China

Especially in areas where the Han Chinese live, people are not likely to invite you to stay overnight. But if there is really nothing in a village, they will still find a solution and a bed is made available at someone's home.

There are hardly any campsites in China. Camping is compulsory from Sost to Kashgar (Karakoram).

Many truck drivers use guesthouses in mountainous areas. These overnight accommodations are located near mountain passes and you can recognize them when a truck is at the door. Prices for a basic room vary between 20 and 50 yuan.

Cheap guesthouses [旅社 (lu she) - 旅馆 (lu guan) - 旅店 (lu dian)]. The guesthouses have simple sleeping places that you can share with several guests. You share the use of the shower and toilet with several guests. Many Chinese use these types of cheap accommodations, which you can find everywhere. In the remote areas it is useful to look for this type of accommodation. The locals often know where to go.

Tourist places sometimes have hotels or guesthouses of a foreign owner. More atmospheric than the standard Chinese hotel and a conversation is also possible. Nice for a change.

Ivo: "We only stayed in hotels. Prices ranged from € 3.- (old and dirty) to € 25, - (5 stars). The bicycle can usually be in the room or at the reception. Every village has a hotel . "

All hotels register the passport details and visa in the database and require a deposit for the key. Passport and visa are scanned. Breakfast is not always included in the price. Single travelers do not pay the full price for a standard double room and often receive a discount. Some hotels offer rooms with wired internet connections.

Gerben (2011). Keep in mind that not all hotels are allowed to accommodate foreigners. Sometimes you have to pass two or more hotels before they accept you anywhere. In addition, we visited the police three times in the evening in three weeks to see and copy our passports and visas. A fourth time we were even expelled from the city by the police (really!) With the argument that there were no hotels for foreigners. I think they could not deal with individually traveling cyclists, but good. The result was no different.

Lonely-Push-Biker (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013): The local government authorizes certain overnight accommodations to allow foreigners to stay overnight. These accommodations meet a certain rating. In all other cases you will need to get the cooperation of the police. If the hotel or guesthouse does not have a proper registration system, you will have to register at the police station. The benevolence of the police cannot be predicted. In my case I have always been able to arrange a place to sleep with the cooperation of the police.

Atie: "You can spend the night cheaply in Yunnan. A safe place is always sought for the bicycle or was taken in the room."

According to Whiskey (2008); For people who want to visit Tibet, the Saiman Hotel in Kashgar is the place to be. This is the hotel where most of the Tibet cyclists stay. Handy for exchanging information and so on.

Blanche (2013): "As you get deeper into Qinghai province, Tibetan region, you will no longer be asked for a passport at the hotel"

Wild camping seems to be allowed. However, it is often difficult to find a place. In most parts of China, especially the eastern part, it is almost impossible to camp as every patch of land is used for agriculture. The people are curious, so you get regular visitors. However, they are not intrusive. Camping is no problem in the sparsely populated west. Water is scarce in the area between Kashgar and the Axai Chin plateau.

Types of roads

There is a strict hierarchy in roads:

• 高速公路 (gao su gong lu): highway.

Highways mean smooth and new asphalt. In mountain regions (most of China) they cut through the landscape and are a combination of long viaducts and tunnels. This means that the slopes are usually gentle.

Motorways are usually not accessible to cyclists. Sometimes yes: it is possible to cycle on the stretch of highway from 景洪 (jinhong) to 磨憨 (mohan) near the border with Laos. Even though there are big red signs stating that cyclists are not allowed, just look at what the local population does: if they take to the road on foot, by bicycle or by motorcycle, it is in any case allowed to cycle there.

You can also cycle on highways where cyclists are certainly not allowed, nobody will stop you. Although this is at your own risk.

Motorways do not always have a hard lane, especially in mountain areas. Sometimes there are many dozen kilometers between two exits.

Motorways are always toll roads.

Today there are highways in large parts of China. This is good news for cyclists: it relieves other roads. Often there is an “old” road next to the highway. Sometimes there is little traffic on that old road, but this is not guaranteed: if the old road is not a toll road, it is sometimes busier than on the highway itself. After all, the toll is often very expensive. In addition, smaller types and open trucks are no more allowed on the highway than cyclists.

