarily allowed access during other times e.g. expressways with NO motorcycle restriction bylaw such as in Beijing. Otherwise the toll free period does not allow for motorcycle access to those sections of expressway that have the discriminatory motorcycle bylaw (ban). I'd guess that many drivers will be choosing to use the expressway resulting less vehicle density on otherwise busy highways and secondary routes. Personally I prefer the latter round these parts because of the mountain route choices such routes afford me. Pity you lot stuck in smog ridden Shanghai and to a lesser extent, Beijing.

*pokes tongue*

[TB-Racing]

Toll-free highways ensure smooth holiday travel


Source: Xinhua | 2013-2-9 | ONLINE EDITION SHANGHAI DAILY NEWSPAPER
______________________


MILLIONS of road warriors began to enjoy free usage of highways on Saturday, officially kicking off China's most important annual holiday.


Passenger vehicles with seven seats or fewer will be exempt from highway tolls from the start of Feb. 9 to the end of Feb. 15 in order to expedite traffic and reduce travel costs, according to a previous announcement from the Ministry of Transport.


The rest of China's toll roads, bridges and tunnels are also free for qualified cars and motorcycles, the announcement said.


Zhang Meng, a clerk at a public institution in Beijing, said he will drive home with his friends to their home city in central China's Henan province on Sunday.


He used to pay more than 200 yuan (31.8 U.S. dollars) for the 500-km journey. "But we don't have to worry about that this time," he said.


The toll-free expressways will not only save drivers on toll fees, but also allow them to avoid waiting in lines near toll gates, as the ministry has asked local transportation authorities to implement a ticketless policy to avoid long lines.


The move was prompted by unexpected highway congestion that occurred during last year's National Day holiday in October, when toll-free measures first took effect but electronic tickets were retained. As a result, cars waiting for tickets jammed the lanes of the toll gates.


To kill the seemingly endless waiting times, passengers got out of the cars, played cards and skipped rope in the highways-turned-parking lots.


The State Council, or China's cabinet, approved a free-pass program last August to lift road tolls for passenger cars taking highways during major Chinese holidays.


The toll-free policy has triggered booming orders at car rental companies, as people who have failed to secure a train ticket have turned to renting cars to visit friends and relatives.


Data from car rental company AVIS showed that nearly all of its vehicles in major cities have been booked, while around 60 percent of its passenger cars in mid-size cities have been reserved.


Prompted by the increasing orders, rental prices for some cars have witnessed triple or even quadruple growth.


Rented or not, a record number of vehicles will carry travelers to reunite with their families over the next seven days.

[Lain]

Maybe consider taking with you a foldie. That is a fold up bike. I have a Dahon Courser (full suspension front and rear) 20" wheels, 8 speed. Un/Folds in only 10-15 seconds. Have a reinforced bag, and I've carried it both throughout China and abroad; OZ, NZ, Thailand, Vietnam, UAE, KSA. There are other good brands e.g birdy. Giant also do a few foldies too. Check out this taobao seller http://yxmbike.taobao.com/

I already have a full suspension MTB and my observed trails MTB that I can pack to travel with no problem...when I said bike, I meant a motorcycle to use while I am there. My wifes family home is 8 miles from the nearest town and while there is a "bus" like taxi service it runs like 3 times a day and is only slighter faster than a bicycle. I am home now from the holiday and while I was on the bus, I can tell you that there was not 1 single motorcyclist on the entire 10 hour trip there, or back on the major expressway the bus used.

[TB-Racing]

no problems at all accessing the expressways around Shanghai region during the 2013 CNY holidays, went several times to Songjiang from Shanghai via the expressway with my "Dingaling" ADV cruiser.....

[Lain]

Awesome, however if I can only use the highways during the CNY for about 9 days a year it still sucks.

One of my biggest disappointments was to be informed about a week after moving to China that bikes are banned from 95% of all long distance highways...after that it was the insane amount of tolls. I have read more than once a car trip from GZ to Beijing would cost about the same in tolls as gas, making a long distance road trip via automobile more costly than flying....unless your in no hurry and simply like the side roads which you almost need an SUV for sometimes.

Things change here quickly, maybe in time bikes that can maintain 100+ kph will be allowed access. My thinking is that the ban has more to do with keeping the traffic moving at a high rate. Most of the bikes I see on the express roads are only doing 40~60 at best, or slower as cars and trucks zip by at posted speeds or slightly more. Even from my scooter I often want to say SPEED UP OR GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY!!!!!

[Shanghaifingers]

Don't gold your breathe, bannes henerally don't get lifted. Also many places i have ridded do allow highway use... Its a province to province thing. But the cost of highway use is high. It cost me more in tolls then gas in Shandong as they charged .5rmb/km. we were averaging 750kms a day. Thats about two tanks at about 100 kuai per tank ... Plus even doing 140 average speeds it still too about the same amount of time as would local roads. Highways always go out and about and the local rds are more direct and on bikes traffic is generally negligible.