Now you can drive from India to Thailand

[wabothai]

Sounds like fun. That is from Thailand to India. Then to Europe and back.

Problem is that many cars in Thailand do not have heating. Not even my new chevy.

[reptile91602]

I am thinking to do this but hate the thought of the return trip. Have to accept it all together.

[Ebenezer]

This documentary the trip about is even more interesting. You'll hardly recognise Bangkok or Singapore.

Since I first read the book years ago this trip has fascinated me.

It is a tragedy that politically we have screwed up our world so much that this trip in it's entirety from London to Singapore will probably never be made again. At least this, the 'holy grail' of overland routes if you will, is open.

Brilliant! a fascinating view of the world from the 50's!

Agreed, a fascinating journey and an amazing adventure for the time

[Furryman]

Are they letting people ride motorcycles across the border yet? If so, I'd love to check this ride out.

[dao16]

Drive?

Plane?

I am thinking bicycle - 2 months should be enough, plus a detour into Bangladesh for a week ( best kept cycling secret for those in the know)

Myanmar - Visa needed

Bangladesh- Visa needed

India - Visa needed

Now, what other countries between India and ol Blighty? Which route?

That's the first thing that passed my mind, too....I wonder if it would be a nice route by bike. I have been wanting to do this route for YEARS. Also, I wonder what the permit situation is like in the northeastern states of India. Used to be you had to have special transit permits on top of your visa just to go through them.

This is great timing for me, too....you reckon 2 months? I seriously have some research to do! Butterflies in my stomach.

[malt25]

Why would people want to unless they have time to waste, for me I would not have the time to do this so I would rather get there in a matter of hours by plane

Sight seeing. Adventure. Meet all sort of people. See the world. + + + + + + + + +.

But you do come across as somewhat boring.

[Furryman]

Drive?

Plane?

I am thinking bicycle - 2 months should be enough, plus a detour into Bangladesh for a week ( best kept cycling secret for those in the know)

Myanmar - Visa needed

Bangladesh- Visa needed

India - Visa needed

Now, what other countries between India and ol Blighty? Which route?

It looks like the highway goes through the little strip of India north of Bangladesh, so that is one less visa, unless you want to take a detour.

[Mahseer]

Yes that route rides around Bangladesh and both Burma and India offer online visas for 30 days each so no drama there but restricted area permits for Nagaland and Manipur need resarching as does overall situation in Manipur which can get lively.

[aussiebrian]

I had 5 friends from India that did that and more earlier this year on 5 Harleys. They took 4 days to get through Burma, but needed an escort vehicle. HOI stands for Harley Owners India, and you were thinking something else..

If anyone is interested in doing the trip, IM me, I have contacts that can arrange passage through Burma.

Edited September 3, 2015 by aussiebrian

[natway09]

Sorry Lee ,,,,,, but they are both beautiful countries & sometimes it is great not just to look down from the air

but take time to smell the flowers as well

[craigt3365]

Sorry Lee ,,,,,, but they are both beautiful countries & sometimes it is great not just to look down from the air

but take time to smell the flowers as well

100% agree. I try not to fly if possible. Sometimes, there's no other choice. But even doing a train can be very interesting. If you have the time....

[northernphil]

4 of us went from England to India in 1970 , i was the eldest at 23 , I think we only needed a visa for Afghanistan , no probs with Iran either. 15 countries in 15 weeks., Sold the '62 Bedford Dormobile in Kathmandu to some indians from Delhi. I did bring the slides of the trip out to LoS and the projector is 2ft away from where I sit now. Great journey with great stories.

[NeverSure]

The article notes it is a 4,500 km trip and takes 14 days !!!!!

Holy Dark Nebulas Starman ! We go to Chiang Mai and back every year (2,400 kms) and that takes a week, with short routes each way and a free day in Chiang Mai. (In Canada I've gone from Vancouver to Kingston, Ontario (just over 4,600 kms) in 4.5 days, but that is in Canada and basically going 100 km/hr (average) for 10 hours a day.)

It also notes you need a visa for Myanmar. Depending on your nationality you may need one for India as well (I did the couple times I went through there). Hmmm, what to pack and when would be the best time of year to go ?

(Is India's monsoon season the same as Thailand's ? I thought when I was in Afghanistan that I read something about them being during a different time of the year.)

I can relate. A couple of years ago I drove from Portland, Oregon to Norfolk, Virginia in 54 hours elapsed time. Google Earth says that's 2.960 miles (4,760 kms) and 43 hours driving time. I guess that left me 11 hours to sleep, eat, buy gas, and most important, stop and use the restroom, LOL. It was far more leisurely coming back but I had to get there with my pickup and grab something quickly.

Google Earth thinks one could drive from London to Bangkok but

I'm not up for that 555.

