We arrange freight from Greece to the Czech Republic and Slovakia from anywhere on the mainland – Thessaloniki, Thessaly, Attica and the Peloponnese. Road freight from Greece usually takes 3–4 days from loading, with the north at the shorter end. We move single pallets as groupage, part loads, full trucks and chilled food, choosing the road across the Balkans or a ferry to Italy depending on where the goods are collected.
Whether it is goods for trade or material for manufacturing – food and aluminium profiles – we collect it directly from your supplier in Greece. For the other direction see freight to Greece.
How long does freight from Greece to the Czech Republic take?
Transit is counted from loading to unloading at the consignee. Thessaloniki is about 1,500 km from Prague and 1,350 km from Brno, Athens about 2,000 km from Prague. From Thessaloniki and Macedonia goods usually arrive after 3 days, from Attica and the Peloponnese after 4. On the ferry route, sailing times also play a part. We plan Friday loadings with a buffer: in the Czech Republic vehicles over 7.5 t may not run on Sundays and public holidays from 13:00 to 22:00, in summer also on Friday evening and Saturday morning; in Austria vehicles over 7.5 t are banned from Saturday 15:00 to Sunday 22:00 and on public holidays, with night restrictions for noisy vehicles on top.
Across the Balkans or by ferry via Italy?
| Route | Borders and documents | When we choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria and Romania | Promachonas–Kulata, Danube bridge, Nădlac; entirely within the EU, no customs papers | northern Greece, when the shipper wants no transit formalities |
| North Macedonia and Serbia | Evzoni–Bogorodica, Horgoš–Röszke; T1 transit document from the shipper's customs agent | shortest way from Thessaloniki, if the document is ready |
| Ferry from Patras or Igoumenitsa | sailing to Italy's Adriatic ports, then through Austria; no customs papers | Attica, the Peloponnese and Epirus, deliveries in Bohemia |
Both road routes pass through Hungary and Bratislava, so Slovakia is on the way. On board the ship the driver takes part of the mandatory rest. Greek toll plazas, tolls in transit countries and the ferry ticket are all included in the price.
Greek regions and what companies import from them
| Region | Typical goods | Usual route |
|---|---|---|
| Thessaloniki, Sindos, Kilkis | food, packaging, cargo from the port | road across the Balkans |
| Imathia and Pieria (Veria, Katerini) | peaches, kiwis, canned fruit | road, reefer |
| Thessaly (Larissa, Volos) | cotton, farm produce, metal products | road via Thessaloniki |
| Attica (Athens, Aspropyrgos) | distribution-centre stock, aluminium profiles, building materials | road or ferry |
| Peloponnese and the west (Patras, Kalamata) | olive oil, olives, citrus fruit | ferry to Italy |
Collecting in Greece: what to expect
The logistics parks in Aspropyrgos near Athens and Sindos near Thessaloniki load at docks in time slots and ask for an order or reference number at the gate. Smaller olive mills, orchards and fruit packers often have no dock, so pallets are loaded from ground level by forklift into the side of a curtain-sider. In the summer heat many sites load mainly in the morning. Around Orthodox Easter, the mid-August holiday and two national holidays in spring and autumn, warehouses close and roads fill up, so we agree those dates early.
- loading address with the five-digit Greek postcode,
- loading hours and the warehouse phone number,
- reference or order number for the gate,
- dock or ground-level loading,
- for food, the temperature and whether pallets can be stacked.
When is groupage enough and when do you need a full truck?
From Greece you can ship as little as 1 pallet by groupage, which makes sense up to about six pallets. From roughly seven to twenty euro pallets a direct part load without transhipment pays off. A full trailer has 13.6 loading metres, 33 euro pallets and around 24 t payload; one euro pallet takes 0.4 loading metres. For long aluminium profiles, give us the length – they often need more space than their weight suggests.
Combining several suppliers
Larissa sits on the A1 motorway between Athens and Thessaloniki, so goods from Thessaly are picked up on the way north; Veria and Katerini combine with Thessaloniki in the same way. Purchases from several Greek producers can travel in one run, and the loading order is set out in the quote.
Chilled and seasonal goods from Greece
Fruit at harvest time, cheese and yoghurt travel in a reefer at the set temperature. In the summer months we also send chocolate and other heat-sensitive goods chilled. Olive oil in tins and bottles, olives and preserves are fine on pallets in a covered curtain-sider. During the peach and kiwi season, book the loading a few days ahead – reefers are in short supply then.
Who books the transport and what documents are needed?
Under EXW or FCA the buyer arranges transport – you book it with us and we collect from the Greek supplier. Under DAP the seller takes care of it. Greece is in the EU, so goods travel duty-free with a CMR consignment note and an invoice or delivery note. We do not handle customs clearance ourselves: for the route via North Macedonia and Serbia the shipper's agent issues the transit document, and overseas containers in Piraeus or Thessaloniki are loaded only once released.
What to send us for a quote
- supplier address and delivery point anywhere in the Czech Republic or Slovakia,
- loading hours and reference,
- pallets or loading metres and weight,
- type of goods, temperature for food, and ready date.
You get a quote within 30 minutes during office hours, and a vehicle is usually arranged within 24 hours of confirmation. Since 2011 we have worked with more than 500 vetted contracted carriers. See also Thessaloniki and northern Greece and Athens and Piraeus; more places and a map follow below. For the opposite direction see transport to Greece.
Shipping from Greece every season? We agree fixed collections at harvest time, a set route and a set rate – see regular transport, or get in touch directly.
Related guides: Food transport · Refrigerated transport · Preparing pallets