I know some people go from India to China, but do not clearly know what mode of transport they use. I have seen a thread on the forum, where someone in inquiring about traveling from India to China by car. I would like to know if you can travel from India to China by bus? What all procedures are involved? Do we change buses at the border? What documents would we need to take along with us? What would the cost be for traveling from India to China?
Hello and welcome to the forum! I'll answer your questions to the best of my knowledge. Just last year, a new border was reopened to cross between India and China. This is the Nathu La Pass which is a lot safer to travel to than other routes that are open for crossing the border. And most importantly, you can travel by bus to reach the border and from there on reach Kairash Mansarovar Yatra. This is around 56 kms away from Sikkim, which is now the shortest route to get to China. Unfortunately though, it is not open for foreign travellers, it is open only to Indian tourists. The Nathula Pass is open to visitors five days a week, Wednesdays to Sundays. First, you would need to acquire a permit through the Sikkim Tourism Department in Gangtok. To do this, you would need an authorised travel agent. You must pay Rs 200 per person and you can get your permit the next day. You need the following requirements: Photo ID Two passport size photos You can travel to Sikkim via bus to reach Gangtok. Then, you'd have to ride another bus to reach Nathula from Gangtok. From there on, you can cross the border only with a rented vehicle from your agency. You would need the permit given to you by the Sikkim Department of Tourism in Gangtok. Bring your ID as well. Here's a breakdown of the costs for travelling from India to China: Permit: Rs 200 Bus expenses: Rs 1,000 or more Peak season cost for shared vehicles: Rs 700 Peak season cost for private vehicles: Rs 7,000 Non-peak season for private vehicles cost: Rs 5,500 (there's no shared vehicles during this time) I hope this helps!
