Driving to Japan

[smithyithy]

OP have you considered flying directly to Japan?

[CivicDuties]

Even if you could get permission, somehow, to enter Russia by land at the moment, you'd be shaken down by every single cop between your entry and exit points (whoever lets you in will have "contacts", and will let them ALL know there's an English coming through, and those contacts will be looking out for you and WILL shake you down), and quite possibly exposing yourself to arrest and extra-judicial imprisonment on spurious grounds, followed by judicial imprisonment on spurious grounds. I have been that guy in much more benign times (have experienced KGB arrest, not much has changed despite the rebranding to FSB), and it's not much fun. I can't imagine what extra unpleasantness the current situation would add.

It is a very, very bad idea at the moment. Civvy locals would be friendly, but the cops? They will be proactive in trying to make your life as hard as humanly possible. It's a huge country, but it works like a village.

I say this as an ex-resident of Russia, with contacts there still.

[jabloko99]

Did you see this
https://youtu.be/sDf3Lr8Mfcc?si=ZRdjndnaKDj1Y0lB
Finland to Japan by bike.

[gotoPzero]

The issue with the southern route is getting from Oman / UAE to India / Pakistan.

I think you might have to think out of the box.

Maybe DM Richard Branson and ask him if you can put your camper on one of his cruise ships at Dubai and then get off at Bombay....

[21st Century Man]

smithyithy said:

OP have you considered flying directly to Japan?

Yeah, I've done that a few times, but it's no fun!

I'm getting on a bit now and I want one last big adventure before I die.

[21st Century Man]

I have no concerns about Iran. Loving the irony that entry may exclude me from the land of the free, but I am going to have to look into that and give it consideration.

Russia is the biggy, morally and practically. I had zero concerns a few years ago, but there is a war on now. However International tourism by Westerners still seems to be going on, surprisingly.

[jasonrobertson86]

It seems like a terrible idea tbh. Plus you have to do it again in reverse.

[RichFN2]

jasonrobertson86 said:

It seems like a terrible idea tbh. Plus you have to do it again in reverse.

In terms of getting from England to Japan then yes as a method of transport it's one of the slowest, most stressful, uncomfortable and practical options going.

As an epic adventure once in a lifetime opportunity? Probably one of the biggest and best you can do, I would never do it in a car. However if I had the time and money I would give it a go using public transport.

[Mars]

I'm following with interest. I had a crazy idea to drive to Sydney, Oz to visit with my cousin in an overland-equipped camper but I couldn't find a route that made sense either.

There are no scheduled ferries to cross much of that part of the world either, so now that Russia is a no no, I just can't work out how it'd be possible. You have to go into Iran and then wend your way across to the Chinese border via Pakistan, India and Bangladesh... which I'm not sure is even possible in a UK registered vehicle.

Once you get to Vietnam, I have read that you can't take a right hand drive car into the country anyway. And if somehow manage to get that far, once in Indonesia, there is no way to get a vehicle across to Malaysia, Indonesia and into Australia.

I think my idea is impossible.


However to get to Japan seems achievable but only through China which, as you've noted, involves a chaperone.


I think I'm just going to ship my camper to Canada and see what that continent has to offer a lone traveller.

[Stick Legs]

If the object of the exercise is one last big adventure then surely Hammerfest to Cape Town is just as impressive & safer.

[JuanCarlosFandango]

It might be missing the point but could you go the other way? Ship to the east coast of Canada/US, then drive across to west coast and ship the car from there to Japan. I know it has more sea and less romance than the silk road but it would still be a heck of an adventure. All the more so if you could ship the car from Mexico.

[tog]

JuanCarlosFandango said:

It might be missing the point but could you go the other way? Ship to the east coast of Canada/US, then drive across to west coast and ship the car from there to Japan. I know it has more sea and less romance than the silk road but it would still be a heck of an adventure. All the more so if you could ship the car from Mexico.

Or carry on down through South America and ship from Valparaíso. A friend did that some years ago, but went on to Oz not Japan.

[daqinggregg]

An idea, not based on any experience.

Is it possible to have the vehicle shipped from mongolia to Shanghai, with you doing that leg by train/plane?

While out and about Mrs. DG took a picture of one of these;



The owner, a local, had it shipped from Chongqing to Harbin 1,844 miles. Cost according to him, 2,000 RMB.

Ulaanbaatar to Shanghai is 2,549 miles, there are probably shippers in Ulaanbaatar well versed in these things.

[fttm]

Mars said:

I'm following with interest. I had a crazy idea to drive to Sydney, Oz to visit with my cousin in an overland-equipped camper but I couldn't find a route that made sense either.

There are no scheduled ferries to cross much of that part of the world either, so now that Russia is a no no, I just can't work out how it'd be possible. You have to go into Iran and then wend your way across to the Chinese border via Pakistan, India and Bangladesh... which I'm not sure is even possible in a UK registered vehicle.

