It can be challenging to navigate the complexities of shipping across foreign borders, particularly when dealing with intricate routes such as those from China to France. Have you ever wondered how to streamline your shipping processes, cut costs, and extend delivery timelines simultaneously? You’re not alone. We understand the significance of a reliable, efficient, and cost-effective shipping solution for your business.

As one of the dependable freight forwarders in China, we will share our experience in this article, so keep reading.

Depending on the types of goods, cost, and time, each method has its own advantages. We have sea freight, air freight, rail freight and express courier services to select for shipping from China to France.

Did you know that about 90% of international shipping is done via sea? Any shipment of more than 500 Kg or 2CBM is ideal for ocean transportation.

This is because it is often cheaper than other methods, especially when you are dealing with large amounts. When cost optimization is a priority for businesses, sea shipping from China to France will help greatly.

However, not everything can be transported by water. Perishable goods or those requiring immediate delivery don’t work well with sea transportation as its speed is slower compared to other methods.

To satisfy different types of shippers, there are two available sea freight shipping methods:

• LCL Consolidation
• FCL

FCL is the option where you have enough products to fill in a whole container by yourself. Think about renting an entire bus vehicle, for example.

Although more expensive, this option saves time since only your items occupy the container.

On the other hand, LCL stands for Less Than Container Load, which means your cargo will be mixed along with those of other shippers and placed in the same container. The payment arrangements here depend upon how much space your items occupy in the container.

Make this your go-to option if you’re short on supplies to fill an entire container. It may take a little longer since additional time is required for sorting and distribution of various products among the shared containers.

Shipping by sea involves several major ports in both countries. Knowing the strength and capacity of these ports is important in deciding shipping strategies.

• Shanghai is known for being the busiest container port in the world, handling a large amount of international cargo.
• The port has modern facilities and extensive international networks.

• Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is one of China’s busiest ports and is known for its vast cargo handling capability.
• Situated in eastern China, it serves exporters from this part of the country well.

• This port is one of the rapidly developing ones globally and is known as Shenzhen port located in Southern China.
• Being on the Pearl River Delta makes it convenient for exportation from this region as this place is actively developing economically.

• Xiamen Port is strategically placed on China’s South-East coast that acts as a main link with Taiwan.
• Furthermore, it is also centrally connected to different cities across the mainland through numerous highways and railroads.

• Qingdao Port located in the North-Eastern part of the People’s Republic of China is famous for its comprehensive services provided within the logistics industry.
• It has reliable infrastructure, hence making it a preferred option for merchandise exported from China to France.

• Marseille is France’s largest port that handles diverse types of shipping such as containerized cargo, Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) vessels, and bulk cargoes (e.g. oil tankers).
• This location offers convenient access to southern France due to its positioning along the Mediterranean coastline.

• Le Havre deep-water seaport situated at the mouth of the Seine River on the English Channel,
• The wide range of cargo types makes it a good entry point for imports from China.

• Essentially Bordeaux Port on the Garonne River is a noteworthy wine trade hub.
• It is well connected to the hinterland through various modes of transport thus making it an efficient choice for goods from China.

Among all shipping methods, air freight is the second fastest shipping, When weighing over 200 kilograms, air cargo from China to France is an excellent option for fast, efficient transportation. Major airports in both countries are involved in this port-to-port service.

The primary cargo airports in China include Shanghai Airport, Guangzhou Airport, Shenzhen Airport and Beijing  Airport.

Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, and Marseille Provence Airport are the key air freight ports in France.

The choice of shipping airports depends on where your goods are coming from and where they’re going so we can minimize transit time and costs.

Typically, the transportation of goods via air freight takes around 3-7 days from China to France, with the duration varying based on the specific route.

A direct route is good if you want your goods delivered by tomorrow. However, indirect routes might take a little bit longer but save you some money if you don’t mind a small detour.

Remember that air freight costs do not depend solely on weight. If your goods are light-weighted, volumetric weight might be used as chargeable weight if it exceeds gross weight. So, bear that in mind when calculating your shipping costs.

As one of the reliable China freight forwarder, we work closely with Air France and all the other major airlines so we can get the lowest and most competitive rates for you. Just provide us with the product name and type, weight and volume of your cargo along with your manufacturer address. Within just an hour, we will offer you the most competitive air freight rates from any China airport to France airport. Simply send us a quote request for a fast and straightforward quote on your shipment.

