Current Freight Rates
| Weight | Rate (USD / KG) |
|---|---|
| 21 KG | USD 4.41 |
| 22 KG | USD 4.32 |
| 23 KG | USD 4.54 |
| 30 KG | USD 4.05 |
| 50 KG | USD 3.53 |
| 100 KG | USD 2.90 |
| 150 KG | USD 2.86 |
| 200 KG | USD 2.77 |
| 505 KG | USD 2.48 |
| 850 KG | USD 2.54 |
| 1700 KG | USD 2.62 |
| 2500 KG | USD 2.60 |
| 3400 KG | USD 2.35 |
How these prices are calculated — chargeable weight
Freight is not billed on the number on your bathroom scale. It is billed on chargeable weight: the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight, where volumetric weight is L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000. Denser cargo pays on its weight; light bulky cargo pays on the space it occupies. Whichever is higher is the one you pay — never the lower.
- One cubic metre = 167 kg. That is 1,000,000 cm³ ÷ 6000, the same divisor used for the volumetric check, so both sides of this page agree with each other.
- Per-kilogram channels. The rate is multiplied by chargeable weight, rounded up to the next whole kilogram. A 300 kg consignment that only measures out to a smaller volumetric figure is still charged on its 300 kg actual weight.
- Freight only. These are published freight rates. Duty, tax and customs charges at destination are not a fixed number we can print: they follow your product's HS code, its declared value and the exchange rate applied on the day of entry, so they are confirmed against your actual goods and quoted separately.
- Indicative only — the real price can be higher or lower. Nothing on this page is a quotation or a commitment. What you finally pay depends on what the product is, how it is packed, the chargeable weight, the declared value, the destination duty position and the exchange rate at the time. Send the product details, weight and dimensions and we will price your specific shipment.
Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP and seven more — see which costs sit with us and which sit with you
The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to Germany is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.
- Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
- Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
- Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.
| Term | 1 Loading on truck | 2 Export customs declaration | 3 Carriage to port of export | 4 Unloading at port of export | 5 Loading on vessel / aircraft | 6 Main carriage | 7 Cargo insurance | 8 Unloading at port of import | 9 Loading on truck at import | 10 Carriage to destination | 11 Import customs clearance | 12 Import duties & taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW Ex Works | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck | Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FCA Free Carrier | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FAS Free Alongside Ship | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FOB Free On Board | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CFR Cost and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CPT Carriage Paid To | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU) | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAP Delivered At Place | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DDP Delivered Duty Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Seller Seller — Import customs clearance | Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes |
EXW Ex Works
Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.
FCA Free Carrier
Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.
FAS Free Alongside Ship
Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.
FOB Free On Board
Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.
CFR Cost and Freight
Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight
As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).
CPT Carriage Paid To
Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid
As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)
Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.
DAP Delivered At Place
Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid
Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.
Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.
Service Details
China → Germany Rail Duty-Paid Standard
Rail freight from China to Germany, quoted per CBM or per KG, whichever bills higher. This is a commercial freight service for cargo moving in volume, not a parcel channel — the rate card below starts where courier pricing stops making sense.
This channel is quoted duty paid, which means the figure below already carries import duty and tax for Germany — you are not asked for a second payment at the border. For reference, the underlying regime is: Import VAT 19%; duty 0–12% by TARIC. Duty-paid pricing is worth comparing carefully against a duty-unpaid quote, because the cheaper headline number is frequently the one that excludes the tax.
Space on this lane tightens through Sep–Nov, which is peak season for Germany. Rates published outside that window are not a reliable guide to what you will pay inside it, so if your order lands in peak, book earlier rather than budgeting from an off-peak figure.
Current Rate Card
- 21+ — USD 12.86 per KG
- 50+ — USD 11.85 per KG
- 100+ — USD 11.34 per KG
Last refreshed 2026-08-06.
Every consignment on this service is measured as well as weighed. Volumetric weight is L×W×H in centimetres divided by 6000 — one cubic metre counted as roughly 166.7 kg — and whichever figure is higher is the one charged. Dense cargo pays on its weight; light bulky cargo pays on its volume, and repacking to raise density is often the cheapest saving available on a Germany shipment.
