Shipping from China to Germany|Sea,Air&Railway Freight

Germany, bordering Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria to the southeast, and Switzerland to the south-southwest, is the seventh-largest country in Europe. For import, China remains the biggest trade partners of Germany (for the sixth year in a row by Jan, 2022). While in terms of export, Germany major trading partners are the United States, France, China, etc.

Explore a comprehensive guide into cargo shipping from China to Germany, written by one of the best freight forwarder team. The content below includes shipping method, time, cost, how to decide the best way to ship from China, and what to expect from a freight forwarder for your China-Germany shipments. 

For China-Germany trade lane, 3 main shipping methods are available, sea, air and railway freight.

Sea Freight from China to Germany

Sea freight by far is the most widely chosen shipping method by German importers when importing goods from China. Due to its low shipping cost, and ability to transport large & heavy cargo, sea freight accounts for over 90% of the total cargoes shipped every year. As everybody can imagine, the disadvantage of sea freight is the long transit time. It’s indeed a long journey from China ports, through the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, which takes 30-40 days in general. If time is not a priority, or your supply chain requires shipping from China to Germany at the minimum cost, then sea freight is the right way to go.
Most regular sea shipments with container ships are FCL and LCL. FCL (Full container load): shipping a container filled with goods exclusively for one client from China to Germany. Shipping FCL is more cost efficient. LCL (Less than container load): Sharing a container with other clients who have cargo at the same time, to the same destination. Naturally, due to extra work (consolidation, de-consolidation, warehousing, paperwork, etc.), the final cost on each unit is higher than FCL, and shipping takes longer. LCL is a good choice for small business to start with. 
Additionally, for oversized & heavy cargo from China, we are using flat rack container or open top container; for large and bulk shipment, bulk cargo ship and RO-RO ship for vehicles and other wheeled cargo. 
As a leading China freight forwarding companies serving Germany, we have overall coverage of both Chinese ports and German ports. Top ports in China: Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, etc.
German ports as below

Major ports in Germany

In Germany, the two major ports are Hamburg and Bremerhaven, and they play a leading role in the container shipping market.
Hamburg (DEHAM)
Largest port in Germany
3rd busiest port in Europe (after Rotterdam and Antwerp)
Ranked 19th in the world.
Germany’s “Gateway to the World”
22 berths for container ships and 4 container terminals
Equipped with over 40 cranes.

Bremerhaven (DEBRV)
It’s several ports located alongside the Wesser River. 
2nd busiest seaport in Germany, 4th in Europe, ranked 16th in the world

If you are interested in shipping to a German port from China, contact us for a shipping solution and freight quote. 

Air freight from China to Germany

Air freight is the fastest way to have your goods shipped from China to Germany. It’s the best option when shipping high value goods, urgent orders or perishable products or when you are having a pressing deadline. Shorter transit time means faster cash-flow, consequentially more turnover, and less chance of possible damage during the international transport from China to Germany. Naturally, faster speed comes at higher cost, shipping the same goods by air from China to Germany is far more expensive than shipping by sea. 
However, not everything is considered safe for airlines, and due to limited airplane space, air freight is not a good choice for shipping large items, and become financially for bulk shipment. 

Anyway, the most professional freight forwarder is here to help, contact us for advice and the latest info about China-Germany air shipping.
Request a shipping quote from us

Major airports in Germany

Frankfurt airport (IATA CODE: FRA)
The busiest airport in Germany, 4th in Europe
Direct flights from China to Frankfurt available with several airlines including Lufthansa.

Munich airport (IATA CODE: MUC)
Germany’s second largest airport and the 9th in Europe. 
Over a third of air shipments are handled by Munich airport. 
Several airlines have direct flights between China to Munich.

Other airports are: 
Dusseldorf (IATA CODE: DUS)
Hamburg (IATA CODE: HAM)

Rail freight from China to Germany

If you are shipping containers from China to Germany, but do not wish to wait one month, then railway freight is a perfect choice. Rail freight is still a relatively new but popular option for importing goods from China to Europe. It’s the perfect balance in between when air freight is too expensive and maritime takes too long. 

Freight train connecting Chongqing China with Duisburg, Germany

Yu'Xin'Ou Railway (Chongqing–Xinjiang–Europe Railway) is a freight rail route linking Chongqing with Duisburg, Germany. It passes through Kazakhstan, and moves through Russia, Belarus and Poland before arriving in Duisburg. The railway is part of a growing rail network connecting China and Europe along the New Silk Road.

Other railway freight route from China to Germany

A freight train service bound for Hamburg departed from Xuzhou On Nov 28, 2020, after pandemic disrupted sea and air shipping.
On Oct 26, 2021, the first “Shanghai Express” of China-Europe freight train carrying 50 containers arrived in Hamburg, Germany after over 10,000KM travel.
COSCO launched a new China-Europe freight train route, connecting Qingdao, China with Mannheim on Feb 18, 2022, embarking on its 12,300-km journey.

Not all available railway routes are listed here, consult our team for latest info, customized shipping solution and up-to-date shipping cost from China to Germany. 

How long does shipping from China to Germany take?

It takes 30-50 days to ship goods from China to Germany by sea, 3-7 days by air, and 15-18 days by freight train.
The final shipping time may be different due to space availability, congestion, weather and other factors. 

