Freight to UK

Outside the EU: every load is an export and an import

Since Brexit, each shipment between Britain and the Czech Republic means an export declaration on one side and an import declaration on the other. Goods meeting the rules of origin under the EU–UK trade agreement can travel duty-free, but the declarations are always required, and a truck without complete paperwork is held at the border in either direction.

Importing from the UK into the Czech Republic

The UK shipper (or its agent) lodges the export declaration; on arrival the Czech import declaration is filed, VAT is assessed and any duty applied. We arrange Czech clearance through a partner customs broker. Please have ready:

• EORI numbers for the Czech importer and the British exporter;
• a commercial invoice with a precise goods description, customs value and commodity code;
• a packing list with pieces, pallets and weights;
• an origin statement on the invoice if you want to claim zero duty;
• veterinary or phytosanitary certificates for food, plants and animal products.

Typical imports are machine and automotive components from the Midlands, aerospace and precision parts, chemicals and pharmaceuticals from the North West, laboratory and measuring equipment, Scotch whisky and food, and consumer goods from the distribution belt around Northampton and Milton Keynes.

Agree the Incoterms with your supplier before booking: they decide who files which declaration, who pays duty and VAT, and who carries the risk of border delays. Unclear terms are the most common reason a truck sits at the port.

Exporting from the Czech Republic to the UK

A Czech export declaration with an MRN is needed, plus a UK import declaration lodged by the consignee or its agent. Before boarding, the truck needs a movement reference in the UK's goods vehicle border system. For food and agricultural products, the UK requires pre-notification and, for some goods, health certificates and checks at border control posts – best settled with your buyer before loading.

Ferry or Eurotunnel

From Prague the route runs via the D5 and Rozvadov/Waidhaus, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, Cologne and Belgium to Calais, roughly 1,050 km. Then there are two main options:

• Ferry from Calais or Dunkirk to Dover, about ninety minutes at sea and the most common choice.
• Eurotunnel from Coquelles to Folkestone, a crossing of around half an hour, good for time-critical freight.

For northern England and Scotland, longer ferries from Rotterdam or Zeebrugge to east-coast ports are worth considering. French ports run strict security checks against clandestine entrants: the driver must secure and check the vehicle, otherwise the carrier risks heavy UK penalties. In peak season and before holidays, border processing can take hours longer.

Transit times and UK road rules

A full truck typically reaches London and the South East in 3 working days from loading, the Midlands and West in 3–4, northern England and Wales in 4 and Scotland in 4–5. Add customs time: hours with complete documents, days if something is missing. German and French weekend bans apply en route. Foreign HGVs pay a road user levy in the UK, and London has its own low-emission zone and safety permit for heavy goods vehicles.

More on the capital lane at Prague – London, on customs support at international forwarding; pricing is in the calculator.