Freight forwarding London – transport to/from the Czech Republic

What changed after Brexit

The United Kingdom is outside the EU single market and customs union, so a CMR note and an invoice are no longer enough. Each consignment needs an export declaration on one side and an import declaration on the other, lodged by customs agents appointed by the shipper or consignee. We coordinate the transport so the carrier receives all references and documents in time and the truck does not sit at the border.

• EORI – the Czech party needs an EU EORI number starting with CZ, the British party a GB EORI.
• Origin – goods originating in the EU or UK can move duty-free under the trade agreement, provided the invoice or another document carries a statement on origin. Import VAT is due either way.
• GMR – for entry into Great Britain, a goods movement reference is created in the UK's goods vehicle movement system and shown by the driver at the port or the Eurotunnel terminal.
• Transit – goods from the UK to the Czech Republic often travel under T1 transit and are cleared at a Czech customs office.
• Food and plants – sanitary and phytosanitary certificates and checks may apply.

Crossing the Channel

From Prague the route runs via Rozvadov, Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Cologne through Belgium to Calais – roughly 1,250 km to London in total. Trucks then cross either by ferry from Calais to Dover or on the Eurotunnel shuttle from Coquelles to Folkestone. The tunnel is faster and less weather-dependent; ferries offer more capacity. In England the truck follows the M20 to the M25 orbital. With customs on both sides, a full truck usually delivers on the third working day.

France bans trucks over 7.5 t from Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00 and Germany on Sundays and public holidays. The UK drives on the left and charges foreign heavy goods vehicles a road user levy. Trucks entering Britain must be secured against clandestine entrants: curtains, seals and locks are checked, and the carrier is liable for breaches.

Rules for lorries in London

Greater London is a low emission zone with standards for lorries. Vehicles over 12 t need a permit under the Direct Vision Standard, vehicles over 18 t face night and weekend restrictions on many London roads, and central London has the Congestion Charge. We therefore plan arrival times carefully and often send a smaller vehicle for central addresses. The large distribution warehouses sit mostly on the edge of the city along the M25 and by the Thames, where the container ports are, and Heathrow is the UK's busiest cargo airport.

What travels between London and Czechia

Typical imports to the Czech Republic and Slovakia from London and south-east England are machinery and parts, aerospace and automotive components, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, whisky, gin and other spirits, tea and packaged food, books, clothing and accessories. Czech suppliers send car parts, machinery, glass, furniture, beer and building materials to the UK.

Small consignments go by pallet groupage, typically 5–8 working days including customs. Urgent parts suit express transport by van, and food needs a reefer with temperature recording. Spirits are subject to excise duty, so agree the tax regime before loading.

Before the truck leaves

Have ready the EORI numbers of both parties and contacts for the customs agents on each side, a commercial invoice with commodity codes, value and origin statement, the exact address and time slot (and whether it lies inside a restricted London area), pallet count, dimensions and weight, and any certificates for food or plants. More on the whole country is on our UK transport page.