Typical cargo on this route: electrical cabinets (HS 85 / 8541), where clearance turns on cE and IEC conformity, and a check that voltage and grid code match the destination, fasteners (HS 73 / 82 / 83) and prefabricated building (HS 68 / 69 / 70 / 44). If yours is on that list the commodity page is worth two minutes — it covers how the goods should leave the factory, how they should sit in the container, and the failure mode we see most often on this kind of freight.
To see this tariff against a real consignment rather than a rate card, the 50 KG, 100 KG, 300 KG and 500 KG pages run it at a fixed weight and show the landed total, including the point where stepping up a bracket lowers your cost per kilo. They are the fastest way to check whether consolidating two orders into one is worth the wait.
The table above prices the lane, but most buyers arrive with a consignment already in mind. If yours has a known weight, the 50 KG, 100 KG, 300 KG and 500 KG breakdowns run this tariff against a fixed shipment so you see a landed number rather than a rate per kilo, and the China to Germany Rail Freight Cost page sets every channel we run on this lane side by side. For the wider picture including documentation and duty, start from shipping from China to Germany.
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Additional Information
What This Rate Covers — and What It Does Not
Rail consignments to Germany cross several customs territories in transit before they reach the destination office. That makes documentation accuracy matter earlier than it does on an ocean booking: a discrepancy found mid-corridor is far slower and more expensive to fix than the same discrepancy found at a seaport.
- General commercial cargo. Battery, magnetic, liquid and powder content must be declared at booking, not on arrival
- Rates are quoted against the current sailing or departure; peak-season surcharges apply where the carrier levies them
- Clearance at destination is handled by German Customs (Zoll)
- Germany de-minimis: EUR 150 — commercial consignments sit above it and are dutiable in full
- Destination conformity: CE marking + EU IOSS for B2C
On the duty side, the applicable regime is: Import VAT 19%; duty 0–12% by TARIC. Those are planning references rather than a ruling: the rate that binds is the one assessed against your declared HS code at the moment of entry, and classification is where most landed-cost surprises actually originate. Duty and tax are settled in EUR at destination.
Every shipment needs a commercial invoice and a packing list that agree with each other, plus destination certification where the commodity requires it. The most common cause of delay we see is not the freight at all — it is a declared value or a goods description that does not match what is in the cartons, which turns a routine clearance into an inspection.
Where these numbers come from
Treat the landed-cost numbers here as a planning baseline. German Customs (Zoll) sets the rate that actually gets charged, assessed against your HS classification at the moment of clearance, so their own guidance is worth reading before a large order.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
Rail consignments cross several customs territories in transit rather than only at the destination, so classification errors surface mid-corridor rather than at delivery. ITC Market Access Map is worth checking for the destination heading before the block train departs, because a correction en route is far slower than one made in China.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
For a wider view of how importing into Germany actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Germany customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
China to Germany — Shipping Reference Data
| Main sea gateways | Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven |
|---|---|
| Main air gateways | FRA (Frankfurt), MUC (Munich), CGN |
| Destination customs authority | German Customs (Zoll) |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | EUR 150 |
| Import tax & duty regime | Import VAT 19%; duty 0–12% by TARIC |
| Local currency | EUR |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 3–6 days |
| Peak / busy season | Sep–Nov |
| Conformity & certification | CE marking + EU IOSS for B2C |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
Free 3D Loading Tools for This Rail Route
This page covers a Rail freight service from China to Germany. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.
3D Carton Packing Calculator
Dimensional weight often decides the final air rate to Germany. Simulate your carton fill in 3D, including mixed products in one box, and export the packing plan for your supplier.
Open Packing Tool →3D Container Loading Planner
Wondering whether your cargo fills a 20GP or needs a 40HQ for this Germany route? The 3D container planner simulates cartons, crates, pallets, and even mixed box sizes in one container.
Open Container Planner →Germany Rail Freight Checklist
- Book 2-3 days before your target ETD; same-day air bookings usually carry premium rates.
