International Road Freight: Global Overland and TIR Trucking
Speedline Logistics moves full and part truckloads, reefer trucks, and heavy machinery across land borders, from factory pickup in China to delivery in Pakistan, Central Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
International road freight moves goods by truck across land borders, and within a country from a factory to a port or warehouse. Speedline arranges full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) trucking, reefer trucks for temperature-sensitive cargo, flatbeds for heavy machinery, and TIR transport, where customs-sealed trucks cross several borders without unloading. Road freight suits overland lanes such as China to Pakistan, Central Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia, where it is faster than ocean freight and cheaper than air.
How International Road Freight Works at Speedline
- Order confirmation. We confirm the cargo weight, dimensions, pickup address, destination, and whether the load needs a full truck, a shared truck, or special equipment.
- Cargo processing. We arrange factory pickup, check packing against the truck and lashing requirements, and prepare export documents.
- Shipment and tracking. The truck moves on the agreed route. Border crossings, customs status, and location are tracked
- Delivery. The goods are delivered to the consignee, with proof of delivery and a final invoice.
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Overland Lanes We Cover
China to Pakistan via the Karakoram Highway
The Karakoram Highway links Xinjiang with northern Pakistan through the Khunjerab Pass, the world’s highest paved international border crossing. Trucks cross at Khunjerab and continue to Sost dry port on the Pakistan side, where Pakistani customs clearance takes place before delivery to Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi, and other cities. Transit typically runs 10 to 18 days door-to-door. The pass has traditionally operated from April to November, and it closed in December 2023 for weather.
China to UAE via Pakistan under TIR
A TIR route now runs from Kashgar through Khunjerab and Pakistan to the UAE, with the sea leg from Karachi to Jebel Ali where needed. Reported transit from Kashgar to Jebel Ali is around 10 days, compared to roughly 30 days by sea.
China to Europe via Khorgos under TIR
Cargo departs Khorgos (Xinjiang), crosses Kazakhstan, and continues to Poland and Germany with no unloading at borders under the TIR system. The first China-Europe TIR run from Khorgos to Poland took 13 days in 2018, and industry sources cite 10 to 15 days door-to-door as normal for the corridor. Speedline quotes 12 to 16 days to Poland and Germany. Russia and Belarus transit
China to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
Trucks run from South and Central China through Xinjiang border ports to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Typical transit is 5 to 8 days to Kazakhstan.
China to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia
South China connects by road through Pingxiang (Guangxi) and Mohan (Yunnan) land ports. Transit is 2 to 3 days to Vietnam, 4 to 5 days to Laos and Thailand, and 6 to 8 days to Malaysia and Singapore.
Factory-to-Port and Port-to-Warehouse (for sea and air to UK, USA, UAE, and beyond)
Road cannot reach the UK or the USA from China, so road is the leg that matters on those lanes. We collect from supplier factories in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong, Fujian, Henan, and Sichuan, and deliver to the container terminal or inland depot, or to our Yiwu, Guangzhou, or Foshan warehouse before loading.
Options and Comparison
Option | Best for | Typical transit | Main cost driver | What to know |
Full truckload (FTL) | Large or time-sensitive consignments | Lane-dependent | Truck size and distance | Truck is yours alone, no intermediate stops |
Less-than-truckload (LTL) | Palletised cargo below a full truck | Lane-dependent, may add consolidation time | Pallet count and shared route | Cost-effective when you do not fill a truck |
TIR road transport | Cross-border lanes with several borders | 10 to 16 days to Europe | Border count and carnet cost | Sealed trucks clear borders without unloading |
Reefer trucking | Pharmaceuticals, food, sensitive chemicals | Lane-dependent | Temperature range and power | Data loggers, −18°C to +25°C |
Flatbed and low-bed | Machinery, steel coil, out-of-gauge cargo | Lane-dependent | Permits and escort | Highway permits and escort vehicles where needed |
Rail-road intermodal | Eco-conscious Eurasian freight | Lane-dependent | Rail slot and rail-road transfer | China-Europe Railway Express from Yiwu and Chengdu |
Sea freight (comparison) | Lowest cost, long lead time | About a month to Karachi from Shanghai | Container and port fees | Use road for the inland legs |
Air freight (comparison) | Fastest, highest cost | Days | Chargeable weight | Road is usually cheaper than air on overland lanes |
Why Speedline
- Origin-side control. We run warehouses in Yiwu, Guangzhou, and Foshan, so pickup, consolidation, and export paperwork happen under one team.
