Means of transport commonly used to deliver Chinese goods have gained a strong competitor. Truck service from China has become an alternative to air, sea, and rail freight, although until recently, it was only an addition. It’s already possible to organize this type of transit of imported products. Can truck service from China replace the currently popular methods?
Road transport from China
The first transit of goods from China to Europe using truck service took place in 2018. The truck set off on the 13th of November, owing to the border crossing’s opening in Khorgas by China and Kazakhstan. In just 13 days, it travelled a 7,000 km route leading from the border in Khorgas through Kazakhstan, Russian, and Belarus to reach Poland on the 26th of November. This event gave rise to the road transport development from China to European countries.
Nowadays, more and more transport companies include truck service in their offer, along with other means of transit. One of the options is the delivery of goods using the road network, e.g., from the Chinese city of Taicang to Duisburg in Germany. Such a route takes about 15 days. Therefore, truck service can be a worthy substitute for slower rail and sea freights and more expensive air transport. Another available route leads from Xi’an to Warsaw, taking 12 days. There are also connections from other major cities in China. Besides, some companies offer deliveries between any chosen destinations.
Why choose truck service from China?
The current situation is a burden for the most popular transport methods such as rail, sea, and air freights. The lack of space on these transit means, and the numerous delays extending their transit time are significant concerns. These are the main reasons why the use of truck service is slowly becoming a great alternative.
Road transport and its transit time
The dominant advantage is the short time of products’ delivery in this way. Transit time for road transport from China to European countries ranges from 10 to 17 days. Its length varies depending on the distance between the start and end points. For example, transportation of goods from Taicang to Duisburg in Germany takes 14-15 days. Truck service’s transit time is, therefore, shorter than rail and sea freight’s. This makes it a huge convenience, especially for products that cannot be shipped by sea due to a too long delivery time.
Transport price
It’s also worth paying attention to the price of truck service from China. One truck’s total capacity can be 80 CBM or more, with 1 CBM being equivalent to 200 kg. Delivery of 1 CBM of goods will cost us $ 260 – $ 360, depending on the selected carrier. For the transit of 1 ton, we will pay about $ 800. For comparison, these prices range from roughly $ 11 to $ 14 per kg for air freight. Therefore, road transport’s price is much more favourable than in the case of costly air transit. Moreover, air transport is suffering many delays due to the current epidemic situation. This makes road transport even more profitable.
What goods will we transport by truck service from China?
Currently, air freight is intended mainly for medical products’ delivery. Road transport is also used for this purpose. Its short transit time ensures their fast transit to their destination. In addition to this type of goods, trucks can also deliver clothes, cosmetics, chemicals, vegetation, food, parts necessary in the automotive and electrical industries, electronic and magnetic products, and even dangerous goods.
Summary
Taking all the factors discussed, truck service from China to Europe is becoming a more frequently used alternative to the currently popular means of transport. Its advantage is due to the attractive price compared to others and the relatively short transit time. Transport companies have already introduced the service of delivering cargo from China in this way. Especially in the current situation, it may prove to be an effective alternative for transporting goods.