- Lithium batteries and liquids need pre-approval on most air routes — declare them upfront.
- Label every carton with destination, carton number, and total count (e.g. 3/12).
- Confirm whether the Germany rate includes fuel and security surcharges or lists them separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Rail DDP Standard from China to Germany take?
Rail freight on this route runs about 18–28 calendar days door-to-door, plus roughly 3–6 days of clearance/dwell once it reaches the gateway. All times include customs clearance under DDP terms.
What duties and taxes apply when importing into Germany?
Clearance is handled by German Customs (Zoll). The regime is: Import VAT 19%; duty 0–12% by TARIC, with a de-minimis position of EUR 150. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
What certification is needed to import into Germany?
For regulated goods, plan for: CE marking + EU IOSS for B2C. Missing conformity paperwork is the most common clearance hold with German Customs (Zoll), so confirm requirements for your HS code before shipping.
When does capacity tighten on the China–Germany lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (early Oct). Book 1–2 weeks earlier in these periods.
In what currency is this route priced and paid?
Freight is quoted and invoiced in USD; the destination-side currency is EUR. Payment is typically due before departure, and DDP means you settle the full landed cost once.
What does DDP shipping to Germany include on this route?
DDP means we quote the freight, the customs entry with German Customs (Zoll) and last-mile delivery in Germany together, so you settle once. The duty and tax portion depends on your product's HS code, declared value and the exchange rate at entry, so it is confirmed against your actual goods — the figures on this page are indicative and can move either way.
Historical Price Records
All price updates are recorded here. Use the weekly tabs to browse older entries.
| Date | 21+ | 50+ | 100+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-30Latest | USD 4.41 | USD 3.53 | USD 2.90 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 4.41 | USD 3.53 | USD 2.91 |
| 2026-09-30 | USD 4.41 | USD 3.53 | USD 2.90 |
| 2026-09-17 | USD 4.40 | USD 3.52 | USD 2.89 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 4.39 | USD 3.51 | USD 2.88 |
| 2026-09-15 | USD 4.30 | USD 3.43 | USD 2.80 |
| 2026-09-07 | USD 3.75 | USD 2.87 | USD 2.24 |
| 2026-08-31 | USD 3.75 | USD 2.87 | USD 2.24 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 3.73 | USD 2.86 | USD 2.23 |
| 2026-08-17 | USD 3.77 | USD 2.90 | USD 2.27 |
| 2026-08-06 | USD 3.77 | USD 2.90 | USD 2.27 |
| 2026-08-03 | USD 3.78 | USD 2.90 | USD 2.28 |
| 2026-07-30 | USD 3.77 | USD 2.89 | USD 2.27 |
| 2026-07-20 | USD 3.80 | USD 2.92 | USD 2.30 |
| 2026-07-17 | USD 3.78 | USD 2.91 | USD 2.28 |
| 2026-07-14 | USD 3.76 | USD 2.89 | USD 2.27 |
| 2026-07-07 | USD 3.74 | USD 2.87 | USD 2.25 |
| 2026-07-03 | USD 3.75 | USD 2.88 | USD 2.26 |
| 2026-07-02 | USD 3.74 | USD 2.87 | USD 2.25 |
| 2026-06-30 | USD 3.75 | USD 2.87 | USD 2.25 |
| 2026-06-23 | USD 3.74 | USD 2.87 | USD 2.24 |
| 2026-06-15 | USD 3.77 | USD 2.90 | USD 2.27 |
| 2026-06-08 | USD 3.77 | USD 2.89 | USD 2.27 |
| 2026-05-14 | USD 3.72 | USD 2.85 | USD 2.23 |
| 2025-12-29 | USD 3.72 | USD 2.85 | USD 2.22 |
Price Trend
Shipping Germany cargo by industry
This rate is for the lane. What decides whether the cargo arrives intact is the commodity — how it prices, how it must be packed and loaded, and which compliance step holds it at the border. These guides cover that per industry.
- Inflatable Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Bolts Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Industrial Boilers General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plumbing Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Illuminated Signs Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Products Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Storage Tanks Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical