China to Europe freight
The second corridor on the WorldFreightHub network — eight European destination markets with their VAT, EU common duty, EORI rules and entry ports.
TL;DR: A €10,000 CIF shipment pays import VAT from €1,900 in Germany (19%) up to €2,300 in Poland (23%), a €400 spread before EU duty is layered on. China–Europe rail lands in ~18–22 days against ~30+ days by sea, buying back roughly 8–12+ days at about 2–3× the ocean rate but only ~1/3 the air rate. The two top northern-range ports are near-parity — Antwerp's 12.5m TEU is ~93% of Rotterdam's 13.4m — so the destination country, not the port, is the bigger landed-cost lever.
Freight routes
56 China → Europe routes — seven loading ports to eight gateways — with indicative transit times, cost ranges and routing notes.
In-depth guides
Rail Freight
The New Silk Road land bridge — corridors, transit times and the Russia question.
Learn more →Sea vs Rail
When a 2–3× freight premium is worth buying back three weeks of transit.
Learn more →Hidden Charges
The verified EUR accessorial stack: THC, ISPS, documentation, VGM and congestion lines.
Learn more →FCL vs LCL
Full container or shared LCL cargo? The ~15 CBM break-even rule for China-to-Europe.
Learn more →Sea vs Air
Value-of-time logic for choosing slow-and-cheap ocean versus fast-and-dear air.
Learn more →Demurrage & Detention
The two free-time clocks at European ports and how to avoid per-day terminal and carrier charges.
Learn more →Netherlands vs Germany
Rotterdam's VAT deferral versus Hamburg's rail terminus for your EU base.
Learn more →Direct vs Transshipment
Why Mediterranean ports transship, and the second schedule you can miss.
Learn more →IOSS vs VAT Deferral
The parcel tool versus the container tool — two VAT mechanisms people confuse.
Learn more →EU vs UK Customs
The post-Brexit landed-cost arithmetic: UK 20% VAT is mid-band, the real cost is two declarations and a second EORI.
Learn more →Country shipping guides
Deep route pillars for the highest-volume China-to-Europe destinations, with cost, transit, compliance and EORI guidance in one place.
Shipping from China to Germany
EORI, 19% VAT, Hamburg vs Rotterdam and the rail terminus question.
Learn more →Shipping from China to the United Kingdom
Post-Brexit customs, GB EORI, UKCA and Felixstowe as the gateway.
Learn more →Shipping from China to the Netherlands
Rotterdam, 21% VAT, Rhine-barge distribution and Article 23 VAT deferral.
Learn more →Shipping from China to France
Le Havre HAROPA, Seine-barge to Paris, 20% VAT and the Rotterdam trade-off.
Learn more →Shipping from China to Spain
Valencia gateway, Iberian landed-cost logic, 21% VAT and the Valencia-vs-Rotterdam decision.
Learn more →Shipping from China to Italy
Genoa gateway, Europe's highest 22% VAT, Alpine inland total and the strike buffer.
Learn more →Shipping from China to Poland
Gdańsk deep-water DCT plus Małaszewicze rail — the fastest-growing sea-rail split hub.
Learn more →Shipping from China to Belgium
Antwerp chemicals and breakbulk gateway, 21% VAT and the Rotterdam congestion alternative.
Learn more →Shipping from China to Austria
Landlocked routing via Hamburg or Koper, 20% VAT on EU common duty, Vienna rail terminus and inland customs clearance.
Learn more →Shipping from China to Sweden
Gothenburg SEGOT gateway, 25% VAT on EU common duty, SEK currency risk and the east-coast Stockholm split.
Learn more →Destination countries
Germany
19% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →United Kingdom
20% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →France
20% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Netherlands
21% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Spain
21% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Italy
22% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Poland
23% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Belgium
21% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Austria
20% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Sweden
25% VAT · 1 port
Learn more →Destination ports
Rotterdam
Netherlands · NLRTM
Learn more →Hamburg
Germany · DEHAM
Learn more →Antwerp
Belgium · BEANR
Learn more →Felixstowe
United Kingdom · GBFXT
Learn more →Le Havre
France · FRLEH
Learn more →Valencia
Spain · ESVLC
Learn more →Genoa
Italy · ITGOA
Learn more →Gdańsk
Poland · PLGDN
Learn more →Gothenburg
Sweden · SEGOT
Learn more →What makes Europe different from the GCC
Two things. First, the EU Common Customs Tariff means duty is uniform across member states — only VAT and local rules change, from Germany's 19% to Italy's 22%. Second, the New Silk Road rail gives Europe a middle option between sea and air that the Gulf does not have — and the UK sits outside both, with its own tariff and a GB EORI since Brexit.
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