Once you get to Vietnam, I have read that you can't take a right hand drive car into the country anyway. And if somehow manage to get that far, once in Indonesia, there is no way to get a vehicle across to Malaysia, Indonesia and into Australia.

I think my idea is impossible.


However to get to Japan seems achievable but only through China which, as you've noted, involves a chaperone.


I think I'm just going to ship my camper to Canada and see what that continent has to offer a lone traveller.

My cousin cycled to Australia from the UK , took a while as expected but he made it .Re your Canada trip , you'll not regret it and we've seen quite a few Euro reg'd campers here over the the last few summers .
As you were , back on topic .

[LRDefender]

21st Century Man said:

GT03ROB said:

Consider also Turkey -> Georgia -> Azerbaijan -> Ferry to Kazakhstan

Avoids Iran. Turkmenistan is not hospitable either.

Thanks for that, really helpful. I hadn't considered there was a ferry to do that across the Caspian.

Great idea and something I’d like to do. A few observations…..

The land border between Georgia and Azerbaijan remains closed and there are no signs of it opening anytime soon. The Azerbaijan gov seem to be quite isolationist right now but the people seem nice. Azerbaijani people living in Georgia tell me it’s impossible for even them to cross the land border.

The ferry option appears quite tricky and I haven’t heard of any foreign cars doing the crossing over the last 6 months but I guess it might be possible.

The border between Georgia & Russia is open, I was there (on the Georgian side) a couple of months ago and everything appeared quite normal. I use the Military Road from Tbilisi and stay well clear of South Ossetia & Abkhazia.

Only you can decide whether travelling across Russia is acceptable. Western travellers are entering Russia atm and those I’ve spoken to have experienced no problems with the locals. Russians have told me that infrastructure outside the main cities isn’t being repaired or maintained well. I believe foreigners can get the relevant entry permits/paperwork in Yerevan to enter Russia.

There are plenty of western tourists entering Iran right now and I hear many positive things about the country and its people. All the Iranians I meet are lovely people and have zero issues with British (or American) people. Tensions are on the up due to the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy compound.

China has just started to loosen up its visa restrictions wrt internal travel for foreigners but I don’t now how many visas are being issued, if any.

Please keep us updated with your planning and good luck.

[LRDefender]

Just to add that I have seen a few South Korean overland-type cars around Georgia recently so maybe they’ve crossed Russia. If I get the chance I’ll ask them….

[GT03ROB]

LRDefender said:

The land border between Georgia and Azerbaijan remains closed and there are no signs of it opening anytime soon. The Azerbaijan gov seem to be quite isolationist right now but the people seem nice. Azerbaijani people living in Georgia tell me it’s impossible for even them to cross the land border.

The ferry option appears quite tricky and I haven’t heard of any foreign cars doing the crossing over the last 6 months but I guess it might be possible.

I assume that closure must just be for individuals, as I know we have been bringing freight on trucks across the border, then onto ferries from Baku to Kuryk

[LRDefender]

GT03ROB said:

I assume that closure must just be for individuals, as I know we have been bringing freight on trucks across the border, then onto ferries from Baku to Kuryk

As I understand it, freight can move across the border but they must apply for a special transit document from the government in Azerbaijan. The containers have to be sealed and not opened until they have reached their destination. I don’t know if non-Azeri hauliers can apply for the special transit document.

I had a wander through the huge truck car park on the Military Road in Georgia a while back and noticed lots of Azerbaijan trucks and wondered how the crossed the border. Also around Christmas/New Year there were many private Azerbaijan cars around Tbilisi and nobody could explain how they crossed the border. I have been told that the story where the owner of the Azerbaijan national airline asked the President to keep the land border shut to help his airline to flourish. The owner & President are believed to be closely related..!! Ha ha. I’m not sure this story is true…

[Mr Penguin]

I've always wanted to do this, but now is a really bad time to do it IMO. Pretty much any route will take you through countries we aren't on best terms with and all you have to do to be accused of spying and be arrested is get lost and drive too close to a prison, power station, military base etc.

[GT03ROB]

LRDefender said:

GT03ROB said:

I assume that closure must just be for individuals, as I know we have been bringing freight on trucks across the border, then onto ferries from Baku to Kuryk

As I understand it, freight can move across the border but they must apply for a special transit document from the government in Azerbaijan. The containers have to be sealed and not opened until they have reached their destination. I don’t know if non-Azeri hauliers can apply for the special transit document.

I had a wander through the huge truck car park on the Military Road in Georgia a while back and noticed lots of Azerbaijan trucks and wondered how the crossed the border. Also around Christmas/New Year there were many private Azerbaijan cars around Tbilisi and nobody could explain how they crossed the border. I have been told that the story where the owner of the Azerbaijan national airline asked the President to keep the land border shut to help his airline to flourish. The owner & President are believed to be closely related..!! Ha ha. I’m not sure this story is true…

In this part of the world, probably is.