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Planning for an RV travel in China?
Picture futuristic highways slicing through mountains, peaceful lakeside campsites, spicy roadside noodles at midnight, and ancient villages hiding behind neon skylines like tiny time capsules. China is an incredible destination for road trips, but for foreign travelers, it also comes with unique rules, apps, and practical challenges.
This guide explains everything international travelers should know before renting or driving an RV in China, including driving permits, campsites, navigation apps, road conditions, payments, and safety tips. ✨
Can Foreigners Drive in China?
One important thing surprises many RV travel in China: China does not accept International Driving Permits (IDP).
Foreign visitors must apply for a temporary Chinese driving permit before legally driving in China. The good news? In many major cities and some airports, the process is much easier than most people expect.
Temporary Chinese Driving Permit Requirements
The temporary permit is usually valid for the same duration as your visa, commonly up to 90 days.
Typical requirements include:
- Valid passport
- Valid foreign driving license
- Chinese visa and entry stamp
- Hotel registration with local police
- Application at a vehicle administration office
Important: Tourist temporary driving permits are valid only for rental vehicles.
This is how easy it was to apply in Shanghai, in only 1.5h we had the Chinese temporary driving license.
Airports Offering Temporary Driving Permit Services ✈️
Some international airports in China provide services that help foreign travelers apply for temporary driving permits after arrival. Reminder, each of them needs authorized translation of driving license. Where to get it depends on the city.
Examples include:
- Beijing Capital International Airport
- Location: Proceed to the Vehicle Management Station located on Level 1 (L1) of Terminal 3 (often referenced as the desk across from Door #7).
- Beijing Daxing International Airport
- Address: 100 meters west of the west exit of Domestic Arrivals, Level 2, Beijing Daxing International Airport Terminal
- Required Documents: You will need your passport, a valid home-country driver’s license, and a Chinese translation of your home driving license. Authorized translation agencies must be used
- Shunyi Translation Center: 15 min from airport, ¥200-250, 2-3 hours
- Airport Area Translation Services: Terminal 3 area, ¥250-300, 1-2 hours express
- PSB-Approved Agencies: List available at Shunyi PSB office
- Tip: Convenient if you arrive through Daxing Airport and want to apply soon after landing.
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport – online application HERE
- Location: Traffic Police Division of the International Airport Public Security Bureau, located at No. 805 Huhang Road, Pudong International Airport.
- Required Documents: You will need to upload your passport, a valid home-country driver’s license, and a Chinese translation of your home driving license. Authorized translation agencies must be used (e.g., Shanghai Interpreters’ Association)
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
- Digital Police Service Station, Airport Sub-Bureau of Chongqing Public Security Bureau(Behind 3D Check-in Island, Departure Hall, Terminal T3A, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport)
For many travelers, Shanghai and Beijing are the easiest cities to start an RV journey in China.
RV Rentals in China
China’s RV rental market is growing rapidly. While it is still smaller than markets in Europe or North America, modern motorhomes are becoming increasingly popular. We at Crisscrosschina are in cooperation with Campcruisers and first in the world offering RV rental for foreigners who want to embark on journey by RV in China. At the moment RVs are available in Shanghai, Beijing, Yunnan, Chengdu and Shenzhen.
What we offer:
- One-way rentals
- Different RV sizes and layouts
- Long-term rentals
- English WeChat support 10AM-10PM
- English support during pickup and return
Rental requirements:
- Chinese temporary driving permit
- Passport
- Security deposit
Some routes allow pickup in one city and return in another, making epic China road trips possible. Imagine driving from Shanghai to Yunnan, or Chengdu to Inner Mongolia with mountains, deserts, and bamboo forests changing outside the windshield like cinematic scene transitions. 🎬🏔️
More information about the available RV models
RV Campsites in China
Check out the campgrounds that we have found on our journeys. MAP . Some campsites are able to register you at local Public Security Bureau (PSB) as required by Chinese law and some you need to take care of by yourself.
China’s RV campsite network is expanding every year, especially near:
- National parks
- Tourist attractions
- Scenic mountain routes
- Lakes and nature areas
Notice the quality of the campsite can may a lot. Typical campsite facilities:
- Electricity hookups
- Water supply
- Waste disposal
- Showers
- Parking areas
Based on travel experience, campsites are often quiet outside major Chinese holidays.
