Introduction
Hello everyone! In this service, prepared on behalf of the DDPCH shipping company, we discuss the main factors of shipping from China to Italy, including Air freight, Sea freight, rail freight, DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), Express shipping, and details of Customs Clearance in Italy. Our goal is to provide you with a detailed daily guide to this subject, we receive many questions from customers about transit times, shipping costs, and the customs clearance process in Italy, they want detailed information about the entire process, so we created this comprehensive guide to answer all of your questions.
We strongly advise that you read this service and thoroughly review everything in this guide, then if you still have questions, please do not be afraid to contact us and our sales team in DDPCH. We are always available to answer any inquiries or questions you may have about shipping from China to Italy, your satisfaction is our top priority, and we answer any time including on weekends and holidays.
Shipping Methods from China to Italy
When you decide to start shipping from China to Italy, you must choose the shipping method, the methods are different in terms of shipping time and cost and can be chosen based on the type and quantity of your products, as well as your requirements. We can advise you in this field and recommend the best method based on your budget. First, we recommend air freight from China to Italy for cargoes with smaller volumes, which is also appropriate for sensitive goods, The next method is sea freight from China to Italy suitable for heavy goods but has a long transit time.
The third method is rail freight from China to Italy, which is a cost effective option for large shipping from China to European countries, and we recommend it for heavy loads, so for the three methods we mentioned, we also have door to door services from China to Italy, which is the most convenient method for you because in this method, we will do any things in shipping and clearance of goods in Italy for you, the end if you have a very small load or documents and want to ship them from China to Italy, For example, if you want to ship a product sample from China to Italy, you should use the express shipping from China to Italy, all of the methods are described in following, stay with us. 🙂
Air freight from China to Italy
Air freight from China to Italy is safer, faster, and more convenient than other shipping methods from China to Italy, also has greater flexibility for scheduling shipments and controlled goods, which are two benefits that should not be ignored, but it is more expensive than land or sea freight, and it is ideal for quickly sending smaller, more delicate shipments because it arrives faster. Air freight from China to Italy may also be less risky due to the high level of safety in air cargo, with this method of shipping from China to Italy, your product will be in transit for a minimum of time.
DDPCH offers air freight services from China’s cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Yiwu, and Beijing to Milan and other Italian cities for example every week we have a Flight from Shanghai to Malpensa Cargo is the first Italian airport, for more information on shipping from China to Italy or air cargo service from China to Italy, please contact the DDPCH team because at any time, our team is prepared to organize your air cargo.
Now we want to talk about more details about air freight transit times and costs from China to Italy, as well as why you should choose air freight.
Air freight cost from China to Italy
For air freight cost from China to Italy, when you choose this method you must know air shipment is the most expensive but it saves time a lot, so when time is a crucial factor for you air shipment is the best choice and air freight cost from China to Italy is a combination of various charges and surcharges, such as fuel surcharge, security fee, and terminal fee (Terminal fees include loading and unloading fees, cargo handling services, parking costs, and other surcharges), These fees are determined by airlines in China based on their operating costs and airlines frequently revise these charges to reflect market changes based on seasonality, international oil prices, and the time of year.
The cost of air freight from China to Italy varies depending on the airline, route, and season, for example, if two airlines fly from China to Italy, a shipment made during the peak season will most likely cost more than one made during the off season. Please refer to this table prepared on behalf of the DDPCH shipping company, which shows the cost of shipping from China to Italy by air, especially from cities in China to cities in Italy, for example, air freight from Shanghai to Milan costs nearly 6% per kilogram.
| City in China | City in Italy | Air Freight Cost (Per Kg, USD) | Cost for 100 (Per Kg, USD) | Cost for 500 (Per Kg, USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Rome | 5.5 | 4.5 | 3.8 |
| Shanghai | Milan | 5.75 | 4.8 | 3 |
| Guangzhou | Florence | 6 | 4.8 | 3.5 |
| Shenzhen | Venice | 5.8 | 4.9 | 3.5 |
| Chengdu | Naples | 6.2 | 5.5 | 3.7 |
| Xi'an | Turin | 6 | 4.8 | 3 |
Air freight transit time from China to Italy
Air freight transit time from China to Italy is the quickest way to ship goods from China, while the flight itself takes only a few hours, there are still customs, airport security, and logistics to deal with, so air freight from China to Italy would take anywhere from three to nine days to arrive, which is still much faster than any shipping method like sea freight or road freight, consider the various routes and airports of departure and arrival, as these can affect your travel time.
