Air, Sea & Railway Shipping from China to Spain

China-Spain relations have existed since the 16th century. Diplomatic relations were established in 1973. Spain is now China’s 7th largest trading partner in the EU, while China is Spain’s largest partner outside the EU.

This is a full guide into cargo shipping from China to Spain, written by one of the leading freight forwarders in China. We take this opportunity to share knowledge and information about shipping method, transit time, cost, best way to ship from China and what you can expect from an experienced freight forwarder for your China-Spain shipments. 

Sea, air and railway freight are the 3 main shipping methods for this trade lane. 

Sea Freight from China to Spain

If your top priority is cost control, then you should probably choose sea freight when shipping goods from China to Spain. 
Over 90% of the world’s total cargo is being shipped by sea every year mainly because of its affordable price. When it comes to large or bulk shipments, shipping by sea makes more sense. Another advantage is, it can accept almost all types of cargo, even those classified as dangerous goods. The obvious disadvantage is slow speed. Shipping by sea from China to Spain takes approx. 1 month. 
The most common sea shipments are FCL and LCL. 
FCL (Full container load): shipping a container filled with goods exclusively for one client from China to Spain. Shipping FCL is more cost efficient
LCL (Less than container load): Sharing a container with other clients who have cargo to the same destination, at the same time. 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.

Flat rack container and open top container are the solution if you have oversized or heavy cargo from China to Spain. For cold-chain transportation, we can opt for reefer container shipping. Also, we charter bulk cargo ship and RO-RO ship for bulk shipment and wheeled cargo. 

Our sea freight forwarding service has overall coverage of both Chinese ports and Spanish ports. Top ports in China: Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, etc. 

Major ports in Spain

Port of Algeciras
Algeciras is the largest port in Spain, 3rd on the Mediterranean, and 9th worldwide.
Container throughput of port of Algeciras in 2021 was 5.12 million TEU, a year-on-year gain of 0.25%. 

Port of Valencia
Valencia is the fifth busiest port in all of Europe, also the second largest in Spain.
In 2021, about 5.6 million TEUs of containers were processed at the Port of Valencia.

Port of Barcelona
Barcelona is situated on the Northeastern coast of Spain and is located in the Catalan Province of the country.
The port is an excellent partner for major European ports along the Mediterranean coast.
Container throughput for the year 2021 reached 3.5 million TEU.

Port of Bilbao
Located in the Bilbao Abra Bay in Basque country this port is also called the exterior port. Bilbao evolved to become the gateway to the European Atlantic Ocean trade routes. It has become the premier port in terms of trade with the United Kingdom.

Port of Malaga
The port of Malaga is located in the city of Malaga in southern Spain, the fifth in Spain and second peninsular in the ranking of cruise ports. 

If you are interested in shipping container or bulk shipment from China to a Spanish port, feel free to contact us for a shipping cost.

Air Freight from China to Spain

When speed is top priority, you should probably choose air freight for your cargo shipping from China to Spain. Using air freight ensures a rapid transit, and usually an air shipment can arrive in Spain from any Chinese airport within 3-5 days. 
Naturally with faster speed, comes higher shipping cost. Air shipping is the most expensive mode of international transportation. However, the money is well spent if you are shipping high-value equipment or luxurious goods, because speed is not the only advantage, air freight is also guaranteed with higher security level. If the cargo to be shipped is perishable products, or you are having a pressing deadline, then shipping by air is the only way. 

Due to some limitations and restrictions of airlines, not everything can be shipped by air, and some may be considered as dangerous goods.  
Contact a freight forwarder for advice on your China-Spain air shipments, get a shipping solution and quote from us.

Airports in Spain

Madrid
Madrid-Barajas International Airport (IATA CODE: MAD) is Spain’s largest airport in terms of both passenger and cargo traffic.
Ranks 5th in Europe and 15th in the world.

Zaragoza
Zaragoza airport (IATA CODE: ZAZ) is a massive cargo hub, the second largest cargo airport in Spain after Madrid-Barajas.
The emphasis at Zaragoza Airport is firmly focused on cargo and not passengers.

Barcelona
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (IATA CODE: BCN) or simply known as Barcelona airport or El Prat Airport, is the main international gateway to Barcelona and the second busiest airport in Spain.

Rail freight from China to Spain

Besides sea and air freight, rail freight is also an option, making cargo shipping from China to Spain more affordable and faster than ever. Transporting goods by train became popular only recently. It is a good substitute considering air shipping is too expensive and maritime transport takes too long. 
The China-Europe rail freight service is considered a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative to boost trade between China and Europe. Transcontinental railway freight from China to the Europe is seeing a sharp rise.
The Yiwu-Madrid Railway Line
The Yiwu–Madrid Railway line is by far the world’s longest freight train route, which is approx. 13,000 kilometers, connecting the Chinese city Yiwu with the Spanish city Madrid.
The first freight train connecting the Chinese city Yiwu and Madrid Spain was launched in November 2014. The freight train made its 21-day journey through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France and reach Madrid on 9 Dec, 2014.
The second longest railway route is the Yiwu-London Railway Line, learn more about shipping from China to the UK
(June 2021) A major China-Europe freight train route linking Yiwu and Madrid had seen deliveries surge 72% in the first 5 months.
Several Chinese cities including Chongqing, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Xi’an and Shenyang have rail freight services to Europe as well.

