Driving the National Highway 318 from China to Nepal
China National Highway 318 (G318), the Shanghai-Tibet Highway, is 5,476 kilometers (3,403 miles) long, running from Shanghai to the international border with Nepal. The route is the main commercial road into the Tibetan plateau.
| Road facts: National Highway 318 (G318) | |
|---|---|
| Location | Shanghai to Gyirong (Tibet), China |
| Length | 5,476 km (3,403 miles) |
| Max Elevation | 5,220 m (17,125 ft) at Gyatso La |
| Surface | Paved / Asphalt Highway |
Where does National Highway 318 start and end?
The G318 highway begins in central Shanghai and crosses eight provinces before entering Tibet. The final section from Lhasa down to the Nepal border is known as the Friendship Highway. The route ends at the Gyirong Port border crossing, connecting with the Arniko Highway toward Kathmandu.
Is the G318 highway paved?
The highway is fully paved with asphalt designed for heavy transport trucks. A main structure on the route is the Sidu River Bridge in Hubei Province, which built the road deck 496 meters above the valley floor. The entire highway has two lanes, with concrete retaining walls on the mountainsides.
What is the highest point on National Highway 318?
The highest elevation on the route is the summit of Gyatso La Pass, at 5,220m (17,125ft) above sea level. At this altitude, the engine power drops due to thin air. Ice forms on the asphalt during the night inside the shaded mountain cuts where the sun does not hit the road surface.
How challenging is the drive on the G318 into Tibet?
Multi-axle cargo trucks move slowly up the switchbacks, creating queues on the single uphill lanes and forcing cars into overtaking maneuvers. The mountain sectors are prone to rockfalls from the shale cliffs and landslides triggered by summer monsoon rains that deposit mud onto the traffic lanes.