Your cargo can depart directly from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and other Chinese airports to all Italy airports, such as Milan Malpensa Airport (IATA code: MXP), Rome Fiumicino Airport (IATA code: FCO), Bergamo Airport (IATA code: BGP), Venice Airport (IATA code: VCE), Naples Airport (IATA code: NAP) and Turin Airport (IATA code: TRN). Then you can see the table of air freight transit time from Cities in China to Cities in Italy, which sometimes takes 3 days, the air freight transit time from China to Spain is due to document loading and customs clearance.
| City in China | City in Italy | Air Freight Transit Time (Days) |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Rome | 2 |
| Shanghai | Milan | 3 |
| Guangzhou | Florence | 2.5 |
| Shenzhen | Venice | 3 |
| Chengdu | Naples | 2 |
| Xi'an | Turin | 2.5 |
Sea freight from China to Italy
Sea freight from China to Italy is an alternative for shipping from China to Italy If you need to ship a large amount of cargo or if air freight is too expensive for you, Sea freight from China to Italy is a good method of transportation and Nearly 90 percent of cargo shipping worldwide include to Italy is carried by sea freight service, which is the most common and cost effective method of shipping from China to Italy. The majority of Italians and importers prefer sea freight because it is less expensive and may be slower than air freight, but the cost can be up to 50 times less, making a big difference.
There are two main types of sea freight from China to Italy:
- Full Container Load (FCL): refers to the amount of cargo that can be loaded into a container for shipment to Italy, normally, if your shipment is above 15 CBM, you can ship it in a full container, which is much cheaper and more cost effective.
- Less than Container Load (LCL): If an order does not fill the entire shipping container, it will be combined with other shipments to make up the space and this method is typically more expensive (due to the additional work required to consolidate LCL shipping) and slower, LCL is typically used for shipments of less than 15 CBM.
In sea freight services to Italy, there are many tips that, if followed, your goods from China to Italy in the most cost effective and fastest way possible, we are happy to inform you that we offer both LCL and FCL sea freight services from China to Italy with the best prices and transit times. So, if you want to know the price, just contact us, we are ready to provide you with the best sea freight solution for your shipment from China to Italy.
Seaports in Italy:
- Port of Trieste (ITTRS)
- Port of Genoa (ITGOA)
- Port of Livorno (ITLIV)
- Port of Cagliari (ITCAG)
- Port of Gioia Tauro (ITGIT)
- Port of Ravenna (ITRAN)
- Port of Venice (ITVCE)
- Port of Messina (ITMSN)
Sea freight cost from China to Italy
When discussing sea freight cost from China to Italy, as an importer, you should first understand what these costs are and then try to reduce them, several factors influence the cost of your shipment, including the weight of the package, shipping time, carrier, and fuel costs, You will also see bunker surcharges added to your bill as a result of fluctuations in oil prices. Next, there are port fees, which vary depending on the location of the port, port fees are typically charged by the local government and Shipping distance also influences the cost of your shipment, as long distances result in higher transportation costs.
Finally, the time of year impacts the cost of your shipping from China to Italy, importers often ship products during the off season to avoid high shipping costs, and sending a large number of products from China to Italy is also the most economical option. The cost of shipping from China to Italy by sea varies greatly depending on the service chosen and the price of a shipping container, this table contains information about the cost of sea freight from China to Italy. For example, the cost of shipping from Shanghai to Genoa is $2512 by FCL (20 foot) and $500 by LCL.
| Port in China | Port in Italy | FCL 20 foot Cost (USD) | LCL Cost/RT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Genoa | 1512.05 | 140 |
| Ningbo | Salerno | 1999.15 | 135 |
| Shenzhen | Livorno | 1600 | 140 |
| Qingdao | Venice | 1800 | 130 |
| Guangzhou | Trieste | 1750 | 136 |
| Tianjin | Naples | 1900 | 140 |
Sea freight transit time from China to Italy
Sea freight transit time from China to Italy is an important consideration for businesses that work with Chinese suppliers when shipping from China to Italy by sea, many factors influence the shipping transit time from China to Italy, including the distance between the two countries, the mode of transportation, and the rate at which the shipments move, the distance between China and Italy may be a significant barrier, resulting in lengthy shipping transit times freight from China to Italy typically takes 3-5 weeks, with the shipping time and cost determined by the sea type.