Train freight offers shorter shipping times while ensuring safety and stability. Additionally, this shipping method offers significant cost savings of approximately 50% compared to air transportation. The flexibility of direct shipping is highlighted by the option to send goods via LCL (Less than Container Load) with 3-4 trains scheduled per week.

To illustrate the main shipping route, it starts with a pick-up in Shenzhen/Yiwu/Ningbo, followed by transportation to Chengdu/Chongqing, Alashankou, Kazakhstan, Russia,

Polish Mala, and customs clearance in Hungary/Czech. Finally, UPS/DPD courier will pick up the shipment and deliver it to France.

This comprehensive service ensures a smooth and seamless logistics experience, contributing to a streamlined supply chain and an efficient business operation.

• Express Freight: The fastest and most convenient method is express freight, which usually takes about 2 to 5 working days to deliver shipments from China to France. This makes it ideal for rush deliveries that require urgent attention.
• Air Freight: Air freight from China to France is a super-fast and efficient shipping option, especially for cargo weighing more than two hundred kilos. Transit times for air freight range between 3-7 days depending on the specific route used.
• Train Freight: Train freight balances speed with cost. It’s more effective than sea freight in terms of shorter shipping times but cheaper than air freight. The journey by train takes about 25-35 days from China to France door to door.
• Sea Freight: It takes different periods of time for sea shipping from China to France depending on the particular ocean route taken, but generally, it takes about 28-35 days port to port. This choice is perfect for large, non-time-sensitive consignments that do not require instant delivery.

**These transit times are estimates and may be affected by customs clearance, weather, and port congestion.

The exact shipping costs depend on many factors. But you can acquire a quote from a freight forwarder by simply providing the following information.

• Product type.
• What will be your shipping method – air, train, or ocean.
• Packing list information, including how many weights and volumes you are going to ship,
• Your delivery address.

Shipping rates also change at different times of the year. For example, you might have to pay extra if you ship during the Christmas or the Chinese holidays.

Air freight costs may vary significantly based on the weight and volume of goods, as well as the particular route chosen, before is the reference air freight cost dated 05-April-2025 for you information:

Standard Air freight cost from China to France per KG:

Express freight is the fastest shipping mode, but the most expensive one. You can choose either DHL, UPS, or FedEx for your shipping demands, before is the reference Express freight cost dated 05-April-2025 for you information:

Express freight from China to France per KG Door to Door

Compared to air freight, train freight is relatively inexpensive. Shipping a standard 20-ft container from Shenzhen to Marseille might cost about $4,500. For a bigger 40ft container, you would pay approximately from $6,500, before is the reference Rail freight cost dated 05-April-2025 for you information:

DDP Train freight from China to France per KG

Shipping goods through sea freight is cost-effective for larger consignments, you can ship either by port to port or door to door based on your needs, Below is the reference sea freight cost dated 05-April-2025 for your information:

Sea freight from China to France per CBM:

For any shipment from China to France, it must pass through import customs clearance before goods can be delivered. Below are the main import customs steps for your information:

1. Prepare Documents: These documents include a Bill of lading, Packaging list, invoice, commercial invoice, etc. Your China supplier & freight forwarder can assist you in preparing these documents.
2. Submission to Customs: Present your relevant documents to customs authorities.
3. Verification of Documents: French authorities will verify your documentation to ensure compliance with rules and regulations.
4. Payment of Duties and Taxes: Pay all taxes and duties before receiving your goods.
5. Clearance of Goods: After paying duties and taxes, customs will inspect your product. If no issues are found, you will get your shipment.

***The method may vary depending on the commodities and whether special approvals or permits are needed. When organizing shipments, engage a competent freight forwarder or customs specialist.

You will need the following documents when you import from China to France:

• Bill of lading/Airway Bill.
• Commercial invoice
• Letter of credit
• Packing list
• Certificate of origin
• Import declaration form for Customs

Like any other country, you have to pay customs duty, VAT, and Taxes to clear your goods from the French Customs. Customs duty and charges are applied on various parameters. If your import is worth more than 21 Euro, you must pay customs duty and other charges.

The import duty is a percentage that is calculated based on the customs value. How much you pay, depends on the HS code, normally the import duty rates range between 0% and up to 17%.

In addition, VAT is payable in accordance with the provisions of different importing countries. In terms of the standard VAT rate, the average turnover rate is about 21%. France is generally about 20%, depending on the specific product category.