Best Times to Avoid Crowds
Travel periods that can become extremely busy:
- National Day Holiday (October)
- Labor Day Holiday (May)
- Summer school holidays
- Chinese New Year, avoid traveling during the peak period.
Chinese New Year is usually the most challenging travel period because hundreds of millions of people travel simultaneously across the country. Roads, hotels, and tourist destinations can become extremely crowded.
Wild Camping and Boondocking in China 🌙
Wild camping with RVs in China exists, but it can be complicated.
Challenges may include:
- Local regulations
- Police or security checks
- Limited waste disposal
- Private village land restrictions
One practical alternative for overnight stops is using 24-hour highway service areas. We have used these several times and the convenience is what matters.
Many service areas include:
- Large parking areas
- Restaurants
- Convenience stores
- Clean restrooms
- 24-hour security
Some Chinese highway service stations are surprisingly modern, almost like miniature shopping malls accidentally dropped beside the highway. 🚛✨
Recommended links
Best Navigation Apps for China
Navigation apps are essential for RV travel in China because Google Maps often works poorly and can show inaccurate locations.
Check our list of useful APPs
Recommended apps:
- Amap (Gaode Maps) Amap Guide
- Baidu Maps
Amap is especially useful because:
It supports multiple languages. This is a bice feature and have been available about couple of years only. What I know this is the only GPS APP available with different languages. English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Malaysian, alongside Chinese
Provides real-time traffic
Warns about restrictions
Helps avoid low bridges and difficult roads, insert the license plate number in the APP
For campground locations and RV travel information, travelers can also use:
Chinese app Woyou Zhijia, where local RV travelers share camping and boondocking locations.
Woyou Zhijia (窝友之家), is a Chinese app focused on travel and RV/campervan lifestyles. Currently, the app is only in Chinese. No web page available.
CrissCrossChina RV Travel Map
We have been visiting many campsites in China and you can find them in our blog posts of CAMPGROUNDS
Road Conditions in China
China has one of the world’s largest highway networks. Modern expressways connect major cities across the country from east to west and north to south. The road condition on main roads is very good.
Important things to know:
- Most expressways are toll roads
- Toll payments are commonly made using WeChat Pay or Alipay
- Large cities can have heavy traffic
- Some cities have restrictions according to cars license plate.
Tips! If you stay in Hotel/campground you could call them and they will inform in the traffic system that you would be allowed to drive to city even your license plate does not allow. Otherwise the Police might stop you or you would get a fine
Mountain roads in western China can be stunning but require extra caution, especially with larger RVs.
Mobile Payments in China 💳📱
China is largely cashless.
Foreign credit cards may only work in major hotels or big cities, but daily payments are usually handled through:
Most foreign visitors can now link international credit cards directly to these apps.
Without mobile payment apps, traveling in China can sometimes feel like trying to play a video game without the “interact” button enabled. 🕹️
Fuel Stations and Services
Fuel stations are common throughout China, especially along highways.
Useful things to know:
- Staff usually perform the fueling
- Diesel is widely available
- External fuel canisters may require a Chinese local ID
- Normal fueling directly into the RV tank is usually not a problem for foreign travelers
- Many of the Fuel stations only provide fuel and some snacks.
Important Legal Requirements
When traveling in China by RV, always carry:
Passport
Chinese temporary driving permit
Vehicle registration documents
Foreign visitors must also register their accommodation with local police within 24 hours.
Hotels usually complete this automatically. However, travelers staying privately or in informal camping locations may need to register personally at a police station.
Is China Safe for RV Travel?
China is considered very safe for road travel.
However, travelers should still prepare carefully:
Weather can change quickly in remote areas
Mountain roads require caution
Air quality varies between regions
Some rural roads may have height restrictions or narrow bridges (AMAP can warn about these)
With good preparation, RV travel in China can become one of the most unforgettable road trip experiences in the world.
Start Your China RV Adventure
At CrissCrossChina, we share real RV travel experiences, practical travel information, campground locations, and useful tips for international travelers exploring China by road.
From modern mega-cities to remote grasslands, China transforms constantly outside your windshield. One moment you are parked beside futuristic skyscrapers, the next beside yak pastures under snow-covered mountains. It feels less like crossing a country and more like flipping channels between different worlds. 🌏🚐
