Shipping from China to UK

Importing from China to the UK After Brexit

As a freight forwarder for shipping from China to the UK, we see the same questions every week. Since Brexit, goods from China enter Great Britain under UK rules: a GB EORI number, the UK Global Tariff and UK import VAT. The ports, the paperwork and the VAT treatment are different from shipping to the EU, so it pays to plan them before the goods leave China.

JIEYI collects from your suppliers, arranges the main leg by sea, rail or air, clears UK customs and handles delivery anywhere in the UK: to your warehouse, your customer or Amazon UK. If you are VAT registered, we set up the declaration for postponed VAT accounting.

Start My UK Shipment

Container truck on a highway heading to the port

Sea Freight, Rail, Air or Express from China to the UK

Five realistic options, from the cheapest per unit to the fastest.

Option	Best for	Door-to-door time	Cost per kg	Details
Sea freight FCL	Full containers and heavy goods	40–55 days	$$$$	Sea freight
Sea freight LCL	Pallets and cartons for UK stockists	45–60 days	$$$$	Shared containers
Rail + truck	Mid-size loads when sea is too slow	30–40 days	$$$$	Rail freight
Air freight	Seasonal and urgent stock, from about 100 kg	5–10 days	$$$$	Air freight
Express courier	Samples and small parcels	3–7 days	$$$$	Express

Sea Freight or Rail Plus Truck?

There is no direct train from China to the UK: containers travel by rail to a terminal in mainland Europe, then continue by truck across the Channel.

Lowest cost

Sea to Felixstowe or Southampton

About 35–45 days port to port

The lowest cost per unit and the best choice for full containers, heavy goods and stock that is not time-critical.

FCL and LCL
UK customs at the port
Best for regular replenishment

Rail to Europe, then truck to the UK

About 30–40 days door to door

A middle option for mid-size loads when sea is too slow and air too expensive. Customs is cleared when the truck enters Great Britain.

Often 2–3 weeks faster than sea
Cost between sea and air
Extra handling at the EU terminal

Which Mode Should You Start With?

Choose the weight and the deadline. For the UK we include rail when it fits.

UK Transit Times by Mode

Typical times from South China, including UK customs and delivery.

Mode	Main UK gateway	Main leg	Door to door
Sea freight	Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway	35–45 days port to port	40–55 days
Rail + truck	EU rail terminal, then truck via the Channel	20–28 days to the EU terminal	30–40 days
Air freight	London Heathrow, Manchester	2–4 days airport to airport	5–10 days
Express	Courier network	—	3–7 days

How Much Does Shipping from China to the UK Cost?

Typical rates in November 2026 for the main freight from South China. Rates change weekly; send your details and we reply with today’s price within 2 hours.

Method	Typical cost	Door-to-door time
Sea FCL, 20ft	about $2,100–2,600	40–55 days
Sea FCL, 40ft	about $3,550–4,050	40–55 days
Sea LCL	about $60–90 per CBM	45–60 days
One pallet by LCL (1.5–2 CBM)	about $90–180 ocean freight	45–60 days
Air freight (100 kg+)	about $4.5–6.5 per kg	5–10 days
Express courier	about $8–12 per kg	3–7 days

UK customs, duty, VAT and delivery are extra unless you ship DDP. See the full China to UK shipping cost guide or ask for today’s price.

UK Customs, Duty and VAT

What every UK importer needs before the goods arrive.

GB EORI number

Every business importing into Great Britain needs an EORI number starting with GB. It is free from HMRC and usually issued within a few days.

Customs duty

Duty depends on the commodity code of each product under the UK Global Tariff, which is different from the EU tariff. We check the rate for your products before you book.

Import VAT

Import VAT is charged on the value of the goods plus freight and duty, at 20% for most products.

Low-value parcels

For consignments up to £135, VAT is normally charged at the point of sale instead of at import. The UK has announced it will remove the £135 duty relief by 2029.

UKCA and CE marking

Products that need safety marking can carry UKCA, and CE marking is still accepted in Great Britain for most goods.

