In November 2026, shipping a 40ft container from China to the UK costs about $3,550–4,050, a 20ft about $2,100–2,600, a shared container (LCL) about $60–90 per cubic metre, air freight about $4.5–6.5 per kg and express about $8–12 per kg. Below you will find the current rates, the cost per kg and per pallet, worked examples, what UK customs and VAT add, and how to keep your cost down. Rates move every week, so we update this page every month.
Key points
• UK container rates are far lower than US rates: a 40ft to the UK costs about half the price of a 40ft to Los Angeles.
• For small LCL shipments, UK destination charges can cost more than the ocean freight. Always compare door-to-door prices.
• Most goods pay 20% import VAT plus customs duty. VAT-registered businesses can use postponed VAT accounting.
• Rates change weekly. Send your details and we reply with today’s price within 2 hours.
China to UK shipping cost at a glance
| Method | Typical cost (November 2026) | Door-to-door time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea FCL, 20ft | about $2,100–2,600 | 40–55 days | About 15–28 CBM of heavy goods |
| Sea FCL, 40ft | about $3,550–4,050 | 40–55 days | Full orders up to about 58–68 CBM |
| Sea LCL | about $60–90 per CBM | 45–60 days | A few pallets, about 2–15 CBM |
| Rail + truck | between sea and air | 30–40 days | Goods that cannot wait for sea |
| Air freight (100 kg+) | about $4.5–6.5 per kg | 5–10 days | Urgent and seasonal stock |
| Express courier | about $8–12 per kg | 3–7 days | Samples and parcels under about 50 kg |
Sea and air prices are the main freight from South China to Felixstowe, Southampton or London Gateway and to London, Manchester or Birmingham airports. Express prices are door to door. UK customs, duty, VAT and final delivery are extra unless you ship DDP. See importing from China to the UK for how duty and import VAT are calculated.
Rates change every week. Send us your shipment details and we reply with today’s price within 2 hours.
Shipping cost from China to the UK per kg
| Method | Cost per kg (approx.) | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Sea LCL | usually well under $1 per kg for average cartons, plus UK destination charges | Per cubic metre (one CBM usually holds 150–300 kg) |
| Sea FCL | lowest per kg when the container is full | Per container |
| Air freight | about $4.5–6.5 per kg | Chargeable weight: the higher of actual or volume weight (1 CBM = 167 kg) |
| Express | about $8–12 per kg | Chargeable weight (1 CBM = 200 kg), door to door |
Bulky, light goods cost much more by air than their weight suggests. Use our freight cost calculator to work out CBM, chargeable weight and an estimated cost from your carton sizes. For the rules behind it, see chargeable weight.
Which method costs least for your shipment size?
| Shipment size | Usually cheapest | Also consider |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 kg (samples) | Express | Nothing else is practical |
| 20–100 kg | Express | Air freight if the goods are dense |
| 100–500 kg, under about 2 CBM | Air freight if urgent | LCL or rail if you can wait |
| 1–8 pallets (about 2–15 CBM) | Sea LCL | Rail for faster delivery |
| About 8–10 pallets or 15–28 CBM | 20ft container | LCL if close to 15 CBM; compare both |
| About 28–68 CBM | 40ft container | Two 20ft only for very heavy goods |
Because a UK container is relatively cheap, the point where a full container beats LCL often comes earlier than for the USA. See LCL shipping from China and LCL vs FCL.
Cost of shipping a pallet from China to the UK
A standard pallet of cartons stacked about 1.5 metres high is roughly 1.5–2 CBM. By LCL sea freight, the ocean freight for one pallet is about $90–180. On top of that come UK destination charges (terminal handling, unpacking, documents), customs clearance and delivery. For one or two pallets these fixed charges are often larger than the ocean freight, so ask for a door-to-door price.
Shipping 8–10 pallets or more? Compare LCL with a 20ft container. A 20ft holds about 10 standard pallets. Once UK destination charges for LCL are included, it can come close in cost, and it is faster and safer because it is not unpacked with other cargo.
Worked examples
1. 15 kg of samples by express. 15 kg × $8–12 per kg, door to door, arriving in 3–7 days. VAT and duty may be charged on delivery.
2. 200 kg of cartons by air. 200 kg × $4.5–6.5 per kg for the air freight, if the cartons are under about 1.2 CBM. Pickup, export clearance, UK customs and delivery are added in a door-to-door quote.
3. Three pallets by LCL to Felixstowe. About 5 CBM × $60–90 per CBM for the ocean freight. UK destination charges, customs and delivery depend on the postcode and are included in our door-to-door quote.
4. A 40ft container to a warehouse in Manchester. Ocean freight to Felixstowe or Southampton at about $3,550–4,050, plus origin charges in China, UK terminal charges, customs clearance, duty and VAT, and trucking to Manchester. On a full container, the freight is often a small part of the landed cost compared with duty and VAT on the goods.
