In recent years, China-Poland bilateral trade has grown rapidly. Poland is an important node country in the “Belt and Road” initiative. Poland imports a large number of goods from China, including machinery and equipment, electronic products. The transportation time is particularly important for many merchants and enterprises. This article will introduce the transportation time from China to Poland in detail.
Introduction to Poland
Located in central Europe, Poland has a developed road, rail and shipping network and is an important logistics hub for entering the EU market. It borders Ukraine and Belarus to the east and Germany to the west. It has transportation hubs such as Gdansk and Malaszewicze, which can quickly distribute goods.
How to Choose Sea vs Rail vs Air?
Sea freight
- Advantages: Low cost per container, suitable for large quantities of non-time-sensitive goods.
- Disadvantages: Affected by the congestion of the Suez Canal and bad weather, the canal blockage caused delays of more than 15 days in 2021.
Rail freight
- Advantages: Balancing cost and timeliness, the China-Europe Express will run more than 16,000 trains in 2023, and stability will be improved.
- Risks: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine may affect some routes, and insurance terms need to be confirmed in advance.
Air freight
- Advantages: The first choice for emergency replenishment, Warsaw Airport provides 48-hour fast customs clearance.
- Cost: $4-$8 per kilogram, more than 10 times that of sea freight.
Shipping Time from China to Poland
There are three main ways of international freight from China to Poland: sea Freight, rail Freight(China-Europe Express) and air Freight. The transportation time, cost and applicable goods of each mode are different Shipping time is also affected by many factors, including:
- Seasonal fluctuations: High freight demand during peak seasons (such as Christmas Eve and around the Spring Festival) may cause delays.
- Customs clearance: Customs clearance efficiency, cargo inspection, customs declaration documents, etc. will affect shipping time.
- Weather conditions: Bad weather may affect the punctuality of sea and air transportation.
- Transportation routes and transit conditions: Direct flights and trains are better than routes that require transit.
- Logistics companies and service levels: The quality of service provided by different freight forwarders will affect the overall transportation time.
Sea Freight Time from China to Poland
Sea transportation is one of the most common international logistics methods, especially suitable for the transportation of bulk goods. The transportation cost is low. Usually there are two transportation services, FCL and LCL, but the time is longer. It usually takes 30-35 days to transport from major ports in China to major ports in Poland. The following is the transportation time for different ports:
| POL (port of loading) | POD (port of discharge) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Gdansk | 30-34 days |
| Shenzhen | Gdansk | 30-35 days |
| Qingdao | Gdansk | 31-35 days |
| Ningbo | Gdansk | 30-35 days |
| Shanghai | Gdynia | 30-33 days |
| Shenzhen | Gdynia | 31-35 days |
| Qingdao | Gdynia | 31-35 days |
| Ningbo | Gdynia | 30-35 days |
| Shanghai | Szczecin | 30-34 days |
| Shenzhen | Szczecin | 30-34 days |
| Qingdao | Szczecin | 30-33 days |
| Ningbo | Szczecin | 31-35 days |
Air Freight Time from China to Poland
Air transport is the fastest mode of transport and is suitable for urgent goods, such as electronic products, medical supplies, and time-sensitive goods. It is more expensive and suitable for high-value goods. It takes a short time to transport and can usually be delivered to Poland in 3-7 days.
| Departure Airport (China) | Arrival Airport (Poland) | Shipping time (days) |
| Shanghai Pudong | Warsaw Chopin | 4-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Warsaw Chopin | 5-7 days |
| Beijing Capital | Warsaw Chopin | 4-6 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Katowice | 4-6 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Katowice | 5-7 days |
| Beijing Capital | Katowice | 4-6 days |
| Shanghai Pudong | Krakow | 4-7 days |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | Krakow | 4-6 days |
| Beijing Capital | Krakow | 5-7 days |
Rail Freight Time from China to Poland
Railway is a mode of transportation between air and sea transportation. It is cheaper than air transportation and takes less time than sea transportation. It is suitable for bulk commodities, electronic products, mechanical equipment, etc. It is less affected by weather and border clearance, and usually takes 12-18 days to reach Poland.
