China is Russia’s largest trading partner.

As the largest country in the world, Russia spans the Eurasian continent, with a maximum length of 9,000 kilometers from east to west and a maximum width of 4,000 kilometers from north to south.

The economic cooperation between Chinese companies and Russian partners is very diverse. Despite occasional geopolitical challenges, trade between China and Russia remains robust, and various means of transportation are utilized to ensure the smooth flow of goods. You will benefit from our fast deliveries, safe routes and experienced employees when shipping goods from China to Russia.

CFC is dedicated to facilitating freight shipping between China and Russia and ensuring a smooth and compliant process. We understand the importance of adhering to all relevant regulations and sanctions, and we work closely with our clients to navigate any challenges that may arise.

Import into Russia

Main documents for importing into Russia are:

• Contract between seller and buyer, 2 copies certified by the consignee. This needs to be bilingual, incl. Russian.
• Commercial Invoice.
• Technical description / documentation of the goods giving clear idea what materials goods consist of and what is the use of the goods. This information is needed for the Russian Customs to identify goods correctly.
• Certifications and Licenses if required according to Russian laws. Requirements for certification are mentioned for each commodity code and should be checked prior to shipping the goods.
• Shipping documents depending on means of transport (CMR, sea bill of lading, rail waybill, air waybill).
• Other documents – a wide range of commercial, shipping and technical documents which might be requested by the Russian Customs if they start question the price or correctness of commodity code applied (for example: certificate of origin, export declaration, market prices for the same commodity codes in exporting country or on local market, etc.).

The Commercial Invoice should have reference to the Contract, clear description of the goods, quantity, weights, and Customs commodity codes. Please note that HS codes in Russia differ from other parts of the world so the correct Russian HS code must be used. It is highly recommended but not obligatory to have net and gross weights for each commodity code in invoice.

Only the consignee (Russian legal entity) is by Russian law allowed to pay the import tax and duties – a logistics provider is not allowed to do this. DDP shipments are not allowed.

The payment of the import tax and duties has to be carried out by the legal Russian importing entity (consignee named on the transport document). The payment is made direct to the Russian customs via bank transfer. In order for that to happen the consignee needs to be registered with the Russian customs (this is a one-time registration).

If a discrepancy is found between the declared weight and the weight on arrival to Russia this will lead to a customs inspection – additional storage and all of this may result in a considerable surcharge which the importer will be liable for.

Road Freight from China to Russia

Road transport is not subject to timetables like airports, stations, and ports, and can be carried out 24 hours a day, ensuring timely delivery. Road transport can flexibly formulate transportation routes and track goods. For short-distance transportation of goods, the cost of road transport is minimal.

Russian highways are mainly located in Europe, with 25 roads connecting to European countries such as Finland, Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania. In addition, only a few roads connect to Asian countries such as Kazakhstan and China.

CFC helps customers take full advantage of long-distance and cross-border road freight. CFC considers the needs of customers, strictly follows the established terms, provides preferential prices, and ensures smooth transportation.

⬇️How much is shipping to a business address in Russia by LAND?⬇️

Weight	Price in RUB
1KG	1700 ₽
2KG	2700 ₽
3KG	3700 ₽
4KG	4700 ₽
5KG	5300 ₽
6KG	6200 ₽
7KG	7200 ₽
8KG	8200 ₽
9KG	9200 ₽
10KG	9800 ₽
11 - 30KG	880 ₽/kg

CFC can pick up goods in any city in China and carry out international road transportation of container trucks and heavy cargo throughout Russia through Hunchun Port, Heihe Port, Suifenhe Port and Manzhouli Port, and carry out international road transportation of container trucks and heavy cargo through Kazakhstan to the central and western regions of Russia through the Horgos Port in Xinjiang.

Rail Freight from China to Russia

Rail freight between China and Russia offers compelling cost and speed advantages for transporting goods. It is particularly beneficial for medium-sized shipments where the cost constraints of air freight are prohibitive and sea freight does not meet the time requirements.

Russia has a total of 11 international railway trunk lines connecting with Finland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, China, North Korea and other countries, including: October Railway, North Caucasus Railway, Moscow Railway, Volga River Basin Railway, Trans-Siberian Railway, and Baikal-Amur Railway.

• China-Russia westbound route: Transfer via Alashankou/Dostyk, Horgos/Nati Koli
• China-Russia eastbound route: Transfer via Manzhouli/Zabaikalsk

Freight trains take less than 2 weeks to travel from China to Moscow: usually the train takes 2-3 days in China and arrives in Moscow about 9 days after leaving the country.

Air Freight from China to Russia

Air freight is a preferred option when time-sensitive or high-value shipments need to be transported to Russia from China. While it is generally more expensive compared to sea freight, air transportation offers significant advantages in terms of speed and efficiency.

The main airports in Russia include Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport, Vnukovo International Airport, Domodedovo Airport, St. Petersburg International Airport, Nizhny Novgorod Airport, Novosibirsk Airport, Yekaterinburg Airport, Khabarovsk Airport, etc.

Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Sichuan Airlines have opened direct flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Kazan and other cities.

International air freight is calculated in W/M, but the weight-to-volume ratio is 6000 cubic centimeters to 1 kilogram (equivalent to 6 cubic meters per metric ton), so the actual freight is calculated in kilograms. The higher of the volumetric weight and the gross weight of the goods will be used.

Sea Freight from China to Russia

Russia’s main seaports are located in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Pacific Ocean, the Barents Sea, the White Sea, etc., including Murmansk, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Nakhodka, Vanino, Vostochny, Novorossiysk, etc. Through these ports, you can reach Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia and the Americas.

The river shipping route in Europe is the Volga River, and the Amur River (Heilongjiang River) in the Far East.

• Port of Saint Petersburg: Located on the Baltic Sea, it plays a significant role in facilitating trade between Russia and Europe, particularly in containerized and bulk cargo.
• Port of Vladivostok: Situated on Russia’s eastern coast near the borders of China and North Korea, it is a crucial gateway for trade in the Asia-Pacific region. It serves as a key hub for containerized cargo, automobiles, and various other goods.

The container rate from Shanghai Port China to St. Petersburg Russia is US$4,000 for 1x20ft container, US$5,500 for 1x40ft container, with the ocean transit time 40-45 days.

The container rate from Shanghai Port China to Vladivostok Russia is US$1,500 for 1x20ft container, US$2,000 for 1x40ft container, with the ocean transit time 10-15 days.

It is important to note that these prices and transit time are subject to change and should be considered as general indications.

To obtain accurate and up-to-date cost estimates for your specific sea shipment, it is recommended to consult with freight forwarders, shipping agents, or logistics providers such as CFC who can provide personalized quotes based on your requirements. They have access to the latest market rates and can consider the specific details of your shipment to provide a more precise cost estimation.

Working with CFC

It is important to acknowledge the current geopolitical context and the impact it has on freight shipping between China and Russia. Despite these challenges, CFC is committed to providing reliable and efficient shipping services while ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations and sanctions.

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