Freight and imports from Barcelona to the Czech Republic

Where loads are collected

Collections around Barcelona fall into a few distinct areas. The Zona Franca next to the port holds container terminals and large warehouses, with a further logistics park beside El Prat airport. Inland, an industrial belt follows the AP-7 and A-2 towards Martorell, Sabadell, Terrassa and Granollers, home to automotive suppliers, plastics, packaging and textile producers. Further south, Tarragona has a large chemical and petrochemical complex. Port terminals use their own booking systems, warehouses run on time slots, and smaller manufacturers often load only in the morning – so the exact address matters when you request a quote.

Typical imports from Catalonia

• chemical raw materials, plastic granulate and paints, partly as ADR dangerous goods
• automotive parts and components for Czech production lines
• pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and household chemicals
• food: cured pork products, olives, canned goods and confectionery
• sparkling and still wines from Penedès
• textiles, packaging and paper
• overseas goods that arrived in containers at the port of Barcelona

Hazardous chemicals travel with carriers equipped and trained for ADR transport; we need the safety data sheet and UN numbers from your supplier.

The Mediterranean route

Trucks leave Barcelona on the AP-7 to the border at La Jonquera / Le Perthus, then follow the French motorway via Perpignan, Narbonne and Montpellier and up the Rhône valley to Lyon. From there the route enters Germany via Mulhouse and Basel or via Strasbourg, continues past Karlsruhe, Stuttgart and Nuremberg and crosses into Czechia at Rozvadov. That is roughly 1,750 km, or about three days of driving under EU driving-time rules.

A full truck is normally in the Czech Republic 3–4 working days after loading; groupage pallets take about 4–6 working days. The border section at La Jonquera is one of Europe's busiest truck corridors and queues build up on Fridays and before holidays. French motorway tolls apply between the border and Lyon and German tolls on motorways and main roads. Catalonia sets its own heavy-vehicle restrictions on certain roads on Sundays and holidays, and France and Germany have weekend and holiday driving bans.

Containers and customs

Goods made in Spain move within the EU without customs. Containers from Asia or the Americas are different: they enter the EU in Barcelona. Either they are cleared in Spain and continue as EU goods, or they travel to Czechia under a T1 transit document and are cleared there. Your customs broker decides which suits you; we handle the container pick-up or transloading into a curtain-sider and the road leg to Czechia.

Pallets or a full truck

Barcelona is a strong groupage hub – many loads leave for central Europe every day, so single pallets are consolidated quickly. For one to around ten pallets, our pallet service is the efficient option. From about 12–15 pallets, for a full container load or goods that should not be reloaded, book a dedicated full truck. Wine and fresh food go in a temperature-controlled trailer with a temperature log.

Exports and booking checklist

Southbound, we carry machinery parts, glass, beer, building materials and components for Catalan manufacturers. Before booking an import, have your supplier confirm the loading address and opening hours (many businesses close early on Friday afternoons), whether they have a dock or load from the side, pallet count and dimensions, weight and the release reference. Port collections also need the container number and the shipping line release. Documents: CMR consignment note, invoice or delivery note and, for overseas goods, the customs or transit document. Check the price in our freight calculator.