Duisburg, Hamburg and Mannheim
Duisburg is the world's largest inland port and the primary rail gateway for Chinese imports into the EU; Hamburg adds direct deep-sea and short-sea connections for northern Europe; Mannheim serves the Rhine-Neckar industrial region and southwest Germany. Express timetable products from Xi'an run 16–18 days, standard trains 20–25 days.
EU import is a two-step process: a T1 transit document moves the container from the EU border to your chosen clearance office, where duty and import VAT are paid. We arrange both steps, plus EORI support for first-time importers.
Departure stations and transit times
| Departure station | Destination | Transit (station to station) |
|---|---|---|
| Xi'an | All German stations | Standard 20–25 days; express timetable 16–18 days; about 40 trains per month |
| Wuhan | Duisburg / Hamburg | Standard 16–23 days; express timetable 16–20 days |
| Yiwu / Jinhua | Duisburg / Hamburg | Standard 18–25 days; express timetable 15–21 days |
| Jinan | Duisburg / Hamburg | 18–35 days, about 4 trains per month |
| Pinghu (Guangzhou / Shenzhen) | Duisburg / Hamburg | 16–20 days |
| Gaoyi (Shijiazhuang) | Duisburg / Hamburg | Express timetable 15–23 days, via Erenhot |
| Chengdu | Duisburg / Hamburg | About 22 days |
Transit times are typical station-to-station figures and vary with the product (standard or express timetable) and border congestion. We confirm the next departure and cut-off at booking.
Service scope
- FCL 20ft / 40ft / 40HQ and LCL groupage on scheduled trains.
- T1 transit documents, EU import clearance with partner brokers, duty and import VAT handling.
- DDP delivery to any German or EU address, including warehouse and fulfillment-center appointments.
- Return capacity from Duisburg and Hamburg to China — see rail freight from Germany to China.
Frequently asked questions
How long does rail freight from China to Germany take?
Standard trains run 20–25 days station to station from Xi'an; express timetable products run 16–18 days. From Wuhan, Yiwu and the southern hubs transit is typically 15–23 days. Door-to-door adds pickup and last-mile delivery.
Which German stations do trains from China reach?
Duisburg and Hamburg are the main destinations, plus Mannheim for southwest Germany. All three are reached from Xi'an, Wuhan, Yiwu/Jinhua, Jinan, Pinghu, Gaoyi and Chengdu.
Do you handle EU customs and import VAT?
Yes. We arrange the T1 transit document, EU import clearance through partner brokers, duty and import VAT payment, and DDP delivery to any address including fulfillment centers.
Is rail freight to Germany cheaper than air freight?
Yes, substantially — rail typically costs a fraction of air freight while taking about two weeks, which makes it the standard choice for electronics, home goods, apparel and e-commerce restocking.