When it comes to speedy shipping, you’ll benefit greatly from using FCL freight from China to Italy, As a result, all of your personal belongings will occupy the entire vessel, and for large shipments, FCL is less expensive also when you use LCL, your items are mixed in with other people’s shipments, which takes longer to deliver than FCL. As a result, shipping companies in Italy only transport products once a container is fully loaded.
Now you can see this table about sea freight from seaports in China to seaports in Italy, if you want to sea shipping by DDPCH from Shanghai to Genoa your transit time is between 30-35days.
| Port in China | Port in Italy | FCL Transit Time (Days) | LCL Transit Time (Days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Genoa | 30 | 35 |
| Ningbo | Salerno | 28 | 33 |
| Shenzhen | Livorno | 32 | 37 |
| Qingdao | Venice | 29 | 34 |
| Guangzhou | Trieste | 31 | 36 |
| Tianjin | Naples | 30 | 35 |
Rail freight from China to Italy
Rail freight from China to Italy compared with air freight is cheaper and quicker than ocean freight and You can choose this method to ship your cargo in combination with the ability to handle bulk cargoes, the goods shipped through rail freight from China to Italy mainly include electronics, clothes, machinery, plastics, lumber, palletized fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen foods, and other perishable products that must be temp controlled.
Rail freight from China to Italy is a faster and more dependable means of shipping than maritime freight, with shorter lead times, also railroad safety has dramatically improved during the last two decades and is now regarded as one of the safest shipping methods and about the main rail terminals in China and Italy you must know that Chengdu is the Westernmost rail hub in China and is considered to be the most important rail terminal when shipping goods to Europe due to how well connected it is to all other rail stations in China and Italy, most trains run to Milan’s rail hub.
In DDPCH, we provide FCL (full container load) and LCL (less than container load) rail freight services between China and Italy like the sea freight information we prepared for you, our primary concern is fast and dependable transit times and cautious management of your items, the DDPCH Rail freight from China to Italy is the most efficient and cost effective way to move a lot of single goods from one place to another.
Rail freight cost from China to Italy
For Rail freight cost from China to Italy, in recent years, China rail freight has become a more cost effective alternative to air freight, with faster transit times than sea freight from China to Italy, the rail freight cost transit time varies depending on a number of factors, your shipping cost depends mostly by the type of goods you have, cargo weight, value, and the distance between the port of China and the port of Italy, your shipping service, additional services, shipping season, and weekend shipping may all affect your shipping costs, Shipping costs will rise if you deliver sensitive goods or goods that require special handling, Similarly, the freight company will charge different rates for food ingredients, poultry feed, meat, and other similar items.
Rail Freight from China to Italy will cost less than air shipping but slightly more than sea shipping and rail freight for shipment, including customs and duty fees, costs an average of $2 per kilogram, rail freight logistics can be reduced with the help of freight forwarders, who deliver cargo door to door for a higher cost. the end you can see the table of rail freight cost from China to Italy, for example from Shanghai to Milan by Rail freight you must pay 1,200 for per container (40 foot).
| City in China | City in Italy | Rail Freight Cost (USD per Container) |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Rome | 1,100 |
| Shanghai | Milan | 1,200 |
| Guangzhou | Florence | 1,400 |
| Shenzhen | Venice | 1,450 |
| Chengdu | Naples | 1,500 |
| Xi'an | Turin | 1,150 |
Rail freight transit time from China to Italy
Rail freight transit time is the time it takes for a container to travel from its point of China to its final destination in Italy, and it varies depending on the route and other factors, in addition to general sea freight and air freight methods, rail freight is a new shipping method that many people prefer, rail goods trains are a very efficient way to ship goods from China to Europe; they are less expensive than air freight and take much less time than sea freight, so, if you’re looking for a dependable and affordable method for shipping your goods from China to Europe, rail freight from China to Italy is the way to go.
