Shipping from China to Bern
China โ Bern ยท via ZRH air / Basel rail ยท clearance by Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG)
Freight from China into Bern clears through ZRH air / Basel rail. Bern is federal capital, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
Clearance itself is handled by Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 2โ5 days.
Duty, tax and clearance into Bern
Imports into Switzerland are cleared by Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG). The headline position is: VAT 8.1%; customs duty is assessed on gross weight rather than value, which is unusual and changes how packaging affects cost. The de-minimis threshold is Duty and VAT waived when the total tax due is under CHF 5.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: CE marking generally accepted; Swiss labeling rules for consumer products. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Switzerland: Weight-based duty means excess packaging is a direct cost. A separate Swiss clearance is required even for goods transiting the EU. Some agricultural and food products face high protective rates.
Routing and transit on this lane
Switzerland charges customs duty by gross weight, not customs value โ so heavy packaging directly increases duty on low-value goods, and light high-value goods are treated generously. It is also outside the EU customs union, so cargo arriving through Rotterdam or Genoa clears a second time at the Swiss border. VAT at 8.1% is among the lowest in Europe.
| Air gateways used | ZRH (Zurich), GVA (Geneva), BSL (Basel) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 4โ6 business days |
| Sea gateways used | No seaport โ via Rotterdam, Antwerp or Genoa, then rail or Rhine barge to Basel |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 30โ40 calendar days via a continental port |
| Gateway serving Bern | ZRH air / Basel rail |
| Inland leg to Bern | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 2โ5 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโNov |
Pre-shipment checklist for Bern
- Confirm the consignee in Bern can act as importer of record โ Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front โ retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Put the Bern delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Switzerland duty rate against it yourself.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: CE marking generally accepted; Swiss labeling rules for consumer products.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Bern.
Air, sea or overland into Bern?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 4โ6 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 30โ40 calendar days via a continental port | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Switzerland gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Bern and 2โ5 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Bern
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Bern take?
China to the Switzerland gateway is 4โ6 business days by air, 30โ40 calendar days via a continental port by sea. On top of that, allow 2โ5 days of clearance with Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) and a same-day inland leg to Bern.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Bern?
Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) applies: VAT 8.1%; customs duty is assessed on gross weight rather than value, which is unusual and changes how packaging affects cost. The de-minimis position is Duty and VAT waived when the total tax due is under CHF 5. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Bern.
What documents does Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (CE marking generally accepted; Swiss labeling rules for consumer products). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
When is the busiest time on the ChinaโSwitzerland lane?
Space and rates tighten around SepโNov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Bern?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965โ970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via ZRH (Zurich), GVA (Geneva), BSL (Basel). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Bern?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight โ length ร width ร height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air โ and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Other delivery cities in Switzerland
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Switzerland 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 Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) or your broker before you ship.
- Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG)
- Tares tariff database
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC โ ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO โ Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO โ IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
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.
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- 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
Checking the Switzerland duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) 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.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
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.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Bern. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Marine Insurance Explained - Understand the Cargo Insurance You're Getting — ABTSยฎ. 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 Switzerland
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Switzerland clearance requirements →