Europe to Thailand - best route
 

Hey there,

I am currently planning a rtw trip starting in spring of 2023.

As of now I am still struggling to find a decent route for the first part of the journey (Europe -> Thailand).

Several recent developments have made this route tougher than expected when I first decided to start by heading east.

Iran is getting increasingly dangerous.

Russia might be problematic.

China, Turkmenistan are closed.


I am aware no one here can predict the future, but still, I'd greatly appreciate your guys opinion on what route west seems most realistic in about half a year.


If I can get a Russia visa going through Russia and Mongolia to Vladivostok and shipping to SE Asia from there seems like the best option rn.

What do you guys think?


Thanks

All the things that includes the words «best», «good» etc are highly subjective and personal. So what is best for me might not be best for you…..

Yes China is closed now and will probably be for a good while longer as latest news suggest they have a surge in Covid cases now. But who knows for how long…?

Also Myanmar borders are closed for the moment and for how long nobody knows. A shipping option from India or Nepal to Thailand or Malaysia could be an option but that might not suit everybody.

If you can get a visa for Russia and secure a shipping spot from Vladivostok or other places on the eastcoast of Russia - that might be a good option. You can still ride Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, several of the Stan countries and then continue through Russia and Mongolia and easten parts of Russia. A multiple entry visa for Russia is required though.

As mentioned above riding Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India-Nepal and ship to Thailand or Malaysia is another option. Maybe Myanmar borders opens for overland travels again also if you are lucky.

Going through China, either it is the short jump from Kyrgisstan via Kasghar and Khunjerab pass to Pakistan or the long way round China from Kyrgisstan to Laos seems like the most unlikely option from my point of view.

Just my 5 cents though….

The usual routes in direction to east did looks that way in the past:

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IA6msFpLR...ng-vanlife.jpg

The blue transsibiria seems the easiert part to me, just one visa. But dont lead to Thailand directly...

China and Myanmar - who knows what will be possible at 2023.

Most of the time something is impossible until someone has successfully tried it and reported it.
When was the last time someone really tried? How seriously did he try? This information is mostly missing.

Has the traveler just been rejected at the border? Has he tried multiple boundaries? Did he try to contact the embassy in his home country to get an agreement? Has he contacted anyone from the tourism department? Has anyone with the required language skills tried to get a permit/permission (at the border and/or other officials)?

I did so often read somewhere about "what it is not possible" currently and at the same time I was watching travellers virtually doing exactly what was not possible.

Iran and Russia - there are travellers on there currently. I did mention some of them in my Buschfunk..

Surfy

Imho
 

Save a truckload of £/€/$/ Baht and fly there London to Bangkok currently £557 return!
Then rent your moto/scooter locally and spend some of the dosh you saved on la dolce vita in Asia without stress.

(Und das alles ohne den oben genannten nutzlosen Klickköder...) :whistling:
Merry :santa:!!

Thanks for your guys' opinions.

I can definitely exclude directly flying there as an option. I want to experience the multitude of cultures and challenges along the way. Additionally, locally renting doesn't really work, cause this is only the first section of a planned rtw trip. Flying rtw and only riding in select places isn't really what I want to do..

Anyways, I think the best option is for Turkey to be the first destination, leaving open all possible routes for spontaneous changes if the route I'll end up choosing doesn't work out (eg visa trouble Russia, increasing danger Iran etc.).
If further research deems it possible my personal favourite is Russia, Mongolia, Vlad. If anyone has recent experiences regarding Russian Visas (for German citiziens) and Shipping from Vlad to Thailand I'd greatly appreciate a message.

Cheers

I'm currently working on a similar route. Planning to ride from Netherlands to Malaysia starting in March 2023.

I've heard from my local contact at the tour agency (Drive China / Adventures & Tours) that china borders might be opening early next year... Just rumour for now but i'm keeping hope :)

There are lots of versions of "Around The World." You're going to end up shipping your bike multiple times no matter what route you take, and there will likely be places you wish you could go that for all practical purposes you just can't. That's the baseline.

You *could* skip that Central Asia/Russia/China part entirely (or leave it for later in the hope that stuff changes). Start with North America in springtime, head for South America to arrive during southern hemisphere spring, ship to Africa, Australia, or SE Asia depending on seasonal timing, interests, politics and/or pandemic...

On the other hand, maybe it's essential that you leave Europe and head immediately east traveling overland, in which case you'll do whatever works best for you. But sometimes we develop a sort of route-finding tunnel vision which ends up getting in the way, and I think it's worth guarding against this.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Hello

Because of the visa one needs to obtain it makes sense to start with the countries with the worst visa requirements.
But for you, as a German, you can get two passports so it is possible to do the visas on the road by sending one passport by mail.

That is also what I did 2011 and would do again today.
North to south America in 6,12 or 24 month and then Australia, NZ, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and then see if you still want to travel more.
Most of the visa easy on border or online, only 6 month USA visa was some work. Indonesia I don't know, had to ship because of time/rain season.

The local weather/season and the possebility for visa/foreign vehicules will determine your route.

Even back in 2011 there was no direct route Europe->Thailand.

sushi

Rumours that Myanmar opens up some of its land borders now:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...00064566197617

Or as just posted somewhere else on the forum -

Flying bikes from Katmandu to Kuala Lumpur for only 800 $ is possible. That was a really good price nowadays….

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...alaysia-103706

Big thanks to the guys posting their shipping details and experiences btw!

I'm also planning the same trip. I want to ride to Thailand but in 2 stages, first stage would result in leaving my bike in a country for possibly 9 months. So my route would kind of depend on where I can do this. Does anyone have any ideas on what countries I could legally do this?
Sorry if I'm high jacking the thread a bit :innocent:

Without risking very high fines/confiscation, nowhere outside of the EU, unless you enter Russia on a 1 year visa and get 1 year allowance for your vehicle.

My experience of Nepali customs is that they can be quite accommodating but I think you would need to get the bike in without the carnet being stamped or store it in a secure customs area with the carnet stamped out again, I think this is your best hope along this route.

I know Georgia isn't half way, but maybe if I made the first leg a bit shorter, I wonder if Georgia is possible to store the bike. From what I understand, as a UK citizen I don't need a visa and can stay as a visitor up to a year.

Hey you, I would like to stay connected I'm planning the same Route, are you still in that plan or did you changed?
Trying to get informations about the borders from the embassies directly going to contact Turkmenistan, China and India, if they reply I´m going to let you know.
I´ll start in May from Austria or Croatia (it's up to my job) and end up in Indonesia somewhere. ;)