Highways are usually marked on maps with thick yellow strips with two red lines on the outside and a red line in the middle.

• 快速 路 (kuai su lu): expressway

It is actually a small highway with no central reservation. The same remarks as for motorways also apply here.

On cards usually thick yellow strips with no red line in the middle. Not all maps show this type of road separately, usually this type of road is marked as a motorway (高速公路).

• 国 道 (guo dao): national road.

These are roads of many 1000s kilometers long that cross the country.

They are easily accessible for cyclists.

The quality varies from completely destroyed by heavy trucks to excellent.

The traffic varies from quiet to hellish. Often these roads are used for local transport by small, open trucks (which are not allowed on the highway). They often transport gravel or other building materials. The road then becomes very dusty.

Usually these are not toll roads, but sometimes they are.

国 道 follow the landscape and do not often have long tunnels or bridges.

These are the roads most long-distance cyclists follow. Often for 100s or even 1000s km. It is easy to follow them without getting lost.

It is possible to traverse the country north-south or east-west along these roads.

国 道 always have kilometer markers with the distance to the end of the road.

国 道 always have a three-digit number, sometimes preceded by the letter G. On maps, these roads are usually represented by a red strip or line.

• 省道 (sheng dao): provincial road.

These roads run within a province (省). They are similar to the 国 道, but shorter (100s km instead of 1000s)

省道 always have kilometer markers with the distance to the end of the road.

On maps, these roads are usually represented by a green strip or line.

• 县 道 (xian dao): xian way

These roads run within a xian (arrondissement). They are not always indicated separately on cards: then they simply fall under the category “other”.

• Others

There are many other minor roads. The quality of these roads varies from excellent smooth asphalt to hard-to-ride dust and stone chunks. And often, during rain, ankle-deep mud.

These smaller roads are also well indicated on maps with a sufficiently small scale. It is necessary to have such a map in order to follow these roads properly. Even with a good map, they are often difficult to follow (due to many exits and intersections that are not properly on the map). A good knowledge of Chinese is recommended in order not to get lost.

Toll

Toll never applies to cyclists. Just cycle past the toll booths: there is usually a lane for cyclists on the right-hand side. There is never really any discussion. If a toll is nevertheless charged, refuse to pay. If there was any discussion: when approaching a toll gate, there is always a sign indicating (with drawings) what each type of vehicle must pay. Bicycles are never listed here.

State of the roads

The main roads between major cities or industrial areas are well paved. These main roads can be traced well on the map, and certainly on the detailed Chinese maps. To avoid them you often have to choose an illogical route.

The quality of B roads differs per province. In the richer provinces in the east these B-roads are still asphalted, in the less fortunate provinces they are gravel roads, clay pebbles on a hard surface. In the valleys, on small roads along rivers and on the high plains, the roads get worse. The road surface then consists of hardened sand full of potholes.

In the Karakoram the roads are very good and asphalted.

Road works: sometimes roads are interrupted for 10 kilometers due to road works. The result of road works is a very difficult to cycle and dusty road. A highway under construction can be a good alternative to a small mud road. Please note that bridges have already been built and the tunnels are open.

Density of the road network

In the metropolitan areas with metropolitan cities such as Hong Kong, Zhengzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, the density of the road network is highest. These areas are often provided with 3 or more ring roads and the highways cross the cities. In the suburbs it can be very busy with commuting. In the other large metropolises (Xi'an, Kunming, Chengdu) there are many motorways with a few ring roads. The density of the road network in these cities diminishes quite rapidly as one is more than 15 kilometers away from the city center.

