Sea, Air, Rail Freight Shipping from China to Turkey

Turkey, strategically located at an intersection of Western Asia and Southeast Europe, is a significant player in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Germany ranks the 1st place as destination of Turkish exports, while in terms of imports, China is Turkey’s largest trading partner. 

If you are a Turkish importer, keep reading, and this guide by a leading China based freight forwarder is certainly gonna help with your cargo shipping from China to Turkey. The following content includes shipping method, timing, cost, how to decide the best way to ship, and what to expect from dedicated freight forwarding agent when they take care of your shipments from China to Turkey.

3 main shipping methods from China to Turkey are available, air/sea shipping and freight train service.

Sea freight from China to Turkey

Sea freight accounts for over 90% of the total cargo shipped every year and of course when it comes to shipping from China to Turkey, it’s the first choice to most exporters and importers. The very best reason for most clients choosing sea freight over others is its low shipping cost, especially when the shipped goods are low value or come in bulk quantity. Understand that China-Turkey sea freight shipping takes approx. 1 month, not good if you are coordinating time-sensitive shipments. 
With container ships, we are sending FCL, LCL shipments and OOG cargo from China to Turkey. Sometimes we arrange bulk cargo ship and RORO ship for special projects. 
FCL: Using one container exclusively for your goods from China to Turkey
LCL: Sharing one container with other clients who happen to ship to the same destination from the same origin at the same time. 
We offer one-stop sea freight forwarding services to Turkey, covering all China major ports Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, etc. 

Main seaports of Turkey

Istanbul
Istanbul has 2 ports, one is Haydarpasa, situated in Asia part, another Ambarli in Europe part.
The Port of Haydarpaşa is a general cargo seaport, RO-RO and container terminal. 
The port of Ambarli consists of Kumport, Mardas, Marport, etc. Ambarli is a Turkish gateway to Europe. 
Mersin
The port of Mersin is the largest port in the country. It’s close to major international markets of the Middle East, North Africa, Mediterranean, Europe, etc. With connectivity with more than 100 international ports, it plays an essential role in Turkey’s trade with the world. 
Izmir
Izmir is the largest seaport and the third largest city in Turkey. Port of Izmir handles various kinds of cargo including containers, RO-RO, breakbulk, etc. It’s connected by railway, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars freight train route. 
Aliaga
Port of Aliaga is another seaport located in Izmir.
Gemlik
Gemlik is an industrial port and it has a free zone trade center. The port of Gemlik is one of the busiest import harbors in Turkey.
Other Turkish ports include: Antalya, Evyap, Iskenderun, Izmit, Gebze. 

Air freight from China to Turkey

Air freight is the fastest way of shipping cargo from China to Turkey, also the most expensive way. It’s not so often used due to its high cost, but there may be cases when time is of top priority, maybe you are shipping emergency supplies, maybe the goods shipped from China is perishable, and can’t wait one month to cross the ocean to Turkey, maybe for the higher safety of air freight when choosing it for luxurious goods or high value equipment shipping. 
However, airplane can’t ship everything, it has its limitations and restrictions. 
Contact a China freight forwarder for advice and ensure a fast delivery of air shipment from China to Turkey, get a shipping solution and cost. 

Main airports in Turkey

Istanbul (IATA CODE: IST)
Istanbul airport located in the European part of Istanbul, is the busiest airport in Europe. With its unique strategical location, Istanbul airport serves not only Turkey, but also is the largest cargo hub in the world, connecting with Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America.
Ankara
Ankara Esenboga Airport(IATA CODE: ESB) is the capital’s international airport. 
Adana
Adana Sakirpasa Airport (IATA CODE: ADA), is the 6th busiest airport in Turkey.
Izmir
Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (IATA: ADB) is an international airport serving Izmir and most of the surrounding province in Turkey.

Rail freight from China to Turkey

Apart from the traditional sea and air freight, freight train shipping service from China to Turkey is available now. 
Taking into the geographic location and the fact that the Trans-Eurasian rail cargo is on the rise it is not surprising that regional countries are strongly interested in enhancing their railway network with new routes and new logistics hubs. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway is an international rail project completed in 2017, connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, a land bridge for the blooming Asia-Europe trade, which enables goods from one side of Eurasia to reach the other in just 15 days bypassing Russia using freight train.
The first freight train route linking China and Turkey was launched in 2019, by China Railway Express, from Xi’an to Istanbul. The first cargo train from Turkey to China reached Xi’an on Dec 23, 2020. 
With more routes opened and stations connected, now cargo train from China can reaches Istanbul, Izmit, Mersin. 
Railway freight is becoming more and more popular with Turkish and European businesses these years. Shipping by sea from China to Turkey usually takes 20-35 days, whereas an express freight train from China to Turkey only takes 12-16 days. Rail freight is the perfect substitute for sea, air freight - faster than sea freight but is substantially cheaper than air freight. 
Consult us if you wish for a delivery faster than sea, cheaper than air, let’s ship your goods by railway freight. 
You might be also interested in:
Railway Shipping from China to Georgia
Railway Shipping from China to Azerbaijan
China-Europe Railway Express

How long does shipping from China to Turkey take?