Rail freight from China to Italy is about half the cost of air freight, which is quite important, especially when shipping high volume goods like textiles. Furthermore, volumetric charges are not applied, saving importers thousands of dollars. In DDPCH we prepared this table have information about cost and transit time for rail freight from China to Italy.
| City in China | City in Italy | Rail Freight Transit Time (Days) |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Rome | 18 |
| Shanghai | Milan | 20 |
| Guangzhou | Florence | 22 |
| Shenzhen | Venice | 21 |
| Chengdu | Naples | 19 |
| Xi'an | Turin | 20 |
Why Choose Door to Door shipping from China to Italy?
Door to Door shipping from China to Italy is a simple and quick option for small or large orders or any goods and in DDP shipping from China to Italy, all shipping processes can be done by the shipping company and your seller, including Customs clearance in Italy, tax payment, insurance, import duty, and other expenses happening during shipping until the buyer receives goods at the destination in Italy. For door to door shipping from China to Italy, there are several options, DDP air freight, DDP rail freight, DDP sea freight, for example, goods must be shipped to our warehouse in Shenzhen, China, or you may allow us to pick them up from your factory in China but depends on the goods conditions including Sensitivity or weight.
At DDPCH, we can Door to Door shipping of all sizes and weights for you, light items are typically shipped by air freight from China to Italy for speed, while heavy items are typically shipped by sea freight from China to Italy, which results in a longer ship time. However, because you deliver directly to your door in Italy, they are the most convenient method so simply contact us, and we will show you the best ways to have the safest shipping from China to Italy!
Door to Door shipping cost and transit time from China to Italy
About door to door cost and the transit time from China to Italy, first If you are looking for the best and easiest way to ship from China to Italy, we recommend using the Door to Door shipping from China to Italy because it may be slightly more expensive, but you will not have to worry about anything because DDPCH will handle everything for you, including shipping and customs clearance. DDPCH offers different Door to Door shipping methods from China to Italy such as:
- Door to Door Air (DDP) shipping from China to Italy
- Door to Door Sea (DDP) shipping from China to Italy
- Door to Door rail (DDP Rail) shipping from China to Italy
Depending on your condition, you can select one of them, let’s talk about the cost of this service, Shipping costs vary depending on the method used for this service; we offer rail freight from China to Italy, which is less expensive than sea and air freight. The main factors influencing door to door shipping costs are The distance between the ports of origin and destination, Fuel costs, shipping seasons, terminal fees, shipment value, and shipment weight and volume.
Because of these prices and method differences, the door to door shipping time varies, with an average of 3-5 days for air freight, it takes 30-35 days for sea freight, and 30-35 days for rail freight from China to Italy. Please contact us for the final price, but we have prepared a brief table of the average cost using the three main methods available.
| Shipping Mode | Origin (China) | Destination (Italy) | Estimated Cost for 100 kg(per kg) | Estimated Transit Time (Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door to Door Air Freight | Beijing | Milan | 6 | 10-12 |
| Door to Door Air Freight | Guangzhou | Rome | 5.8 | 10-12 |
| Door to Door Sea Freight | Shanghai | Genoa | 3 | 30 - 40 |
| Door to Door Sea Freight | Ningbo | Venice | 3.3 | 30 - 40 |
| Door to Door Rail Freight | Shanghai | Milan | 2.8 | 18 - 22 |
| Door to Door Rail Freight | Xi'an | Bologna | 2.5 | 18 - 22 |
Customs Clearance In Italy
Customs clearance in Italy refers to the process of declaring products at the customs office when shipping from China to Italy, before picking up any product from China, you should be aware of the customs clearance procedures in both countries to select the most cost effective and efficient shipping method, Tax costs, which are a crucial factor in clearance, are determined by the type and quantity of your items, as part of the European Union’s Common Customs Tariff, Italy enjoys lower rates on imports from countries with which the EU has signed agreements, particularly China and duties range between 0% and 17%, with the general tax averaging 4.2%, and you have to pay them in customs in Italy.
