Freight forwarding Pardubice – road transport, import and export

A chemicals town with its own rules

Pardubice, in East Bohemia, has been a centre of the Czech chemical industry for about a century. The Semtín industrial district on the north-western edge of town produces dyes, pigments, nitrocellulose and industrial explosives, while the former refinery site on the other side of town now makes bitumen and lubricating oils. For a freight forwarder, this means that a large share of the region's outbound freight is regulated as dangerous goods.

For any chemical consignment we ask for the safety data sheet, UN number, class and packing group. Based on that we select a carrier with the right equipment and an ADR-certified driver, check mixed-loading prohibitions and plan around tunnel restrictions. Drums, IBCs and bags of pigment are routine ADR shipments for us across Europe. Class 1 explosives require permits and sometimes escorts and are assessed case by case.

Beyond chemicals

• Computers and servers are assembled in Pardubice and shipped by the full truckload to European distribution hubs. High value per pallet calls for a sealed box trailer and secure parking.
• Buses are built in nearby Vysoké Mýto, which pulls in chassis parts, axles and body components.
• Electronic components come from Lanškroun; textiles and machinery from Ústí nad Orlicí and Polička.
• Gingerbread: Pardubice gingerbread holds an EU protected geographical indication and ships in volume before Christmas.

Imports into the region are mainly chemical raw materials, metals, electronic parts, plastics and packaging.

Road, rail and a river without barges

Hradec Králové is only about 25 km away on the four-lane I/37, which also links Pardubice to the D11 and D35 motorways; Prague is roughly 120 km. The D35 is being extended eastwards via Vysoké Mýto and Litomyšl towards Mohelnice, gradually shortening trips to Olomouc, Ostrava and Slovakia. Pardubice lies on the main rail corridor between Prague and Moravia, and Česká Třebová nearby is one of the country's largest railway junctions. The Elbe flows right through town, but cargo vessels do not yet reach it: plans to make the river navigable as far as Pardubice have been debated for years.

Typical lanes and transit times

Dresden is about 260 km via the D11 and D8, so a direct truck arrives the same day. Bavaria and the Rhineland take one to two working days. Wrocław, about 190 km away, is reached via Náchod or Královec. Austria, Hungary and Italy are served via Brno, and Bratislava is usually one working day. Sunday and public-holiday truck bans in Czechia, Germany, Austria and Poland are factored into every schedule. Gingerbread and confectionery travel dry and at stable temperatures, in summer in insulated trailers, and smaller lots go as groupage pallets.

Loading at a chemical plant

Chemical sites run stricter gate procedures than an ordinary warehouse. Drivers usually register at the gatehouse, show the vehicle papers and their ADR certificate, attend a short safety briefing and wear protective equipment on site: high-visibility vest, helmet, goggles and safety shoes. We therefore allow more time for loading than at a standard warehouse and ask you to confirm the loading slot and a contact in dispatch beforehand. Finished buses from Vysoké Mýto usually leave under their own power, but their parts and components travel by truck, often as oversized pieces that must be measured before we book a vehicle.

Getting a quote

Send us the addresses, number and dimensions of pallets, weight and preferred dates, plus the safety data sheet for hazardous goods. Within the EU an invoice and a CMR note are sufficient; ADR loads additionally need a transport document with the dangerous-goods details. Try our price calculator for an indication; our dispatchers usually reply with a quote within 30 minutes on weekdays.