| Departure City(China) | Arrival City(Poland) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Zhengzhou | Malaszewicze | 12-18 days |
| Chongqing | Malaszewicze | 13-18 days |
| Wuhan | Malaszewicze | 12-17 days |
| Zhengzhou | Warsaw | 14-18 days |
| Chongqing | Warsaw | 12-18 days |
| Wuhan | Warsaw | 13-17 days |
| Zhengzhou | Lodz | 12-17 days |
| Chongqing | Lodz | 13-18 days |
| Wuhan | Lodz | 14-18 days |
Refer to the time efficiency of transportation from China to surrounding areas:
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How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Denmark
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to France
Shipping Steps from China to Poland
The transportation steps from China to Poland can be divided into several key links. According to the transportation steps, you can control and understand the time
Determine the mode of transportation
Choose a suitable mode of transportation according to the type of goods, delivery time requirements and budget. Common modes of transportation include sea transportation, rail transportation, air transportation, etc.
Choose a freight forwarding company
Choose a reliable freight forwarding company (freight forwarder), communicate with it about transportation needs, confirm transportation routes, timeliness and costs, etc.
Transportation process
Choose a shipping company, railway company or airline company according to the mode of transportation and needs, and ensure that they have the ability to handle international cargo transportation.
Customs clearance procedures
When the goods arrive in Poland, they need to declare to the Polish customs and provide relevant import documents. Common transportation documents include:
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading
- Export license (if applicable)
- Certificate of origin
- Insurance policy (if insured)
Arrival at the destination
After the goods arrive at the destination, the final distribution company (such as logistics companies, express companies, etc.) will deliver the goods to the address specified by the consignee.
Cost of Shipping 20ft and 40ft Containers from China to Poland
The time required to ship from China to Poland depends on the mode of transport. The choice of mode of transport is determined by the cost. The following are the costs of shipping 20ft and 40ft containers from China to Poland:
| POL (port of loading) | POD (port of discharge) | 20ft container cost | 40ft container cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Gdansk | $2050-$3050 | $3000-$4900 |
| Shenzhen | Gdansk | $1900-$2900 | $3050-$4850 |
| Qingdao | Gdansk | $1950-$2950 | $3050-$4750 |
| Ningbo | Gdansk | $2000-$3000 | $3150-$4850 |
| Shanghai | Gdynia | $1950-$2850 | $3050-$4700 |
| Shenzhen | Gdynia | $1800-$2800 | $3100-$4800 |
| Qingdao | Gdynia | $2050-$2950 | $3050-$4750 |
| Ningbo | Gdynia | $2000-$2950 | $2950-$4850 |
| Shanghai | Szczecin | $1850-$2750 | $3150-$4750 |
| Shenzhen | Szczecin | $1950-$2850 | $3000-$4900 |
| Qingdao | Szczecin | $2000-$3000 | $3100-$4800 |
| Ningbo | Szczecin | $1950-$2900 | $3050-$4950 |
Learn more: How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Poland?
Shorten the Shipping Time from China to Poland
To improve transportation efficiency and shorten freight time, you can take the following measures
Choose the best mode of transport
Choose the appropriate mode of transport according to the type of goods, budget and timeliness requirements.
Reasonably plan the delivery time
Avoid holidays and peak seasons to reduce congestion and delay risks.
Implement effective logistics management
Use information management methods to establish a cross-border logistics system and improve logistics efficiency.
Optimize customs clearance process
Ensure that customs declaration documents are complete and accurate to increase customs clearance speed.
Cooperate with reliable freight forwarders
Choose experienced and reputable logistics companies to ensure smooth transportation.
Use multimodal transport
Combining sea + rail or sea + air transportation to improve timeliness.
The transportation time from China to Poland varies due to various factors. Enterprises should choose the most appropriate method according to their own needs. At the same time, advance planning, optimization of customs clearance procedures, and selection of reliable logistics companies can effectively shorten transportation time and improve supply chain efficiency.