DDPCH, as a shipping company, can handle customs clearance in Italy for you, which is beneficial because you may not have enough information about customs procedures and will be charged a late fee or any additional fees if there is no reliable broker in the process of clearing your goods you must work with a shipping company for customs clearance in Italy, I offer that you carefully read the documents listed below to facilitate this process before beginning your process.
Necessary document for shipping from China to Italy
When shipping from China to Italy, prapare documents is important for customs clearance in Italy, the importer is responsible for ensuring that all applicable customs clearance documents are provided, The importer or their authorized customs agent must submit the following documents to the customs office at the port of entry or submitted electronically, in DDPCH we can do all these for you, these document include :
- Packing List: This list includes a detailed record required for sea and air freight from China to Italy, including the number of items, packing method, and net and total weight for each carton. In DDPCH we can prepare a packing list for you.
- Commercial Invoice: The commercial invoice is a specific document utilized in the clearance of your package from customs in Italy and you should be aware that your seller created a commercial invoice; therefore, when you buy a product from any Chinese seller, request an invoice from your seller. The commercial invoice contains business information, importer information, and product shipping information. It should include the commercial value in USD.
- Bill of Lading: This document gives proof of ownership of goods shipped by DDPCH, stating who has shipped and received the goods and also known as an air waybill, sea waybill, or courier waybill.
- Import License: Some commodities require an import license before they can be imported into Italy, import licenses are usually required for sensitive products such as controlled items (e.g., arms and ammunition), hazardous materials, animals, etc also Italy does not require import licenses from most European Union.
- HS codes: HS codes are a ten-digit number that serves as the tariff or customs code and are used to describe a product and calculate customs duties and import taxes for shipments to Italy. There are three types of HS codes: The first two digits indicate the heading, The third digit denotes the subheading, and the fourth represents the first four digits of the six-digit product code.
- EORI Number: The EORI (Economic Operator Registration Identification) is a required document for operating in Italy and other European Union countries, The EORI number is a unique identification code that will be issued by the Italian Customs Authorities to all companies that supply goods within the Community and Non-EU citizens can obtain the EORI code by completing the Application Form for the Assignment of an EORI number and submitting a request to any local Customs Agency office.
If you’re not sure what documents you need or feel lost when preparing your documents, contact us, we offer help preparing commercial invoices as well as import customs clearances in Italy for each shipment or any documents in shipping from China to Italy.
Prohibited Items for import from China to Italy
At the beginning of shipping from China to Italy, we must know the rules in customs in Italy because imported goods are examined and clearance is permitted with Italian customs. some goods are prohibited from entering all customs, particularly in Italy. If you want to ship that product, there will be an issue with Italian customs, and your product will not be cleared and delivered to you in Italy so in shipping from China to Italy, we have prepared a list of prohibited goods for entry to Italy for your comfort. These goods include:
- Animals, birds, and other livestock
- Animal carcasses or products
- Counterfeit coins, banknotes, passports, etc.
- Animal embryos
- Chemicals
- Counterfeit or pirated goods
- Drugs
- Red tuna Fish
- Items that infringe on a trademark or copyright
- Ozone depleting substances
- Unregistered pharmaceutical products
- Soil
- Tasers and other items that can paralyze or hurt people using electrical shocks
- Waste products
- Weapons
- Alcoholic beverages
- All products that contain dimethyl fumarate (DMF)
- Tobacco products
- Seeds
- Tea leaf originated from China
Other goods can be easily shipped to italy, for more information about shipping goods from China to Italy and prohibited items in this way, you can always contact our online experts and receive the necessary advice in this field.
Express shipping from China to Italy
Express shipping from China to Italy is the fastest shipping method available and allows the product to arrive in Italy in 2-3 business days, Express shipping courier services ship your packages from your supplier’s factory in China to the final destination in Italy, several well known carriers, including DHL, TNT, FedEx, and UPS, provide these services, they all have a good track record of dependability, so you can be confident that your items will arrive on time. These carriers employ a variety of methods to Express shipping from China to Italy and it is suitable for small goods and samples.