Shipping time from China to Turkey ranges from 1 day to up to 1 month, depending on factors like shipping method, origin/destination, service and route chosen, weather, congestion, customs, and seasonal change of shipping market, etc.

China-Turkey sea freight transit time

Sea container shipping transit time from China to Turkey(Istanbul, Mersin, Izmir)

POL (port of loading)	POD (port of discharge	Transit time
Shanghai	Istanbul	27 days
Shanghai	Mersin	34
Shanghai	Izmir	30 days
Shenzhen	Istanbul	22 days
Shenzhen	Mersin	30 days
Shenzhen	Izmir	24 days
Qingdao	Istanbul	35 days
Qingdao	Mersin	37 days
Qingdao	Izmir	36 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 Turkey.
The transit time by sea, port to port, depends on the specific origin and destination ports chosen, service route, sailing schedule and choice of carrier.
Above transit time is for full container load shipping, port to port, not door to door
For LCL shipping time estimate, pls add 7-10 days

China-Turkey air shipping transit time

Air shipping from China usually takes 3-7 days to arrive in Turkey. 
If your shipment comes from a supplier located near an airport which has direct flight to a Turkish airport, like Guangzhou – Istanbul, the airport-to-airport shipping could take only 1 day. With proper preparation in advance by freight forwarder, the China-Turkey air shipment can be delivered even faster than DHL. But direct flight is always more expensive, as rule of thumb, the faster the speed is, the higher the cost. 

China-Turkey freight train transit time

Shipping freight by train from China to Turkey usually takes 12-16 days (station to station or hub to hub), if there’s no congestion at departure station and border. 
Compared to sea freight, shipping by railway freight reduces the transit time from China to Turkey substantially, from 1 month time to only half (estimated).

How much does shipping cost from China to Turkey?

China-Turkey cargo shipping cost is an indispensable, and sometimes makes a large percentage of the landed cost of imports, especially when you are shipping low-value goods, price-sensitive products. A rule known by all, the faster you want your shipment, the more cost you’ll have to spend on shipping. 
However, the shipping market is fast changing. Sea/air/railway freight rates fluctuate with time, affected by supply and demand relationship, as well as by carrier’s strategic adjustment. The fluctuation could be frequent and drastic. Besides, each shipment is different, it’s impossible to provide a general estimate of shipping cost from China to Turkey
Contact a China freight forwarder for a shipping solution and get the latest freight quote from China.

Best way to ship from China to Turkey

Shipping from China to Turkey, there’s no simple answer to “best way”, as each client is different, has specific requirements under certain conditions, plus the fast changing shipping market. The best way is to work with professional China shipping agent for their expertise, insight and advise of freight forwarding. We need to consider the below factors:
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
Fill the form and get a shipping solution and quote from China to Turkey

China-Turkey freight forwarder, door to door shipping

As one of the top China based freight forwarding companies serving Turkey, our expertise and experience allow us to provide the most accurate answers and optimal shipping solutions tailored to your needs. 
Shipping from China to Turkey involves many jobs and paperwork, which is a tough job for most people. Why not hire a reputable China-Turkey freight forwarder to take care of all cargo? By the professional hands of our team, your shipment processing will be made simple, and allows you to put more time and energy on your core business. 
Besides, airlines, sea shipping lines and railway carriers have their limited reach, throughout our freight forwarding service, the reach is extended. With years of effort on China-Turkey trade and shipping by us and our Turkish partners, we are able to provide our customers with one-stop door to door shipping solutions by sea, air and freight train.  

How to ship from China to Turkey

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: Provide shipment details and get a freight quote from China
Step 3: Connect forwarder with supplier, forwarder does his job
Step 4: Get China cargo insurance (optional)
Step 5: Arrange customs clearance
Or contact us, the most experienced China freight forwarder who offers one-stop door-to-door shipping service from China to Turkey. 

Why us when importing and shipping from China to Turkey

We are China based freight forwarder, specialized and experienced in international logistics for import and export business. Together with our partners in Poti and Baku, we are handling regular sea/air/rail shipments between China and Turkey. For importers from Turkey, 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 Turkey

As one of the leading China based freight forwarders dedicated to China-Turkey cargo shipping, we have the logistics knowledge and expertise, local connections and global networks, as well as our insight into global trade to ensure the best cargo shipping experience. 

If you are considering shipping to Turkey (Istanbul, Mersin, Izmir, Aliaga) from China, whether by sea, air or railway, contact us the best China-Turkey freight forwarder, and get an up-to-date shipping solution and quote.