[roamer]

Why would people want to unless they have time to waste, for me I would not have the time to do this so I would rather get there in a matter of hours by plane

I don't get that you don't get it ? I'm almost geriatric by traveler standards and when I fly I often opt for business class to make it bearable. But how is this trip "wasted" time ? It would be uncomfortable, full of hassles and annoyances to say the least. It would also be awe inspiring, full of moments you will never regret and sights you could never imagine.

Actually, I have also wasted time here because you won't get me either will you ?

[phuketrichard]

4 of us went from England to India in 1970 , i was the eldest at 23 , I think we only needed a visa for Afghanistan , no probs with Iran either. 15 countries in 15 weeks., Sold the '62 Bedford Dormobile in Kathmandu to some indians from Delhi. I did bring the slides of the trip out to LoS and the projector is 2ft away from where I sit now. Great journey with great stories.

did it in '75 but using bus's trains, taxi's from Amsterdam

needed a visa for; Syria, Egypt, Jordon, Israel, Iran, Iraqi, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India & Nepal ( American)

took me 4 months;

than came back working for Magic bus :-)

In 82 did 15 months on Bicycle,

Thailand, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia , Tahiti

Traveling by road is the best way to travel unless all you want do is go from city to city

[ignis]

4 of us went from England to India in 1970 , i was the eldest at 23 , I think we only needed a visa for Afghanistan , no probs with Iran either. 15 countries in 15 weeks., Sold the '62 Bedford Dormobile in Kathmandu to some indians from Delhi. I did bring the slides of the trip out to LoS and the projector is 2ft away from where I sit now. Great journey with great stories.

did it in '75 but using bus's trains, taxi's from Amsterdam

needed a visa for; Syria, Egypt, Jordon, Israel, Iran, Iraqi, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India & Nepal ( American)

took me 4 months;

than came back working for Magic bus :-)

In 82 did 15 months on Bicycle,

Thailand, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia , Tahiti

Traveling by road is the best way to travel unless all you want do is go from city to city

Forgot the good old days and the Magic Bus, and if you wanted to go to the USA there was Freddie Laker Air..

[phuketrichard]

we flew back in the early 70's with Icelandic air

New York- Reykjavík Iceland - Luxemburg :-)

[grin]

As to being a death highway one contributing factor may be that they drive on the right with cars where the driver sits on the right. Not sure, but Myanmar could be the only country that does this.

There are several travel agencies that sell packages from Mae Sot that include the guide car and driver and hotel stays for 5 or 6 days. It is fairly expensive unless you organize a caravan of several cars. Motorcycles are allowed as well. A carnet de passage is needed for vehicles.

[KNJ]

Drive?

Plane?

I am thinking bicycle - 2 months should be enough, plus a detour into Bangladesh for a week ( best kept cycling secret for those in the know)

Myanmar - Visa needed

Bangladesh- Visa needed

India - Visa needed

Now, what other countries between India and ol Blighty? Which route?

It looks like the highway goes through the little strip of India north of Bangladesh, so that is one less visa, unless you want to take a detour.

Yes most definitely a detour. Avoid Dhaka but the countryside is one of the best kept cycling secrets. I spent a year there. Getting out of or into Dhaka is horrendous but the countryside a completely different matter

[CNXBKKMAN]

Check out crazyguyonabike.com and do a search of the Burmese/Myanmar journals to get some current info on roads(dirt roads). I vaguely remember its hellish during the hot season, not many hotels and they are expensive and crap. Also some roads are directional. One day all the vehicles can say travel north, the following day the traffic is only allowed going south.

[balo]

Does this mean I can drive my thai licensed car to India if I have the proper visas ?

Edited September 6, 2015 by balo

[Furryman]

Does this mean I can drive my thai licensed car to India if I have the proper visas ?

Unless the rules have changed, and I think we would have heard about that here, no you cannot take a Thai registered vehicle into Myanmar.

[ignis]

Does this mean I can drive my thai licensed car to India if I have the proper visas ?

Unless the rules have changed, and I think we would have heard about that here, no you cannot take a Thai registered vehicle into Myanmar.

Bit difficult to drive without taking a car !!

but the topic states India to Thailand maybe you cannot drive Thailand to India ? are Indian cars aloud into Myanmar ? or into Thailand for that matter

Edited September 8, 2015 by ignis

[grin]

The Carnet de Passage is like a passport for vehicles. It allows you to take a Thai registered vehicle into Myanmar.

Grin

[Furryman]

The Carnet de Passage is like a passport for vehicles. It allows you to take a Thai registered vehicle into Myanmar.

Grin

True, but Thailand is not a signatory of the CPD treaty and from everything I have read it is very hard to get a CPD in Thailand for a Thai vehicle.