The Quang Ninh Province People’s Committee has approved the pilot of managing private tourist cars to and fro Vietnam through Mong Cai Border Gate.
Vietnamese tourists are allowed to self-drive their cars passing Mong Cai International Border Gate to China for tourism purposes
Accordingly, the pilot plan, approved by the Government and related ministries, is to supervise private automobiles of Chinese tourists passing through Mong Cai International Border Gate to Mong Cai City and Ha Long City in Quang Ninh Province of Vietnam as well as those of Vietnamese tourists entering China.
The pilot plan lasts until the end of September 30, 2026.
The Quang Ninh Province People’s Committee stipulates that the eligible automobiles in this pilot are 9-seat cars and below which are privately owned by an individual or a business, coming for tourism purposes.
These vehicles must be checked by the authorities of each country and receive a transport license. They must have a logo of the tour organizer attached at easy-to-see locations and must go in a group with a leader car. They must follow a predetermined route and are not allowed to separate from the group to travel freely.
Each tour group must not have more than 10 such automobiles, and cannot stay more than 5 days per travel permit. In force majeure events due to broken vehicles, traffic accidents, these tourists can stay for another 3 days at max after being approved by competent authorities.
The tour route for privately controlled cars entering Vietnam is as follows: moving freely inside Mong Cai City and Ha Long City; using National Highway No.18A and the Ha Long – Mong Cai Expressway; not stopping, parking, or moving near military areas or other forbidden areas.
The route to China is as follows: Mong Cai – Dong Hung – Phong Thanh – Lieu Chau – Que Lam (about 600km into China). The tour group must have a leader car from the Chinese tour organizer and observe all necessary procedures regulated by China.
The pilot to allow privately controlled tour cars between China and Ha Long City via Mong Cai International Border Gate happened from September 2016. Until the end of 2019, 35 such automobiles transporting 108 Vietnamese tourists to China. The opposite direction saw 424 cars carrying 1,443 Chinese tourists to Ha Long City. The pilot was then stopped because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Nguyen Quoc – Translated by Vien Hong
