China to Europe & UK: Air, Sea, Rail and Trucking

Lines to Europe and the UK

Europe offers more ways to ship: air, sea, rail, and trucking overland. Germany, France, Italy and Spain are the main destinations, and we deliver to the other EU countries as well; the UK has left the EU, but we ship there too. Estimated transit times:

• Air: 8–14 calendar days from handover to pickup, delivered by UPS; fast lines 8–11 days; the express line 5–8 days after cut-off, to Amazon and four major overseas warehouses only
• Oversized air: 8–12 calendar days, delivered by FedEx, wooden crates, frames, flight cases and flat pallets only
• Trucking: loaded in Shenzhen, leaving China via Xinjiang through Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus to Poland and Belgium, 16–22 calendar days from departure to pickup, loading every Saturday
• Rail: from Chongqing, Chengdu or Yiwu via Alashankou to Duisburg, cleared and delivered from Belgium, 32–40 calendar days; oversized rail with truck delivery 30–38 days
• Sea: 45–52 calendar days, sorted in Germany for parcel delivery, with a France / Italy / Spain line and sea + truck straight to Amazon warehouses; oversized cargo delivered by DHL and truck
• UK: air 7–11 calendar days, delivered by DPD; sea 36–42 calendar days; oversized lines by air and by sea

DDP or VAT Deferment

Both are used mostly for Amazon sellers' goods. With DDP we clear customs and pay the duty and import VAT, all included in the freight rate. With VAT deferment, customs clearance uses the importer's own EORI and VAT numbers: import VAT is accounted for in the VAT return, duty is billed at cost, and the freight rate is lower than DDP.

• Importer details for deferment: company name, address, business licence and a scan of the legal representative's ID
• The importer needs valid EORI and VAT numbers, with the VAT number registered in a country other than Belgium
• UK deferment (postponed VAT accounting) needs a VAT details form and an authorisation letter; the letter is only needed once per VAT number
• Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Portugal may require a second customs clearance; oversized cargo to Romania, Greece and Bulgaria needs a VAT number and UIT code

Oversized Cargo and Traditional Trade

Furniture, machinery, palletised goods and other oversized cargo, mostly from traditional trade, can go by oversized air or by sea or rail with truck delivery.

• Wooden crates, frames, flight cases and flat pallets only, on feet at least 10 cm high; we can pack for you
• Oversized air: up to 300 × 200 × 220 cm and 1,300 kg per piece
• Oversized sea and rail: DHL and truck delivery, up to 4 m long per piece and 1.5 t per pallet
• The consignee must be able to unload; ask us for a tail-lift truck; no delivery to offshore islands
• Wooden furniture needs a commodity inspection

Billing and Packing

• Billed per kg on the greater of gross weight and volumetric weight, L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000; some air lines share the volumetric difference 50/50
• Minimum 12 kg billed per carton; sea + truck with VAT deferment is billed per CBM, with 1 CBM counted as 500 kg
• Parcel lines take cartons only; wooden crates, flight cases and pallets go on the oversized lines
• More than 5 product types per shipment and delivery to non-Amazon addresses cost a surcharge
• Goods for the EU must carry a CE mark that meets EU standards

Quoted Separately

Sea LCL, full containers (FCL), consolidated cargo and sensitive goods are not on our standard lines. Send us the product, number of cartons, weight, volume and destination for a separate quote. Please check textiles, toys and liquids with us before shipping.