As important neighbors, China and Kazakhstan have increasingly frequent trade in recent years. Kazakhstan is not only a key node of the “Belt and Road” initiative, but also an important gateway for Chinese goods to enter the Central Asian market. This article will introduce the logistics between the two countries in detail
How to Ship from China to Kazakhstan
As an important channel connecting China and Central Asia, choosing the right mode of transportation is crucial to reducing costs and shortening transportation cycles. The following are the transportation characteristics of various modes of transportation:
Railway Freight (China-Europe Express)
Railway transportation is one of the most commonly used and stable freight methods from China to Kazakhstan. It is particularly suitable for medium and long-distance transportation of bulk commodities or large quantities of goods. It has stable timeliness and lower costs than air transportation. It is suitable for pallet cargo and container full container/less than container transportation. It is necessary to change the track or car body at the border port (due to different track gauges), and there is a certain transit time.
- Full container load: customers use a full container to transport goods alone, without sharing goods with others. The container is not disassembled throughout the whole process, and the transportation safety is high. It is suitable for bulk cargo transportation, with low unit cost, high customs clearance efficiency and stable timeliness.
- Less than container load: The goods of multiple customers are transported in one container, which is suitable for small-volume exports. There is no need to bear the cost of the entire container. The cost sharing is more flexible, the threshold is low, and a variety of transit cities can be selected, which is highly flexible.
Road freight
Road freight is a flexible and reliable mode of transportation that achieves a perfect balance between speed and cost. Suitable for small-volume, high-frequency, and multi-batch cargo transportation, road freight is favored for its fast speed, flexible and maneuverable, adjustable routes, and direct route selection, which improves the efficiency of logistics management, enables point-to-point transportation, and facilitates customs clearance. It is particularly suitable for moderately urgent goods that are time-sensitive but do not require air transportation at high speed. Its main advantages include cost-effectiveness, route flexibility, and real-time tracking.
Air Freight
Air transport is the fastest mode of transportation, suitable for goods with extremely high timeliness, high security, and the goods are properly packaged and managed with a low damage rate. It is suitable for high value-added goods. The unit freight is much higher than that of railways and roads, and the size and weight restrictions are not suitable for large goods. Aviation standard packaging is required, and the requirements for packaging, labeling, and declaration materials are high.
Shipping Time from China to Kazakhstan
Transportation time is one of the most concerned issues for import and export companies and customers. It is generally determined by the mode of transportation and is also affected by the following factors:
- Border transshipment: China and Kazakhstan have different track gauges, and it is necessary to change vehicles or change equipment, which takes 1-3 days
- Port queuing time: Port congestion during peak hours or winter, and waiting time is extended
- Weather and road conditions: Snow and slippery roads in winter, border restrictions in summer, etc., affect traffic and operation efficiency
- Customs clearance efficiency: Whether the customs clearance at the export and destination is smooth affects the overall time efficiency
- Freight forwarding operation specifications: Non-compliant documents and packaging will lead to delays or fines
Railway Freight Time Efficiency
Departing from China’s major train departure stations (such as Chongqing, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, Yiwu), exiting through Alashankou or Horgos Port, and arriving at major cities in Kazakhstan such as Almaty and Nur-Sultan. It usually takes 7-15 days to arrive, which is moderate and well controllable.
| Departure City(China) | Arrival City(Kazakhstan) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Zhengzhou | Almaty | 8-15 days |
| Chongqing | Almaty | 7-15 days |
| Zhengzhou | Nur-Sultan | 9-14 days |
| Chongqing | Nur-Sultan | 8-14 days |
Road Freight Time Efficiency
Truck transport between China and Kazakhstan has the advantages of flexible, fast and point-to-point transportation. It mainly enters Kazakhstan from western China (such as Urumqi) through Horgos or Baktu ports, and generally takes 5-12 days.
| Departure City(China) | Arrival City(Kazakhstan) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Urumqi | Almaty | 5-12 days |
| Urumqi | Nur-Sultan | 6-12 days |
Air Freight Time Efficiency
Air cargo is transported from major airports in China to Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan. It usually takes 1-3 working days to arrive, which is suitable for goods with extremely high timeliness.
| Departure City(China) | Arrival City(Kazakhstan) | Shipping time (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Almaty | 2-4 days |
| Shanghai | Almaty | 1-3 days |
| Guangzhou | Almaty | 2-3 days |
Learn more about shipping time in the following article:
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Poland?
How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Romania?
