International rail freight transport of cargo
The railway connects Ukraine with Europe and Asia and carries what is uneconomical or slow to move by other transport: large consignments, containers, raw materials and equipment. We organise international rail delivery turnkey: from choosing the route and rolling stock to preparing the waybills and customs. The service is for companies and sole proprietors across Ukraine — Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro.
When rail freight is worthwhile
Rail wins on large volumes and long hauls. Cargo runs on a schedule, does not depend on the weather or traffic jams, and the timing is predictable. For routes from China and Central Asia rail is often about twice as fast as sea, and on routes within Europe it offers an alternative to road transport for heavy and bulk cargo.
What travels by rail
Each cargo type has its own rolling stock.
| Rolling stock | Cargo |
|---|---|
| Container flat wagon | 20/40 ft containers |
| Covered wagon | Packaged goods, weather-sensitive |
| Open wagon | Bulk, metal, timber |
| Tank wagon | Liquid cargo |
| Grain hopper | Grain and bulk agricultural products |
Different 1520 and 1435 gauges — how it is solved
Ukraine and the CIS use the 1520 mm gauge, while the EU and Chinese mainlines use 1435 mm. At the border the cargo cannot simply “pass through” — one of the methods is used: transloading from wagons of one gauge into wagons of another, changing wagon bogies to the other gauge, or variable-gauge wheelsets. This stage is planned in advance because the timing and cost depend on it.
SMGS and CIM waybills
International rail transport is documented with a waybill: SMGS applies in the 1520 space and Asia, CIM — in the EU. To avoid re-issuing documents at the junction of the two systems, a single CIM/SMGS waybill is used — it accompanies the cargo along the whole route and simplifies the change between gauges. A correctly issued waybill is the basis of trouble-free transit.
Rail from China
Regular container trains run from China along the New Silk Road. The rail transit time is usually 18–22 days — about twice as fast as sea; turnkey delivery including pre-carriage and customs — around 40 days. How rail compares with sea and road is covered in our blog — methods of transporting containers from China.
Rail versus sea and road
Sea is cheaper for very large, time-insensitive consignments; road is more flexible on short hauls and for door-to-door delivery; rail is the golden mean on timing and price for long routes. Often the optimal combination of transport modes is multimodal transport, where rail connects with sea or road.
Timing and cost
The cost depends on the route and distance, the wagon type, the need for transloading at the gauge junction and the seasonal load on the network. For container shipments the rate logic is close to sea container transport: you pay for the slot for the container and the accompanying services. We calculate the cost for the specific route and cargo.
Documents and customs
Besides the waybill, a commercial set is needed: invoice, packing list, foreign-trade contract and permits by cargo type. Customs clearance at the destination is handled by our customs broker, so the cargo does not get stuck at the station.
How we organise a rail shipment
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Route and wagonWe select the route, wagon or container type and the gauge-change scheme.
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WaybillWe issue SMGS, CIM or a single CIM/SMGS for the route.
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Dispatch and controlWe monitor the movement and transloading at the gauge junction.
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Customs and releaseWe handle customs and bring the cargo to the consignee's warehouse.
Frequently asked questions
Rail freight with Trans-Hope
Trans-Hope organises international rail freight from China and Europe: we select the route and rolling stock, issue the waybills and take on customs. Send the route, cargo type and volume — we will calculate the shipment.
