Transport and import of goods from Gothenburg to the Czech Republic

Port and automotive hub

Gothenburg's container and ro-ro terminals on Hisingen island handle a large share of Sweden's overseas trade, and big logistics centres line the E6 and E20 motorways. The city is also home to car, truck, engine and bearing manufacturers and their supplier networks, which makes it both a source and a market for Czech and Slovak companies.

Typical imports to Czechia include:

• car parts, engines, gearboxes and truck components
• rolling bearings, steel and metal products
• paper, pulp and wood products from western Sweden
• overseas goods unloaded at the container terminal
• chilled and frozen fish and seafood from the west coast

Northbound, we move Czech cable harnesses, plastic and metal parts for car plants, glass, building materials and engineering products. Regular export flows make return trucks relatively easy to find.

The Kiel ferries sail every night, but a truck landing on Saturday morning stops in Germany for the Sunday ban. Collections from Monday to Wednesday therefore flow best. Book a full load three to four working days ahead so ferry space can be reserved, and earlier in summer or before Christmas.

Three ways south

The overnight ferry from Gothenburg to Kiel is the most common option. The driver takes the mandatory rest on board, so less time is lost than the sailing duration suggests. From Kiel it is about 750 km by road via Hamburg, Berlin and Dresden to the D8 at Krásný Les. The fully overland route via Malmö, the Öresund bridge, Copenhagen and the Rødby–Puttgarden ferry is around 1,250 km and serves as an alternative when ferries are full. A third option is the ferry via Frederikshavn in northern Jutland. A full load reaches Prague in about three working days; groupage pallets take 5–7 working days.

Loading at car suppliers and terminals

Automotive logistics runs on just-in-time slots. A truck that misses its window may have to wait for the next free one, so please confirm with the shipper:

• address, gate, dock number and loading reference
• number, type and size of pallets or containers and the total weight
• whether returnable packaging must come back
• for container cargo, the terminal release and pick-up time

Industrial sites usually have docks; smaller businesses in town need a tail-lift vehicle. Fish and seafood travel only in reefer trailers with a temperature log.

Winter, road charges and Swedish rules

Sweden has no general weekend truck ban, but Germany bans vehicles over 7.5 t on Sundays, public holidays and some summer Saturdays. In winter, heavy vehicles in Sweden must use winter tyres when conditions require it, and snow, ice and strong winds on the west coast can delay both roads and ferries. Sweden charges a road user fee for heavy trucks and Gothenburg has a city congestion charge; add the Öresund bridge or ferry and German tolls. All are included in our quote.

Sweden is in the EU, so there is no customs clearance. A CMR note, invoice or delivery note, a temperature record for food and ADR papers for dangerous goods are sufficient. Overseas goods not yet in free circulation must be cleared by the importer first.

Picking the right service

Single pallets of spare parts suit pallet groupage. Regular production supplies or larger volumes call for a dedicated truck on a fixed schedule, and our international forwarding service can combine imports with exports and returnable packaging. Dispatch works Monday to Friday, 8:00–18:00, and a non-binding quote usually follows within 30 minutes. Get an instant estimate in the calculator.