Not VAT registered?

Choose DDP and we include duty and VAT in one price, so nothing is due on delivery.

Ask for a DDP quote

Postponed VAT Accounting, Explained

If your business is VAT registered in the UK, you do not have to pay import VAT at the border.

1

Declare it on import

The customs declaration states that you will account for import VAT through postponed VAT accounting. We set this up with your EORI and VAT number.

2

Download your statement

HMRC publishes a monthly postponed import VAT statement in your online account, listing the VAT on each import.

3

Account on your VAT return

You declare and, in most cases, reclaim the import VAT on the same VAT return, so it does not tie up your cash.

Worker applying FBA labels to cartons in a warehouse

Amazon FBA Shipping to the UK

Because the UK is outside the EU, stock for Amazon.co.uk needs its own UK customs clearance and cannot be moved freely from EU fulfilment centres. We ship it from China directly to Amazon UK, with labels checked and the delivery appointment booked.

Labels and box contents checked in China
UK customs cleared, duty and VAT handled
Sea, rail or air to Amazon UK
Delivery appointment booked

Get an FBA Shipping Quote How FBA shipping works

From China to the UK, Step by Step

A typical sea shipment to an English warehouse.

1
EORI and details
Send the product, volume, delivery postcode and your GB EORI number if you have one.
2
Pickup in China
We collect from your suppliers and consolidate the goods.
3
Main leg
Sea to Felixstowe or Southampton, or rail to Europe and truck to the UK.
4
UK customs
Import declaration, duty paid and VAT paid or postponed.
5
Haulage
Container or pallet delivery from the port.
6
Delivery
To your warehouse, your customer or Amazon UK.

Cost Example: 8 CBM from China to the UK

8 CBM of general goods in 60 cartons, 1,200 kg in total. By air the chargeable weight is about 1,334 kg (8 CBM × 1,000,000 ÷ 6000), because volume weighs more than the goods.

Option	Main freight (November 2026)	Door to door
Sea LCL	about $480–720	45–60 days
Air freight	about $6,003–8,671	5–10 days
Sea FCL, 20ft	about $2,100–2,600	40–55 days

Main freight only. Pickup, customs, duties and delivery are added in your quote. Under about 13 CBM, LCL is usually the cheaper option; between about 13 and 28 CBM we compare LCL with a 20ft container, which is faster and has lower destination charges.

China to UK Shipping: FAQ

How long does shipping from China to the UK take?

Door to door, sea freight usually takes about 40–55 days, rail with a final truck leg about 30–40 days, air freight 5–10 days and express 3–7 days. We confirm the schedule for your booking.

How much does shipping from China to the UK cost?

In November 2026, a 40ft container costs about $3,550–4,050 and a 20ft about $2,100–2,600, LCL about $60–90 per cubic metre, air freight about $4.5–6.5 per kg and express about $8–12 per kg. UK customs, duty, VAT and delivery are extra unless you ship DDP.

How do I choose a freight forwarder from China to the UK?

Ask for a written door-to-door quote that lists what is included, check that the forwarder can clear UK customs under your GB EORI number or ship DDP, and compare transit times by sea, rail and air. We reply with a written quote within 2 hours.

Is there a direct train from China to the UK?

No. Trains from China end at terminals in mainland Europe. The container then continues to the UK by truck, which still makes rail plus truck faster than sea for many shipments.

Do I need an EORI number to import from China to the UK?

Yes. UK importers need a GB EORI number from HMRC. It is free, and we need it to submit the import declaration.

What is postponed VAT accounting?

It lets VAT-registered businesses declare import VAT on their VAT return instead of paying it at the border. In most cases the VAT is reclaimed on the same return.

Is CE marking still accepted in the UK?

For most product types, yes. CE-marked goods can still be sold in Great Britain, and UKCA marking is also accepted.

Can I send stock to Amazon UK from my EU warehouse?

Not freely. Since Brexit, goods moving from the EU to Great Britain need a UK customs declaration, so it is often simpler to ship UK stock directly from China.