Factors Affecting Shipping Cost from China to Kazakhstan
Transportation costs are one of the key factors affecting total costs. The costs of different modes of transportation are affected by many factors:
Place of departure
The farther from the port, the higher the trailer costs (especially in southeast coastal cities)
Nature of goods
Fragile goods, dangerous goods, and refrigerated goods require additional packaging and surcharges
Complexity of customs declaration/clearance
Complex product names/origins require additional documents, which affects costs
Oil prices and fuel surcharges
Particularly affect the fluctuation of truck and air freight costs
Shipping time
Price increases during peak season (September-December) or around holidays
Shipping Cost from China to Kazakhstan
In cross-border trade between China and Kazakhstan, different modes of transportation have their own billing rules, cost structures and influencing factors. The following are the costs of various modes of transportation:
Railway freight charges are based on the type of service. Full container load (FCL) is charged based on the type of container (20ft and 40ft containers), which is suitable for heavy goods, bulk goods, and FCL exports. LCL is charged based on weight and volume, generally calculated as CBM
The cost of road freight varies greatly depending on a variety of factors, including fuel prices, tolls, and the type of goods being transported. It is generally divided into full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL), and the specific cost depends on the route and the specific conditions of the goods.
The cost of air freight is mainly based on actual weight vs volume weight, and the larger value is taken as the billing weight. The volume weight formula is length × width × height (cm) ÷ 6000.
| Shipping Mode | Cost Range USD | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Freight (Full container load) | $2,000 – $6,000 | Heavy and bulky goods |
| Rail Freight (Less than container load) | $80 –120 / CBM | Smaller volume, less than a full container load |
| Road Freight(FTL) | $2,000 – $3,000 | Door-to-door delivery, remote locations |
| Road Freight(LTL) | $100 – 150/CBM | Small batches and high frequency shipments |
| Air Freight | $6 – 10/KG | Urgent shipments, high-value goods |
Learn more about costs in the following articles:
How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Poland?
How Much Does it Cost to Ship from China to Romania?
Door to Door Shipping from China to Kazakhstan
Door to Door Shipping is a highly used logistics solution in China-Kazakhstan trade in recent years. It is especially suitable for customers who are not familiar with customs clearance. It has the following advantages:
- Easy to handle: no need to worry about cumbersome processes such as export customs declaration, port reloading, import customs clearance, etc.
- All-inclusive transportation: usually includes domestic pickup, warehousing and collection, transportation, customs clearance, taxes, delivery, etc.
- Flexible service: supports a combination of multiple modes of transportation (railway/road/air transport)
- Transparent price: detailed quotation details, customers can clearly budget costs
- Wide coverage: supports delivery from Urumqi, China to most parts of Kazakhstan
Operational Procedures for Shipping from China to Kazakhstan
Provide information
Provide cargo information (name, quantity, weight, volume, packaging), sign a transportation contract, and choose a suitable mode of transportation
Door-to-door pickup
Door-to-door pickup or self-delivery to designated collection warehouses
Domestic export customs declaration
The freight forwarder organizes and declares export information (invoices, packing lists, contracts, etc.)
Cross-border transportation (railway/road/air transport)
Transport through appropriate transportation methods, track the status of goods, understand the transportation location,
Import customs clearance in Kazakhstan
The freight forwarder will clear customs locally and declare imports with tax numbers, certificates of origin, etc. The tariff is 0-15% (depending on the category of goods) and the value-added tax is 12%
Local delivery to door
After customs clearance, arrange local transportation vehicles to deliver to the customer’s designated address
Why Choose Ubestshipping？
In the context of the continuous development of the Central Asian logistics market, choosing a professional, stable and efficient freight forwarder is the key to ensuring smooth trade and reducing transportation risks. The following are reference factors for selection:
Focus on Central Asia and rich experience
We have focused on China-Kazakhstan transportation for many years, are familiar with major ports, customs clearance procedures and market rules in Kazakhstan, and have a mature operation team and local resources.
Provide a variety of transportation solutions
One-stop logistics solutions, customized transportation solutions on demand, allowing you to save costs and control time efficiency
Transparent costs and competitive prices
All costs are clear at a glance, with no hidden charges. Help customers control transportation costs while ensuring service quality.
Strong cross-border customs clearance capabilities
There are stable cooperative customs clearance companies and distribution teams in multiple nodes such as Horgos, Alashankou, Almaty, and Nur-Sultan, which can effectively deal with complex links such as border inspection, customs, and transshipment.
Visual tracking
Provide full-process tracking services, from picking up, customs declaration, shipment to signing, each node can provide real-time feedback to ensure that the goods are controllable and the process is transparent.
As a key node of China’s “Belt and Road Initiative”, Kazakhstan provides a high-quality channel for Chinese products to enter the Central Asian and even European markets. Through this article, we can tailor the most suitable logistics solution for you. Contact Ubestshipping now to get the latest quotes and shipping suggestions!