Shipping from China to Moscow
China โ Moscow ยท via SVO air / Manzhouli rail ยท clearance by Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime)
Freight from China into Moscow clears through SVO air / Manzhouli rail. Moscow is the largest consumer market and distribution center, and allow +1 day for the inland leg on top of clearance.
The clearing authority is Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime). Historical dwell on this gateway is around 3โ10 days, and it lengthens in SepโNov.
What you will pay on arrival in Russia
Imports into Russia are cleared by Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime). The headline position is: VAT 20%; EAEU common external tariff, typically 0โ20%, plus recycling and excise levies on some categories. The de-minimis threshold is EUR 200 for personal parcels under EAEU rules.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: EAC conformity mark valid across the Eurasian Economic Union; Russian-language labeling required. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Russia: Export-control and sanctions screening is essential โ dual-use goods, electronics and machinery require careful classification and counterparty checks before shipment. EAC certification and Russian labeling are mandatory. Payment routing should be confirmed before booking.
How this lane actually runs
Russia is served three ways from China and the choice matters more here than anywhere else: Vladivostok by sea in under a week then rail west, direct block trains through Manzhouli or Zabaikalsk to Moscow in about 14โ20 days, or the long Suez routing to St Petersburg. Rail and Far East capacity are both frequently oversubscribed, so book earlier than the transit time alone would suggest.
| Air gateways used | SVO (Moscow Sheremetyevo), DME (Moscow Domodedovo), LED (St Petersburg) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 2โ4 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Vladivostok, Vostochny, Novorossiysk |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | Vladivostok 3โ7 days; St Petersburg 40โ55 days via Suez |
| Gateway serving Moscow | SVO air / Manzhouli rail |
| Inland leg to Moscow | +1 day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3โ10 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโNov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Moscow
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: EAC conformity mark valid across the Eurasian Economic Union; Russian-language labeling required.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during SepโNov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Confirm the consignee in Moscow can act as importer of record โ Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure โ it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Check the de-minimis position (EUR 200 for personal parcels under EAEU rules) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Put the Moscow delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
Air, sea or overland into Moscow?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 2โ4 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | Vladivostok 3โ7 days; St Petersburg 40โ55 days via Suez | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
| ๐ Rail Freight | Vladivostok 3โ7 days; St Petersburg 40โ55 days via Suez | inland destinations where sea is slow and air is expensive |
Transit shown is China departure to the Russia gateway and excludes the +1 day inland leg to Moscow and 3โ10 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Moscow
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Moscow take?
China to the Russia gateway is 2โ4 business days by air, Vladivostok 3โ7 days; St Petersburg 40โ55 days via Suez by sea. On top of that, allow 3โ10 days of clearance with Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime) and a +1 day inland leg to Moscow.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Moscow?
Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime) applies: VAT 20%; EAEU common external tariff, typically 0โ20%, plus recycling and excise levies on some categories. The de-minimis position is EUR 200 for personal parcels under EAEU rules. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Moscow.
Which port or airport does cargo for Moscow clear through?
Cargo for Moscow is routed via SVO air / Manzhouli rail. Sea gateways for Russia are Vladivostok, Vostochny, Novorossiysk; air gateways are SVO (Moscow Sheremetyevo), DME (Moscow Domodedovo), LED (St Petersburg). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Moscow?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965โ970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via SVO (Moscow Sheremetyevo), DME (Moscow Domodedovo), LED (St Petersburg). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Moscow?
Yes. Delivery to a Moscow address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime), and the +1 day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Moscow?
Per kilo, yes โ usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: Vladivostok 3โ7 days; St Petersburg 40โ55 days via Suez by sea versus 2โ4 business days by air to the Russia gateway, before clearance and the +1 day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
Other delivery cities in Russia
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Russia change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime) or your broker before you ship.
- Federal Customs Service
- Eurasian Economic Union common tariff
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA โ Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965โ970)
- World Bank โ Logistics Performance Index
- ICC โ Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC โ ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
Checking the Russia duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Federal Customs Service of Russia (EAEU regime) against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name โ the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
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 Russia actually works โ documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments โ the U.S. ITA guide to Russia customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Moscow. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Ocean Freight 101 - What Is LCL Ocean Freight — Flexport. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Russia
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Russia clearance requirements →