Rates & Transit Times
How freight is priced, what moves the number up or down, and roughly how long each route takes.
PRICING
Why freight is not priced by weight alone
A pallet of feathers and a pallet of bolts take up the same room on an aircraft. Freight is therefore charged on whichever is greater: actual weight, or volumetric weight calculated from the space the goods occupy.
Volumetric weight
Multiply length by width by height in centimetres, then divide by the divisor for the mode:
- Air freight — divide by 6000
- Road freight — divide by 3000
- Ocean freight — 1000 kg per cubic metre
A worked example
A carton measuring 60 × 40 × 50 cm holds 120,000 cubic centimetres.
- By air: 120,000 ÷ 6000 = 20 kg chargeable
- By road: 120,000 ÷ 3000 = 40 kg chargeable
- If it actually weighs 12 kg, you are charged on the figure above
VARIABLES
What moves the price
Weight and volume
The chargeable weight above, which is the starting point for every quotation.
Route and mode
Distance, how busy the lane is and whether it goes by air, sea or road.
How fast you need it
Express air costs more than consolidated air, which costs more than sea.
Customs and duty
Duty and import taxes are set by the destination government and billed at cost plus a disbursement fee.
Insurance
Optional cargo insurance, priced against the declared value of the goods.
Collection and delivery
Door-to-door adds the road legs at both ends. Port-to-port does not.
TRANSIT TIMES
Indicative transit by route
| Route | Air | Ocean | Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within Germany | — | — | 1 – 2 working days |
| Germany to Western Europe | 1 – 3 days | — | 2 – 4 working days |
| Germany to Southern Europe | 2 – 4 days | — | 4 – 8 working days |
| Europe to USA | 3 – 8 days | 18 – 38 days | — |
| Europe to Canada | 4 – 8 days | 20 – 34 days | — |
| Europe to Middle East | 3 – 7 days | 16 – 28 days | — |
| Europe to East Asia | 4 – 9 days | 28 – 45 days | — |
| Europe to Africa | 4 – 9 days | 20 – 40 days | — |
| Europe to Latin America | 5 – 10 days | 24 – 42 days | — |
| Europe to Australia | 5 – 10 days | 30 – 45 days | — |
Included in a quotation
- Freight charges for the agreed mode and route
- Collection and delivery where door-to-door is quoted
- Export documentation and customs entry preparation
- Consolidation and standard handling
- Tracking and status notifications
Billed separately
- Import duty and taxes, at cost plus disbursement fee
- Cargo insurance, if you take it
- Storage beyond the free period
- Customs examination charges levied by the authority
- Waiting time and failed delivery attempts
Want a real number?
Send dimensions, weight, what is inside and both postcodes. A quotation usually comes back the same working day.