China-Germany sea freight transit time 

Container shipping transit time by sea from China to Germany (Hamburg, Bremerhaven)

Qingdao	Hamburg	47 days
Qingdao	Bremerhaven	40
Shanghai	Hamburg	40 days
Shanghai	Bremerhaven	35 days
Yantian, Shenzhen	Hamburg	30 days
Yantian, Shenzhen	Bremerhaven	25-30 days

FYI: Shanghai in East China, Shenzhen South China, and Qingdao North China, data from these 3 ports is enough to demonstrate the sea shipping time from China to Germany.
The transit time by sea, port to port, depends on the specific origin and destination ports chosen, service route, sailing schedule and choice on carrier.
Above transit time is for full container load shipping, port to port only.
For LCL shipping time estimate, pls add 7-10 days

China-Germany air shipping transit time

Generally, by air, cargo shipped from China to Germany takes 3-5 days, some remote airports may take a little longer. Air shipping is fast, no matter from which airport of China, to which airport of Germany, 3-7 days should be enough. 
With some airline with direct flight service, it can arrive on the same day of departure, and delivery takes place on the second day of arrival. 
Direct flight routes: 
Shanghai – Frankfurt
Guangzhou – Frankfurt
Beijing – Frankfurt
Flight routes are subject to change, contact us for the latest update and air shipping cost from China to Germany

China-Germany freight train transit time

Shipping containers by freight train from China to Germany usually takes 15-18 days (station to station or hub to hub). 
In peak season or when there’s congestion, the shipping time will be prolonged. 

Best way to ship from China to Germany

It’s hard to define what the best way is to ship from China to Germany. But we are always using the below criteria.
1.    Speed: fast delivery (as fast as possible, before a pressing deadline if there’s one)
2.    Cost: within the planned budget, at the minimum cost
3.    Safety: to have your goods arrive in good condition
4.    Other customized requirements
Every client is different, and has his specific requirements at the specific time, plus the fast changing shipping market. The best way is to rely on an experienced freight forwarder for their knowledge and insight on your China-Germany shipments. We are expecting these details of shipment. 
1.    The type of goods and its value
2.    How quickly you need your goods
3.    The load of your goods (size, weight, quantity)
4.    Supplier address (origin seaport/airport), delivery address(destination seaport/airport)
5.    Your budget
6.    Goods ready time
We’ll consider the factors above and offer a tailored China-Germany shipping solution and cost, and a hassle-free shipping experience starts here. 

How much does it cost to ship from China to Germany?

Shipping a 40ft container from China to Germany used to cost $1000-2000, and the record high is over $15000. Similar case with air shipping and freight train. 
There no general estimate of shipping cost from China to Germany. Knowing the shipping cost is essential if you are importing from China to Germany. Shipping cost is an indispensable, and sometimes constitutes a significant percent of the final landed cost of imported goods. One thing is true, the quicker you wish to receive the shipment, the more you’ll have to pay for shipping.

Each shipment is different, and clients may prefer different shipping methods. Besides, the shipping market is fast changing. Sea, air and railway freight rates fluctuate with time, also affected by supply and demand relationship, as well as by carrier’s strategic adjustment.
Get a tailored shipping solution and freight quote from China to Germany.

Freight forwarder for China-Germany door to door shipping

As a leading China based freight forwarder serving Germany, we have the expertise and experience to provide the most accurate answers and optimal shipping solutions tailored to your needs. 
Shipping from China to Germany is a tough job and the market is fast changing. Everybody has got limited time and energy, why not count on an experienced China-Germany freight forwarder to free you from all the trouble and complexity of international logistics? 
With our help, your shipment will be accelerated and taken good care of, and freight management made simple. Moreover, through our freight forwarding service, door to door shipping from China to Germany is made possible. 
We provide the easiest one-stop shipping solution, i.e. to have their goods shipped from China to Germany door to door. We take care of all the related logistics work from A to Z, all the required paperwork, supervision, consolidation, loading, offloading, customs clearance and final delivery, without adding any stress on clients. 
Whether you are shipping a private address, or commercial address or FBA address, regardless of which shipping method you prefer, sea, air, or rail freight, we got you covered. You are released from all the complexity and perplexity.
China-Germany shipping could be so easy with the right freight forwarder

How to ship from China to Germany

Step 1: Contact a freight forwarder; a China based one is preferred. (More on “Why you should work with a local China freight forwarder”)
Step 2: Submit shipment details and get a shipping quote from China
Step 3: Connect the freight forwarder with supplier, forwarder does his job
Step 4: Get cargo insurance (optional)
Step 5: Arrange customs clearance
Or reply on us for a one-stop shipping solution. 

Why us when importing and shipping from China to Germany?

We are China based freight forwarder, specialized and experienced in international logistics for import and export business between China and Germany. With years of hard effort on China-Germany trade lane, building networks of sea, air, railway and local connections, we are able to provide a hassle-free one-stop shipping solution from China to Germany. For importers from Germany, we have the below reasons for you to choose us as freight forwarder for your freight shipping from China.
1.    Quick Response, high efficiency
2.    Communication
3.    Professionalism, agility, accuracy
4.    Our logistics expertise, local and global connections
5.    Cost-saving
6.    Dedicated, focused
7.    Higher attention & tailored shipping solution
More on Why us when importing and shipping from China to Germany

As one of the leading China freight forwarders, we help build the connections between China and Germany, aiming to simplify and improve your supply chain while ensuring a hassle-free cargo shipping experience. 

If you are interested in shipping from China to Germany (Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf, Duisburg, Nuremberg, etc.), whether by sea, air or railway, contct us for a shipping solution and cost for your China-Germany shipments.