How long does rail freight from China to Germany take?

An estimated 32–40 calendar days, from Chongqing, Chengdu or Yiwu via Alashankou to Duisburg. Oversized rail with truck delivery takes 30–38 days.

How long does sea freight from China to Germany take?

45–52 calendar days to pickup, including sorting in Germany. Sea + truck delivers straight to Amazon warehouses in Germany.

Is rail freight cheaper than sea freight?

No. Sea is the cheapest option; rail costs less than air and is faster than sea. Reference prices from 100 kg: sea from €1.25/kg, rail from €1.65/kg.

Can battery products go by rail?

Yes, rail takes battery products. Please send product details first for power banks, non-standard batteries and energy storage devices.

Which lanes deliver to Amazon warehouses in Germany?

All of them. Rail and sea + truck run trucks straight to busy Amazon warehouses such as DTM2, HAJ1 and KSF7; air delivers by UPS. Other addresses carry a delivery surcharge.

Rail or Sea Freight from China to Germany?

Rail freight from China to Germany takes 32–40 days, sea freight 45–52 days. Rail is faster and takes batteries; sea is the cheapest option for large volumes that can wait. When the stock is needed sooner, trucking via Central Asia takes 16–22 days and air 8–14 days.

All four are Shenma Fastship DDP lanes from 100 kg, with duty and import VAT included: sea from €1.25/kg, rail from €1.65/kg, trucking from €2.30/kg, air from €5.50/kg. These are reference prices; the quote for your goods is binding.

Rail, Sea, Trucking and Air Compared

Rail: from €1.65/kg, 32–40 calendar days from Chongqing, Chengdu or Yiwu via Alashankou to Duisburg; batteries accepted; trucked straight to Amazon warehouses in Germany
Sea / sea + truck: from €1.25/kg, 45–52 calendar days, sorted in Germany; trucks straight to Amazon warehouses
Trucking: from €2.30/kg, 16–22 days from departure, loaded in Shenzhen, weekly cut-off Saturday 16:00 (Beijing Time)
Air: from €5.50/kg, 8–14 calendar days from handover to pickup, delivered by UPS; only 50% of the volumetric excess is billed

When to Choose Which

Air: first batches to get listed, samples, stock-outs
Trucking: restocks that can't wait a month, on a fixed weekly rhythm
Rail: battery products, and medium volumes where air is too expensive and sea too slow
Sea: large volumes and steady sellers that can spend about seven weeks in transit
Combined: the first batch by air, then restocks by trucking, rail or sea

The Same Billing on Every Lane

From 100 kg, on the greater of actual and volumetric weight, L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000
At least 12 kg billed per carton
Addresses other than Amazon warehouses carry a delivery surcharge
Standard lanes take cartons; pallets and crates go on the oversized lanes
With your own EORI and VAT ID, VAT deferment is cheaper than DDP

Frequently Asked Questions

Warehouses

Dongguan
Building 3, No. 4 Chenwu East Road, Houjie Town, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
Shenzhen
Unit 101, No. 6 Ruikang Road, Hangcheng Subdistrict, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Yiwu
No. 755 Xuefeng West Road, Beiyuan Subdistrict, Yiwu, Zhejiang, China
Xiamen
Unit 7-106A, Phase II, Jiasheng Logistics Park, Pulin Road, Guankou Town, Jimei District, Xiamen, Fujian, China
Fuzhou
No. 41 Dutou, Menkou Village, Xiangqian Town, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
Ningbo
West No. 2, Terminal 2, Ningbo Lishe International Airport, Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
Shanghai
Building B7, Lane 3199 Jiasong Middle Road, Huaxin Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai, China
Qingdao
Unit 101, Building 4, China Eastern Logistics Park, Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport, Jiaozhou, Qingdao, Shandong, China

We run our own pickup points across China, so we can collect from your door quickly wherever you are. Ningbo, Shanghai and Qingdao handle our highest volumes, so dropping off there is fast too.

Ready to Ship?

Tell us your destination and cargo details, and our team will match you with the best channel.