- Three offices. Dubai, Karachi, and Lahore, so questions on each side of the corridor reach people who work that corridor.
- Tracking on linehaul. Trucks on linehaul and cross-border legs are tracked by GPS.
- Heavy haulage handled in-house. We arrange lashing, choking, and highway permits for oversized loads.
Customs and Documentation
Overland freight needs different paperwork from sea freight. For most cross-border road shipments, you will need a commercial invoice, a packing list, a bill of lading or consignment note, and the cargo’s HS codes. TIR shipments also need a TIR carnet, which is the customs guarantee document that lets sealed trucks cross borders without unloading. Within Europe, the CMR consignment note is used for road transport. Speedline prepares export documents on the origin side, handles border formalities, and provides the destination customs clearance on the Pakistan side.
Pricing Logic
Road freight is priced on four things: distance and lane, weight and volume (or the full truck), the number of borders crossed, and the cargo’s special requirements. Reefer equipment, flatbeds, oversized permits, and escort vehicles each add a fixed or variable cost. Seasonal closures (such as Khunjerab Pass in winter) can change the route and the price. Send your cargo weight, dimensions, pickup city, destination, and cargo type to get an accurate quote. We do not publish fixed rates on this page.
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About Speedline
Speedline Logistics is a trusted international freight forwarder offering a full range of logistics and transport services. With a strong presence in China and a commitment to efficiency, we ensure stress-free and cost-effective solutions for businesses worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions — Road Freight China
We operate 4.2m, 7.6m, 9.6m, 13.5m, and 17.5m box trucks, flatbeds, low-bed trailers for heavy machinery, and refrigerated (reefer) trucks.
Yes, we dispatch trucks directly to factory addresses anywhere in China, including Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, Sichuan, and Fujian, feeding into our Yiwu, Guangzhou, and Foshan hubs.
Rail-Road Intermodal combines domestic trucking with container freight trains, allowing cargo to move seamlessly by rail and road across international trade corridors.
Cross-border overland trucking from South China to Vietnam takes 2-3 days; Thailand/Laos takes 4-5 days; and overland trucking to Pakistan via the Karakoram Highway (KKH) takes 10 to 18 days.
TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) allows customs-sealed trucks to cross international land borders without intermediate customs inspections, enabling fast, bonded door-to-door road freight.
Yes, Speedline Logistics provides inland transit cargo insurance covering domestic trucking from supplier loading to port gate-in or destination delivery.
FTL (Full Truckload) reserves the entire truck exclusively for your cargo, providing direct transport with zero intermediate handling. LTL (Less Than Truckload) consolidates smaller palletized shipments from multiple shippers, sharing costs.
Cargo is assembled at our warehouses, loaded into international transit trailers, cleared through Chinese export customs, driven through the Khunjerab Pass dry port, cleared through Pakistani customs, and delivered directly to Pakistani cities.
Yes. We operate multi-axle low-bed and extendable flatbed trailers engineered for heavy industrial machinery, construction cranes, and oversize structural steel, complete with highway transit permits.
Yes. All linehaul and cross-border transport vehicles are fitted with active GPS telematics, providing 24/7 visibility into location, speed, and delivery schedule.
Using the TIR corridor through Kazakhstan, road freight to Poland and Germany typically takes 12 to 16 days door-to-door at Speedline. The first China-Europe TIR run in 2018 took 13 days from Khorgos to Poland. Times depend on border clearance, the route chosen, and the season. Air is faster but costs more, and sea takes about a month.
A TIR carnet is the customs document that lets a sealed truck cross multiple international borders without inspection at every crossing. The truck is sealed at origin, and the seal is checked at each border. This avoids cargo unloading and repeated customs checks, which shortens transit time on multi-border routes.
On overland lanes, usually yes. Industry sources report road freight costs around half of air freight on China-Europe routes, with transit that is faster than rail on some corridors. The exact difference depends on weight, volume, and route. Send your cargo details for a comparison quote.
The pass has traditionally operated from April to November, and it closed in December 2023 for weather. Plan winter shipments around this seasonal limit, and ask us for the current status before booking.
Some dangerous goods can move by road under ADR and TIR rules, but acceptance depends on the goods class, the lane, and the carrier. Share your product’s safety data sheet and HS code before booking.
Road freight moves by truck from door to door, with pickup and delivery at any address. Rail freight moves in containers on fixed rail services between terminals, and it needs rail-road transfer at each end. The road is more flexible for pickup times and addresses. Rail is an option on some Eurasian corridors where scheduled capacity suits your cargo.