Traffic density / danger

Traffic rules are not actually applied. The cyclist will have to be careful, especially in the big city. On the country roads, Chinese car and truck traffic takes much more account of slow-moving traffic. Foreign tourists should be aware that Chinese car and truck traffic does not automatically give way to cyclists, scooters or pedestrians. This also applies to turning traffic at intersections, entrances and exits, roundabouts or pedestrian crossings. The Chinese drivers of cars and trucks only take slow-moving traffic and pedestrians into account at the very last moment and they place their vehicle in front of the passed vehicle at the last minute, because they no longer have to take into account vehicles behind. They have no insurance and legal liability for what happens behind their vehicle. Keep in mind that every participant in traffic respects each other.

Sticking out your hand with your fingers spread as a stop sign in the direction of the other road user (s) usually works, the other stops. You can use this if you have right of way or if it is very busy to cross. Pay attention to whether the other person responds to it.

It is very busy around the big cities, also with scooters and cyclists. You often come across rotten trucks, ramshackle buses and crackling mopeds that all spit out a lot of smelly exhaust fumes.

In China, the highways (= toll roads, expressways in English) are prohibited for light motorized traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. This is clearly indicated on the traffic information signs at the entrances (toll gates) of the motorways.

Presence of (separate) cycle paths

In the vicinity of the major and tourist cities there are separate carriageways along busy national motorways, which are intended for light motorized traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. Chinese car and truck traffic make use of this during overtaking campaigns.

In the center of large cities, there are also separate lanes along the busy city roads, which are intended for light motorized traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. In the big cities, low gates prevent car and truck traffic from using these separate lanes.

Several airlines fly to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. Ask in advance about the conditions for bicycle transport. For a domestic flight there is a surcharge of approximately 20 RMB per kg of excess baggage. The weight of the bicycle is included in the determination of the total luggage weight. Maximum allowed baggage weight is 20 kg (incl. Bicycle) for a domestic flight (economy class). Checking in the bike can take a long time. The staff often do not know which procedures apply for transporting the bicycle. The bicycle must be packed in a box or bicycle cover. Test beforehand whether the bicycle passes the X-ray machine at the excess baggage department. Ask for the cooperation of the staff.

Hainan airlines:

With Hainan, taking a bicycle with you is free within the baggage allowance. Beyond that, there is a hefty surcharge of 20 eur / kg.

The bicycle must be packed in a box.

Some travel agencies can obtain better conditions at Hainan that are very interesting for cyclists: free or cheap date change, departure from an airport other than arrival, 30 kg baggage allowance.

It is not that easy to get a ticket for the train. It often takes a long wait or even coming back the next day. It is advisable to enlist the help of other Chinese, so that things will go a bit faster. Bicycles must be sent forward. It is well arranged, but you have to know how and where. It goes as follows: First you buy your own ticket, for long journeys best 2 days in advance. This will take you to the luggage transport department, so do not take enough time for this right before departure. There you will find people who want to help you with baggage handling. They can pack professionally and fill in the necessary forms, they only speak Chinese. With the correct officer you fill in the necessary documents such as name, train number, final destination, etc. The amount you pay is partly for transport and partly for insurance against loss (this insurance is often more expensive than the transport itself and not mandatory). It can be useful to have a plastic card with you with a photo of the bike and yourself plus all the necessary information, preferably with an impressive stamp.

On some routes it is difficult to get the bicycle on a slow train. It depends on which railway company you are traveling with. First ask if you can bring the bicycle.

The-lonely-push-biker took his bike on the train from Dali (formerly Xiaguan) to Kunming and from Qimen to Jingdezhen. He made it clear to the train crew that his bicycle was entering the train packed in a bicycle cover. Firm insistence and language barrier were factors that helped him.

The same applies to the bus as to the train. The bicycle goes on top of the bus. This often causes damage to the bicycle. You have to find a place and material to fasten the bike yourself. Sometimes you have to pay a lot.

The luxury coaches can place the bicycle at the bottom of the cargo hold. Ask / negotiate with the bus driver and then buy your ticket.

Place your bicycle yourself in the cargo hold or on the roof of the bus and dismantle certain bicycle parts if necessary. Reserve extra time for this, the Chinese are punctual and do not understand that a bicycle has sensitive parts.

You and your bike can easily travel from Hong Kong to Guangzhou and from Wuzhou to Hong Kong.