What is included, and what is extra
A China to UK shipment has five cost blocks. Ask every forwarder which of them their price covers.
VAT-registered businesses can use postponed VAT accounting and declare import VAT on their VAT return instead of paying it at the border, which helps cash flow. You need a GB EORI number to import; see EORI number and import customs clearance.
Charges that surprise first-time UK importers
- Destination terminal and unpacking charges on LCL, which can be larger than the ocean freight for one or two pallets.
- Customs clearance fees from the broker, charged per declaration.
- Port storage, demurrage and detention if a container is not collected or returned on time. See demurrage and detention.
- Tail-lift or booked delivery fees for addresses without a loading bay.
- Courier admin fees on express parcels when the courier pays VAT and duty for you.
A door-to-door or DDP quote includes most of these, so ask for one when comparing prices.
Sea, rail or air: which is cheapest to the UK?
Sea freight is the cheapest for almost everything above about 2 CBM and takes about 40–55 days door to door. Rail to a terminal in the EU, with a truck to the UK, takes about 30–40 days and usually costs roughly twice as much as sea but far less than air. It suits goods that cannot wait six or seven weeks. Air freight takes 5–10 days and is best for urgent or high-value cargo. See China–Europe rail freight and how long shipping from China to the UK takes.
For more ways to lower the bill, read the cheapest way to ship from China.
When China to UK rates usually rise
| Period | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 4–6 weeks before Chinese New Year | Factories rush to ship before the holiday; space gets tight and rates often rise | Book early and plan for factories closing for 2–4 weeks |
| Around Golden Week (early October) | A one-week national holiday in China; shipments bunch up before and after it | Ship before the holiday or wait until the week after |
| Late summer to autumn | Stock for Christmas and Black Friday; ocean rates and surcharges are often highest | Book two to three weeks ahead; allow for the long sea transit |
| Route disruptions | Ships diverted around Africa or schedules changed; transit times and surcharges rise | Ask how long a quote is valid and which route the sailing takes |
For holiday dates, see China public holidays 2027.
DDP to the UK: one price to your door
With DDP shipping, our price covers pickup, freight, UK customs, duty, VAT and delivery. You know the landed cost before you pay. It is popular with Amazon UK sellers and buyers who do not yet have their own customs set-up. Read DDP vs DAP: who pays what.
Checklist: what to send for an accurate quote
Send these details and we reply with a written price within 2 hours:
- Product name and commodity (HS) code, if you have it
- Number of cartons or pallets, weight and size, or total CBM
- Supplier address in China and the date the goods are ready
- Number of suppliers, if you are buying from more than one
- UK delivery postcode or Amazon warehouse code
- Whether the address has a loading bay or needs a tail-lift
- Whether you want DDP or will clear customs yourself, and your EORI number if you have one
Get today’s price from China to the UK. See also shipping from China to the UK.
China to UK shipping cost: FAQ
How much does it cost to ship a container from China to the UK?
In November 2026, a 40ft container costs about $3,550–4,050 and a 20ft about $2,100–2,600 for the main sea freight to Felixstowe or Southampton.
What is the shipping cost from China to the UK per kg?
About $4.5–6.5 per kg by air freight for 100 kg or more, and about $8–12 per kg by express. By sea it is usually well under $1 per kg, but small LCL shipments also pay fixed UK destination charges.
How much does it cost to ship a pallet from China to the UK?
The ocean freight for one pallet of about 1.5–2 CBM is about $90–180 by LCL. UK destination charges, customs and delivery are added, and for one or two pallets they are often larger than the freight.
Do I pay VAT on goods shipped from China to the UK?
Yes. Most goods pay 20% import VAT plus any customs duty. VAT-registered businesses can use postponed VAT accounting, or you can ship DDP and we arrange it for you.
Which UK port is cheapest for containers from China?
Felixstowe, Southampton and London Gateway all have direct services from China, and the freight is usually similar. The cheapest overall is often the port with the best sailing that week and the shortest truck to your warehouse.
Is rail cheaper than sea freight to the UK?
No. Rail is usually about twice the cost of sea freight but much faster, and far cheaper than air.
Why do UK quotes from different forwarders vary so much?
Usually because they include different cost blocks. One may quote only port-to-port freight, another door to door with customs and delivery. Compare quotes with the same scope.
How quickly can I get a quote?
Send us the product, volume or weight, pickup city and UK postcode, and we reply with a written price within 2 hours.
Comparing container prices to other countries? See the cost to ship a container from China.
Rates are for November 2026, based on current market rates from South China, and are updated every month. Prices change weekly with the market, season and space, and we confirm the exact price for each shipment. Ask for today’s price.
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