How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Turkey?

Driven by the Belt and Road Initiative, the trade volume between China and Turkey continues to increase. China exports a large number of electronic products, household appliances, mechanical equipment, textiles and chemical products to Turkey, and the demand for transportation services has also increased. This article will introduce the transportation time from China to Turkey to help you understand the steps of transportation between the two countries.

Geographical location of Turkey

Turkey is located at the junction of Asia and Europe, spanning Europe and Asia. It borders Georgia, Armenia and Iran to the east, and Bulgaria and Greece to the northwest. Turkey has a superior geographical location and has become a hub country connecting Asia and Europe, and as an important international logistics and transit center.

shipping from China to Turkey

There are various modes of logistics transportation from China to Turkey, mainly including sea transportation, air transportation and rail transportation. The following are several common modes of transportation:

Sea freight

Sea freight is the cheapest of the three modes of transport and is suitable for bulk cargo transport. Ships can carry a large amount of cargo and are suitable for bulk transport. Sea transport is more advantageous for heavy or large cargo. Compared with air transport, sea transport has lower carbon emissions and is more environmentally friendly.

Air freight

Air freight is the fastest way to transport goods and is suitable for goods that require high timeliness. Air transport is generally safer and the risk of damage and loss of goods is relatively low. The air transport network covers a wide range and can reach all parts of the world quickly. It is especially suitable for small high-value goods (such as electronic products and medicines).

Rail freight

Compared with sea transport, rail transport is faster than sea transport, but not as fast as air transport. Compared with air transport, rail transport has a lower cost and is suitable for medium-value goods. Rail transport has relatively low energy consumption, less carbon emissions, and is more environmentally friendly. Rail transport is less affected by weather and has more stable transportation.

Time for shipping from China to Turkey

The time for shipping from China to Turkey mainly depends on the mode of transportation, but it is also affected by the following factors:

• Route selection: Different transportation routes will affect the total time. For example, different ports for sea transportation will have different loading and unloading times and voyages.
• Loading and unloading time: The busyness of the port, the efficiency of loading and unloading equipment and human resources may lead to longer loading and unloading time.
• Customs clearance: The efficiency of customs, inspection procedures and completeness of required documents in the exporting and importing countries will affect the customs clearance time.
• Weather conditions: Severe weather (such as typhoons, blizzards) may cause flight delays or shipping stagnation.
• Nature of goods: Special goods (such as dangerous goods, perishables) may require additional inspection and processing time.
• Freight forwarding efficiency: The professionalism and efficiency of the selected freight forwarder will directly affect the smoothness of the entire transportation process.

Sea freight time from China to Turkey

Usually Chinese goods are shipped through the ports of Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, and arrive at the main ports in Turkey, such as Istanbul, Izmir, and Mersin Port via the Mediterranean Sea. It usually takes 20-30 days

Air freight time from China to Turkey

Usually, the goods are transported from major airports in China such as Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which provide direct or stopover flights, to Istanbul Airport and Ankara Airport in Turkey. It usually takes 3-7 days

Rail freight time from China to Turkey

The China-Europe Express has opened a railway transportation route from China to Turkey. Goods depart from western China (such as Chongqing, Xi’an, Chengdu.), pass through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to Turkey. It usually takes 15-20 days.

If you want to know about shipping time from China to surrounding areas, you can read:

How Long does it Take to Ship from China to Greece

How Long Does it Take to Ship from China to Romania?

How Long does it take to Ship from China to Iraq

How Long does it Take to Ship from China to Iran

How to shorten the time of transport from China to Turkey

In order to shorten the time of transport from China to Turkey, the following measures can be taken:

• Optimize delivery time: avoid holidays and peak transportation periods, such as the Spring Festival and the end of the year, to reduce waiting time.
• Prepare documents in advance: ensure that all customs declaration and customs clearance documents are complete to reduce customs clearance time.
• Optimize transportation routes: choose the fastest and most stable transportation routes to reduce the number of transfers.
• Improve logistics efficiency: strengthen logistics management and coordination to ensure that goods can flow in a timely and smooth manner at all links.
• Use advanced transportation equipment: adopt efficient transportation equipment and technology to improve transportation speed and safety.

The price of shipping from China to Turkey varies depending on many factors such as transportation method, cargo type, quantity, distance, etc. The specific price needs to be negotiated and determined based on actual conditions. The following is the approximate cost of 20ft and 40ft containers.

These are the costs of shipping from China to surrounding countries, you can use them as a reference:

How Much does it Cost to Ship from China to Greece

How Much is the Shipping Cost from China to Iraq

Shipping Costs from China to Romania

Steps to transport goods from China to Turkey

Here are the main steps to transport goods from China to Turkey:

Booking
Book space with a shipping company or airline

Choosing a mode of transport
Choose a suitable mode of transport based on the nature of the goods, timeliness requirements and budget, and transport the goods from the warehouse in China to the port or airport and then to Turkey

Customs clearance
The importer submits a customs declaration form and goes through relevant customs clearance procedures. Turkish Customs will check the documents and conduct an inspection. Required documents:

• Commercial invoice: lists the description, quantity, unit price and total price of the goods, usually provided by the exporter.
• Packing list: provides detailed packaging information of the goods, including the size, weight and contents of each box.
• Bill of lading: a certificate of cargo transportation issued by the carrier, which is proof of delivery of the goods.
• Certificate of origin: proves the origin of the goods. Turkish Customs decides whether to enjoy tariff preferences based on this document.
• Customs declaration form: According to the requirements of Turkish Customs, importers need to fill in and submit detailed cargo information and declaration list.
• Insurance policy: used for cargo transportation insurance to protect risks during transportation.

Pay Duties and Fees
Depending on the type of goods and the certificate of origin, pay import duties and related fees.

Pickup and Delivery
Once customs clearance is complete, the goods can be sent to the final destination for distribution or storage.

There are many factors to consider when shipping from China to Turkey. This article will help you plan your shipping plan and deliver your goods to your destination more efficiently and economically.