Shipping from China to UK

Air freight to Heathrow or Manchester takes about 3–6 days airport to airport and is billed on chargeable weight; see air freight from China for weight-break rates. For loads under 100 kg, express DDP is usually simpler.

Port to port is about 30–38 days for FCL; LCL takes about 40–48 days door to door, and Amazon FBA UK deliveries by sea plan on 40–48 days.

Felixstowe usually has slightly lower ocean rates, while Southampton often costs less inland for southern deliveries. For LCL from 1–15 CBM, cargo is consolidated in China and unpacked at a UK CFS; see LCL shipping from China.

Pro tip: at Felixstowe in peak season, appoint your own haulier. Merchant haulage collects the container on discharge and can save 4–5 days over carrier haulage.

There is no direct rail service to the UK. Containers reach Duisburg or Poland by rail freight from China and cross the Channel by truck and ferry, so the road leg through Dover–Calais decides the final date. Door to door, rail to the UK takes about 24–30 days, against 40–48 days by sea LCL.

A 200 kg textile collection shipped from Shanghai to London by express DDP cost about US$2,100 landed and arrived in 5 days. Express also avoids the Dover–Calais corridor, where trucking from mainland Europe can get stuck.

DDP covers export handling, freight, duty and VAT coordination, clearance and delivery in one flow; for Amazon FBA UK, labels and carton checks are completed in China. Goods valued at £135 or less currently enter without customs duty, with VAT collected at the point of sale; the UK plans to remove that duty relief by 2028.

1. Weeks of stock left: more than six, sea; four to six, rail; under three, express or air.
2. Weight: under about 100 kg, express; above about 500 kg, sea unless the date cannot move.
3. VAT setup: VAT-registered with PVA, clear under your own EORI; not registered, ship DDP.

Quote sea first, and add a rail or express DDP quote when the stock is needed in weeks rather than months.

1. GB EORI number: every importer into Great Britain needs one starting with "GB"; goods for Northern Ireland may need an "XI" number.
2. UK commodity code: sets the duty rate and documents; a supplier's Chinese export code does not automatically match the UK import code.
3. CDS declaration before arrival: send invoice, packing list, Incoterms and B/L details to your broker before the vessel arrives.
4. Import VAT and PVA: VAT is 20%; if you want postponed VAT accounting, tell the broker explicitly.
5. UKCA or CE marking: some products need UKCA, while CE is still accepted for others; electronics and batteries also need a transport compliance review.

Sea to the port nearest your postcode for most stock, rail via the continent when four weeks matter, express DDP for small urgent loads, and DDP until your EORI and PVA setup is ready. Routes to the rest of the continent are on our Europe page.