From Thessaloniki and northern Greece your goods usually reach the Czech Republic or Slovakia 3–4 days after loading, and Moravia and Slovakia are nearer than Bohemia.
Two roads north from Thessaloniki
| Via Bulgaria and Romania | Via North Macedonia and Serbia | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Serres – Promachonas/Kulata – Sofia – Vidin–Calafat bridge – Romania – Hungary | Evzoni/Gevgelija – Skopje – Niš – Belgrade – Horgoš/Röszke |
| Borders | EU and Schengen all the way, no customs formalities | two external EU borders, waiting for clearance |
| Documents | CMR and invoice are enough | a transit document issued by the shipper's customs agent |
| Best for | chilled fruit, time-sensitive goods, most shipments | quiet borders and delivery in western Hungary or Slovakia |
Since January 2025 Bulgaria and Romania have been full Schengen members, so today we mostly take the road via Kulata and Vidin. Greek, Bulgarian, Romanian, Hungarian and Slovak tolls, including the Danube bridge charge, are included in the price we quote.
Fruit from Imathia and Pieria, olives from Chalkidiki
The plain around Veria and Naoussa in Imathia is the heart of Greek peach growing; fresh fruit is picked from June to September and the local canneries turn out canned peaches all year. Around Katerini in Pieria kiwifruit is grown – harvested in autumn and shipped from cold stores into spring. Green olives from Chalkidiki leave in jars and tubs on pallets.
- Veria and Naoussa – fresh peaches and nectarines in a reefer, canned fruit in cartons.
- Katerini – kiwifruit in crates, usually at 0–2 °C as instructed.
- Chalkidiki – olives and olive oil, no refrigeration needed.
- Serres – farm produce and food from the north-east of the region.
Sindos, Kalochori and Kilkis: industry and warehouses around Thessaloniki
The Sindos industrial zone west of the city houses food, packaging and metalworking plants, Kalochori by the port has distribution and wholesale warehouses, and the Kilkis industrial area north of Thessaloniki sits right on the road to the border. The container terminal in the port of Thessaloniki handles overseas cargo; clearance is done by the importer's customs agent and we take over with the road leg.
What matters on the long haul from Greece
The route crosses five or six countries, each with its own holidays and truck restrictions, and in Greece many warehouses close around Orthodox Easter and 15 August. A full truck takes 33 euro pallets or 13.6 loading metres up to about 24 t; smaller lots go as groupage from one pallet. EU goods travel without customs.
How to request transport from Thessaloniki
Send us the loading place, the type of goods, the required temperature for fruit, number of pallets, weight and the delivery point in the Czech Republic or Slovakia. You get an offer within 30 minutes in office hours, and the vehicle is usually arranged within 24 hours of confirmation.
More pages: Freight from Greece · Athens and Piraeus · Sofia · Pitești and Bucharest
Importing Greek fruit through the whole season? We set up regular departures from Imathia or Pieria for the entire harvest – regular transport, or write to us.
Related guides: Food transport · Refrigerated transport · Preparing pallets