DDPCH has contracts with all express shipping companies that operate between China and Italy, and we will offer the lowest available price that you will not find from the company itself, so connect us, we also prepared a table for you that displays the rates of these express companies for different weights of your goods from various origins in China to various destinations in Italy. for example, from Shanghai to Milan you can express ship by DHL at a $125 cost for 5 kg or $190 cost for 10 kg.
| Courier Service | From (City, China) | To (City, Italy) | Estimated Cost (USD for 5kg) | Estimated Cost (USD for 10kg) | Estimated Cost (USD for 25kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DHL | Beijing | Rome | $125 - $155 | $190 - $230 | $360 - $410 |
| DHL | Shanghai | Milan | $130 - $160 | $195 - $235 | $365 - $415 |
| DHL | Chengdu | Naples | $135 - $165 | $200 - $240 | $370 - $420 |
| FedEx | Beijing | Rome | $120 - $150 | $185 - $225 | $350 - $400 |
| FedEx | Shanghai | Milan | $125 - $155 | $190 - $230 | $355 - $405 |
| FedEx | Chengdu | Naples | $130 - $160 | $195 - $235 | $360 - $410 |
| TNT | Beijing | Rome | $115 - $145 | $180 - $220 | $345 - $395 |
| TNT | Shanghai | Milan | $120 - $150 | $185 - $225 | $350 - $400 |
| TNT | Chengdu | Naples | $125 - $155 | $190 - $230 | $355 - $405 |
| UPS | Beijing | Rome | $120 - $150 | $185 - $225 | $350 - $400 |
| UPS | Shanghai | Milan | $125 - $155 | $190 - $230 | $355 - $405 |
| UPS | Chengdu | Naples | $130 - $160 | $195 - $235 | $360 - $410 |
Conclusion
Finally, shipping from China to Italy will be very easy and convenient, simply find the necessary information and select the most suitable method and we offer you five main methods from which to choose based on your needs and your cargo so if speed is important for you, air freight from China to Italy is suitable, if the price is important, sea freight from China to Italy is good, and if you want to receive your goods in less time than see shipping, rail freight from China to Italy is more beneficial, also the express method is the fastest way to send small goods from China to Italy, and the door to door shipping method, which is done by air, sea, and rail and includes clearance of goods, and we recommend choosing the door to door shipping from China to Italy for your cargo.
Next, there are two important factors in shipping from China to Italy, the first is the shipping cost from China to Italy, which we have explained in detail for each method, for example, by air freight, the average for 100 kg is $550, and by rail freight is $2,000 for a container, to know the exact prices depending on your load, contact our experts. The shipping transit time from China to Italy varies depending on the method you choose: 2 to 3 days by air, 30 business days by sea, and up to 20 days by rail. We are always active in this way; we recommend that you contact our experts first and then decide on your shipping process.
The shipping methods from China to Italy are sea freight, air freight, and rail freight, sea freight is the most cost effective for large volumes, air freight is the quickest for urgent shipments, and rail freight strikes a balance between speed and cost.
The cost of shipping from China to Italy via air freight at around $1150 with a shipment transit time of 7 days.
If time is essential to you, air freight is the best choice, but sea freight is good for you if the price is your priority.
Air freight typically takes around 5-8 days while sea freight can take anywhere from 30-45 days, both door to door.
This service refers to goods being picked up from a location in China, transported by air or sea, cleared through customs, and delivered to a location in Italy, it offers the quickest transit times.
Estimate your tax liability when shipping from China to Italy, Italian customs will charge a 21% value-added tax (0-17% customs duties, with the general tariff averaging 4.2%) based on the value of your goods and you may also have to pay customs and excise duties.
When shipping from China to Italy, common documents required include a Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading/Airway Bill, Import/Export Declaration, and possibly a Certificate of Origin.
Yes, prohibited items typically include dangerous goods (like explosives, flammable liquids, radioactive materials), drugs, firearms, perishable items without appropriate packaging, and other items restricted by law.