If you are interested in China-Spain freight train service, consult our team for a shipping solution and freight quote.

How long does it take to ship from China to the Spain?

It takes 20-40 days to ship by sea from China to Spain, 1-5 days by air, and approx 20 days by freight train. 
The acutal transit time could be slightly different.

China-Spain sea freight transit time

Container shipping transit time by sea from China to Spain (Algeciras, Valencia, Barcelona)

POL (Port of Loading)	POD (Port of Discharge)	Transit time
Shanghai	Algeciras	25 days
Shanghai	Valencia	30 days
Shanghai	Barcelona	32 days
Shenzhen	Algeciras	22 days
Shenzhen	Valencia	29 days
Shenzhen	Barcelona	25 days
Qingdao	Algeciras	32 days
Qingdao	Valencia	46 days
Qingdao	Barcelona	42 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 Spain.
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-Spain air shipping transit time

Generally an air shipment from China takes 3-5 days to arrive in Spain.
And from some Chinese cities to Madrid and Barcelona, there are direct flight services, which make 1-day delivery. 
Beijing/Shanghai/Chengdu – Madrid/Barcelona
Flight routes are subject to change without prior notice, please consult our team for the latest information in the event you have air shipment from China to Spain. 
Contact us and get shipping cost from China.

China-Spain freight train transit time

Cargo shipped with freight train from China to Spain takes approx. 20 days. 
Even if the Yiwu-Madrid Railway Line is the longest in the world, the railway transit time is reduced to only half compared to sea freight. 
If you want to ship containers faster from China to Spain, try rail freight next time. Get a quote from us.

Best way to ship from China to Spain

No matter what the situation is, the best way of shipping from China to Spain is to rely on an experienced freight forwarder for their knowledge and advice in shipping and the best way must meets these 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
For the freight forwarder to work out the best shipping solution tailored to your needs, the below factors will be taken into consideration.
1.    The type of goods and its value
2.    How quickly you need your goods
3.    The load of your goods (size, weight, quantity) or simply share the packing list
4.    Supplier address (origin seaport/airport), delivery address(destination seaport/airport)
5.    Your budget
6.    Goods ready time
Get in touch with us by filling in the form and get your shipping cost from us, we’ll work out a tailored China-Spain shipping solution, and this is the start of a hassle-free cargo shipping experience with UCS.

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

Shipping a 40ft container from China to Spain used to cost $1500, the highest record reached $15000 after the pandemic. 
It’s hard to provide a general estimate of shipping cost from China to Spain. Every shipment could be different, and clients may prefer different mode of transportation, and have other requirements. Besides, the shipping market is fast changing, sea freight, air freight and railway freight rates fluctuate too frequently. 
Knowing the shipping cost from China to Spain is essential to your business. Shipping cost is an indispensable, and sometimes could be a large percent of the final landed cost of imported goods. But one thing is sure, the faster you want your shipment, the higher shipping cost you’ll have to spend.
A “landed cost” is the final cost of product plus all associated shipping and logistics costs for delivering the goods to its destination, with insurance and import duty paid. 
The formula can be simplified as: product cost + shipping + insurance + import duty

For a shipping cost from China to Spain, fill in the quote form, we’ll get back to you shortly.

Freight forwarder for China-Spain door to door shipping

China-Spain freight forwarder

Everybody’s got his specialty and expertise. Why not use an experienced freight forwarder to handle all your China-Spain shipments? In this way, you got more time and energy to bring the best out of on your main business. 
And for us too, as one of the leading China based freight forwarders serving Spain, shipping and logistics is our job, we have the knowledge, expertise and experience to guarantee the most accurate answers and optimal shipping solutions tailored to your needs. 
With the help of our professional freight forwarding team, your shipment will be well planned and carried out smoothly. Moreover, sea carriers, airlines and railway have limited reach, through our freight forwarding service, door to door shipping is made possible.

Door to door shipping from China to Spain

UCS provides the easiest one-stop door to door shipping solution from China to Spain.

You in the right place if you are looking for an easy way to have your goods shipped from China to Spain door to door. Maybe you are new into trade and shipping, maybe you are just not interested in handling the logistics and shipping on your own, we the one you could turn to, and we take care of everything. 

Whatever your shipment is, 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. 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.

You are released from all the complexity and perplexity related to international shipping. China-Spain door to door shipping is easy with UCS.
Get a quote from us

How to ship from China to Spain?

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 rely on us for one-stop door to door shipping service, we'll take care of everything for you.

Why us when importing and shipping from China to Spain?

We are China based freight forwarder, specialized and experienced in international logistics for China-Spain import and export business. With years of hard effort on China-Spain 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 Spain. For importers from Spain, 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 Spain

As one of the top China based freight forwarders serving Spain, we have been connecting business in Spain with China, aiming to streamline your supply chain and guarantee a stress-free cargo shipping experience. 

If you are considering shipping from China to Spain (Algeciras, Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, etc), whether by sea, air or railway, contact us for a tailored shipping solution and up-to-date shipping cost for your China-Spain shipment.