New in Shanghai

[a_steel]

regret to inform, but you may not get motorcycle driving license in Shanghai as easy as before.

in the past it was enough to have motorcycle+car driving licence of your home country and then it was possible to convert it to Chinese driving licence just by passing of computer test available on different languages.

well, not anymore. Shanghai traffic police will grant you only car license. if you want to get motorcycle driving license, you should be able to pass exams on Chinese. and no translator allowed.

so advice here is to try get your motorcycle driving licence in another province. unless, you can speak and read Chinese.

damn it.

[marco polo]

Got my motorbike licence in Huzhou, Zhejiang a couple of months ago. It was indeed in Chinese only and I had to pay a translator/agent to assist me, which he did by kindly doing the test for me when the police supervisor wasn't watching. I had to do a practical driving test as well, which was quite straightforward, riding around poles with a scooter. Apparently the practice of allowing a translator was stopped shortly after I got my licence. By then the bike ban in the city centre, which was introduced on 1 August was in full swing. I am still living in the city centre and ride out once or twice a week, with no adverse actions yet, although I do try to always use the same road out, then make a detour as needed, and also go out early in the morning before the traffic cops come on duty.

[Iskarjarek]

Ah, OK. Thanks for the information guys. Sounds like getting a bike to drive around Shanghai will be a nightmare/very expensive.

But what about if I don't want to drive into the city center? I live quite aways outside the 3rd ring road, and police presence is very minimal here. So I probably wouldn't get stopped driving around where I live.

How easy is it to drive to other provinces in China? what sort of documentation will I need to drive back from HK, for example?

[bigheadsnake]

Ah, OK. Thanks for the information guys. Sounds like getting a bike to drive around Shanghai will be a nightmare/very expensive.

But what about if I don't want to drive into the city center? I live quite aways outside the 3rd ring road, and police presence is very minimal here. So I probably wouldn't get stopped driving around where I live.

How easy is it to drive to other provinces in China? what sort of documentation will I need to drive back from HK, for example?

As far as I know, the motor ban in Shanghai is very complicated that I found some pictures to show it, it depends on your plate, may not be 100% accurate.

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The yellow Plate A is about 300,000 RMB, blue A 100,000 RMB, and Yellow C 80,000 RMB, all approximate.

And the answer to the second question is pretty easy to travel around China, all the provinces with no document at all, except Hongkong, Macao, Xinjiang and Tibet.
All the vehicles registered in mainland of China are forbidden to enter Hongkong and Macao, and only some of cars(and only cars) of Hongkong and Macao with a black Plate can enter the mainland which will cost more than 1,000,000 RMB to get the plate.

You can travel to Xinjiang and Tibet with all you paperworks, but foriengers will be supervised, not very free to go everywhere at there.

[marco polo]

What paperwork do you need for Xinjiang?

[bigheadsnake]

What paperwork do you need for Xinjiang?

Xinjiang is much better than tibet, for tibet, you need a permit to travel there, just google it you will find lots of FAQs about it.

And for Xinjiang, you need a border pass, without a border pass, you cannot got to any border area in Xinjiang, as you know, lots of tourist attractions are there. And the hotel you stay must have a reception permission for forigners.

[marco polo]

Xinjiang is much better than tibet, for tibet, you need a permit to travel there, just google it you will find lots of FAQs about it.

And for Xinjiang, you need a border pass, without a border pass, you cannot got to any border area in Xinjiang, as you know, lots of tourist attractions are there. And the hotel you stay must have a reception permission for forigners.

Thanks mate. A bit off topic, but where would one get the border permit? And do you need a guide with you, like Tibet?

I am looking at a trans Asia trip to Europe around May 2020, (2021, depending how long I can tolerate China) and am in the preliminary planning stage. Best route probably via Kazakhstan, this means only a visa vor Kazakhstan and Europe, but I am open for suggestions or company.