Freight Transport Prague → London

Customs first: what Brexit means for UK–Czech imports

Since the UK left the EU, every truck from London to Czechia crosses a customs border. The shipment needs an export declaration in Britain, a safety and security entry summary before arrival in Calais, and an import declaration in the EU, either at the French border or, after T1 transit, at a Czech customs office. The Czech importer needs an EU EORI number and the UK exporter a GB EORI. Drivers also need a Goods Movement Reference from the UK's GVMS system to pass through the port or tunnel terminal. Customs entries are lodged by your broker or one we recommend; we coordinate the transport so the truck does not wait at the border.

Under the EU–UK trade agreement, duty is zero only for goods of UK origin covered by a statement on origin. Goods made elsewhere, for instance Asian products shipped from a UK warehouse, pay normal duty. Import VAT applies in every case.

Typical imports from London and the South East

• cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices,
• scientific and laboratory instruments, measuring equipment and spare parts,
• books, educational publications and printed matter,
• clothing, footwear and fashion accessories,
• spirits such as gin and whisky, which are subject to excise duty,
• art and antiques from London auctions, used machinery and e-commerce returns.

Products of animal origin and plants require veterinary or phytosanitary certificates and a check at an EU border control post, so we plan them together with your customs broker. Westbound, we move Czech car parts, glass, beer, furniture and engineering products to the UK.

Crossing the Channel

London to Prague is approximately 1,300 km by road. Trucks take the M25 and M20 to Folkestone or Dover and cross either by Eurotunnel shuttle to Coquelles or by ferry to Calais or Dunkirk, then continue via Lille, Brussels, Aachen, Cologne, Frankfurt and Nuremberg to Waidhaus/Rozvadov. The tunnel is faster, but the ferry lets the driver take a rest break on board and accepts dangerous goods that are often not permitted on the shuttle, so ADR loads always go by sea. Driving takes two to three working days; door to door, allow three to four working days including customs.

Rules in London and on the way

The UK has no weekend truck ban, but Germany bans trucks over 7.5 tonnes on Sundays and public holidays from midnight to 10 pm and France from 10 pm Saturday to 10 pm Sunday. In London, trucks must meet low-emission zone standards, vehicles over 12 tonnes need a Direct Vision Standard safety permit, and many roads restrict heavy vehicles at night and at weekends. Foreign trucks pay the HGV road user levy, and the Dartford Crossing is charged. All of this is included in our price.

Service options

For a complete solution including broker coordination, use our international forwarding; other UK destinations are listed on transport to England.

Checklist before collection

Have ready the commercial invoice with commodity codes, packing list, export declaration with MRN, transit document or import entry details, both EORI numbers, a statement on origin for UK goods and the CMR note for the road leg. Confirm the loading address, opening hours and whether there is a dock: smaller London warehouses often load by hand or from the street. Dispatch answers Monday to Friday, 8:00–18:00, usually within 30 minutes; the freight calculator gives an instant estimate.