Load ports
- Dalian
- Tianjin / Xingang
- Qingdao
- Shanghai
- Ningbo
- Shenzhen / Yantian
China to Europe
China to Europe freight forwarding
Yihang Shipping forwards China to Europe cargo by ocean, by rail when the ocean date fails, and by air when neither will do. Ocean planning to Rotterdam, Hamburg, or Antwerp is often about four to six weeks port to port from East China, then the European inland move. Where China–Europe rail replaces that sea route, transit can be up to about 40% shorter than ocean. That is a planning comparison, not a booked transit. Dalian cargo connects into the network by feeder. The quote picks one path and says what is included.
Planning note
Add a volume if you have one.
Without CBM, the table on this page is the whole answer. With CBM, we point at one mode and draft the quote.
Request this quoteHow to plan this lane
Windows below are how the trade plans the move. They are not a Yihang booking.
| Mode | Planning window | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean FCL | Often about four to six weeks port to port from East China to Rotterdam, Hamburg, or Antwerp. Dalian adds the feeder. Inland Europe is extra. | Planned volume and most full-container imports. |
| Ocean LCL | The ocean range plus consolidation at both ends. | Smaller lots that should not pay for an empty container. |
| Rail | Where rail replaces the sea route, up to about 40% shorter than ocean. The service and the terminal decide the days. | Cargo that is late for the vessel and too costly for air. |
| Air freight | Used when rail still misses the handoff. | Urgent and high-value shipments into European airports. |
Arrival gateways
- Rotterdam
- Hamburg
- Antwerp
- Felixstowe
- Rail terminals when ocean is too slow
What goes wrong on this lane
The sailing is four weeks and the buyer has three
That is when rail is priced next to ocean, not after the booking has already rolled.
The base port is not the door
Hamburg on the bill of lading can still mean a truck deep into Germany, France, or Poland. The inland leg is on the same quote.
Documents fail at the European border
Invoice, packing list, and the product description are checked before export. China clearance is on the AEO file. European clearance is coordinated, and the quote names the broker.
What to send
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Commodity description and HS code if known
- Weight, CBM, or container type
- Supplier city and the European door or port
- Incoterm, ready date, and EORI or importer details if you have them
Services on this file
Same lane, more specific
Questions shippers ask
How long is ocean freight from China to Europe?
For planning, East China to Rotterdam, Hamburg, or Antwerp is often about four to six weeks port to port, then truck or rail inside Europe. Dalian shipments add a feeder. Peak weeks and missed cutoffs move the date. The quote names the service.
When should I use rail instead of a ship to Europe?
When the buyer’s date is inside the ocean range and air would spend the margin. Where rail replaces the sea route, transit can be up to about 40% shorter than ocean. Ask for both. Yihang will say which one can actually be booked that week.
Which European ports do you use?
Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, and Felixstowe are the usual ocean gateways. The final door decides whether one of those, or a rail terminal, is the right arrival.
Can you start the shipment in Dalian?
Yes. Factory pickup and the export file are handled in China, then the box is connected to the Europe service. You do not have to truck it to Shanghai yourself unless the quote says that is the better move.
What is on a Europe quote?
Mode, load port, arrival port or terminal, inland if you asked for a door, transit as a range for that service, and what is excluded. Send the commodity, volume, and ready date to get one.
Other lanes
United States Ocean FCL · Ocean LCL · Air freight
FCL, LCL, and air freight from China, including Dalian, to US ports and doors. Yihang quotes the lane with the port, the mode, and what the rate includes.
Canada Ocean FCL · Ocean LCL · Air freightOcean and air freight from China to Vancouver and on to Toronto, Montreal, and other Canadian doors. One quote covers the sailing and the inland leg.
Singapore Ocean FCL · Ocean LCL · Air freightShort-sea FCL and LCL, plus air, from China to Singapore. North China cargo, including Dalian, is planned with the feeder connection included.
Australia Ocean FCL · Ocean LCL · Air freightOcean FCL, LCL, and air from China to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Fremantle. Planning windows only. No published freight rates.
Russia and Central Asia Rail · Truck at either end · Ocean, when it is the better toolRail and multimodal freight from China to Russia and Central Asia, with door-to-station and station-to-door options.