In order to improve the efficiency of customs clearance, please do not declare parcels as sample, Accessories, Gift, Parts, Tools or other general descriptions that will delay the customs clearance, return or withholding due to the discrepancies in declaration.

Here are some tips to reduce shipping costs between China and France.

• Try to reduce the shipping distance between ports.
• Take professional help to pack your products to reduce dimensions.
• Find a freight forwarder who offers less rate without compromising service and has no hidden charges.
• Take insurance from third parties.
• Place your order early. Last-minute bookings are always highly charged.
• Maintain a long-term relationship with a freight forwarder to get special discount offers.

Door-to-door includes all transit from China to France, covering logistics, customs clearance, and local delivery, making it easier for businesses. There are two main types of shipping from China to France: DDU and DDP services. These enable you to get your products directly from the Chinese factory to any specified place in France.

DDP shipping from China to France includes factory pick-up, export/import customs clearance, VAT duties, local operations, and last-mile delivery.

Winsky Freight provides DDP shipping service from China to France includes:

• DDP Air freight
• DDP Sea freight
• DDP Train freight

DDP sea freight, delivery total is around 38-45 days door to door from pick up to delivery.

DDP air freight, delivery total is around 14 days door to door from pick up to delivery.

DDP Train freight, delivery total is around 35 days door to door from pick up to delivery.

Winsky Freight DDP freight service operations from China to France involves the following steps:

1. Pick up goods from the China factory
2. Loading different client goods into an FCL full container
3. Preparing export custom declaration documents
4. Shipping from the China start port to the EU destination port
5. A local partner in France clears import customs and duties under agent importer account for the whole container
6. Unloading the Container, picking up the container from the seaport to overseas warehouse, disconsolidating and sorting out to couriers like UPS and DPD for final delivery to your destination.

Whether you choose DDU or DDP service, know that Winsky Freight will help you ensure secure and cost-effective transportation of your goods.

Winsky offers various payment options to meet customer needs.

• T/T bank transfer for bulk payments.
• PayPal for smaller transactions (note the 4.7% handling fee).
• Wise Transfer for efficient international freight payments with lower bank handling fees.

Winsky also accepts MoneyGram and Western Union for convenience and speed. Consider transaction costs, speed, convenience, and security when choosing a payment method.

If you are shipping by Express Air service, visit the official websites of express freight carriers such as DHL, UPS, and FedEx. Simply input the tracking number and get full online status updates.

For Air Carrier shipments, use the carrier’s website or a third-party site like Track-Trace. Sea carrier shipments can be tracked using the carrier’s website and the tracking or container number.

You can also use 17-Track for express, sea, and air freight shipments. If you have questions, consult your freight forwarder for an estimated arrival date.

Buying cargo insurance is highly recommended when shipping from China to France, but it is not mandatory.

In case you didn’t know, the shipping carrier only covers up to $100 per shipment for any loss or damage case, which might be insufficient given the value of your cargo.

Winsky Freight provide cargo insurance service too, the cost is 0.3% of the cargo value and minimum charge US$25 per shipment, by taking insurance coverage, you will save yourself from incurring huge losses.

• Winsky Freight offers the best shipping prices without compromising on quality.
• Emphasis on the safety of products during transportation to minimize damage or loss.
• Quality service with open, prompt, and effective communication.
• Experience in dealing with shipments from China to various countries worldwide.
• Familiarity with regulations, avoiding legal problems, and easing customs clearance.
• Additional logistics services such as warehousing support, packaging assistance, and distribution facilities.

Winsky Freight’s DDP shipping is straightforward and follows these stages:

• We pick up the goods from the supplier once they are ready at our shipping warehouse.
• We will ask the supplier to fill all the necessary forms for shipping.
• When we receive the goods in our warehouse, we will check them and obtain an accurate weight and dimensions.
• Consequently, a shipping invoice will be sent to you which has to be paid for confirmation.
• The goods are then dispatched through sea/air freight once payment , local partner in France finalizes import customs clearance and duty processes.
• Ultimately, the local partner does import customs clearance and delivers it via truck or courier to France

International shipping is a complex business, and Winsky Freight, with over a decade of experience, aims to serve importers with care. This comprehensive guide provides valuable information for importers from France. If you have further queries regarding shipping from China to France, feel free to send a message, and one of Winsky Freight’s French shipping experts will assist you shortly.