Transport from Latvia to the Czech Republic usually takes 2–3 days from loading in Riga and runs overland through Lithuania and Poland. Knapek Spedition in Břeclav arranges collection from your Latvian supplier and delivery to any address in the Czech Republic or Slovakia – as groupage from one pallet, a part load or a full truck. There are no customs formalities, because Latvia is an EU member state.
Besides importing goods from Latvia, we also handle material transport for production – timber and building elements. In the opposite direction we arrange goods transport to Latvia.
How long does freight from Latvia to the Czech Republic take?
Riga to Prague is roughly 1,300 km. With mandatory breaks a single driver cannot cover that in one day, so plan on two to three days between loading and unloading. Brno, Ostrava and Olomouc are a little closer, and Slovakia takes about the same time. Transit times for every country are listed on our European transit times page.
| Step | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry | any time | you send the loading address, pallet count and weight |
| Quote | within 30 minutes in office hours | price including tolls and a proposed date |
| Vehicle | usually within 24 hours of confirmation | a carrier with free capacity in the Baltics |
| Transit | 2–3 days | Latvia – Lithuania – Poland – Czech Republic |
| Unloading | in the agreed time slot | the signed CMR note comes back to you |
Where in Latvia do we load and what is shipped from there?
Latvia has fewer than two million inhabitants, yet freight is loaded all over the country. Five regions are worth knowing when you plan:
- Riga and surroundings (Olaine, Ogre, Salaspils) – distribution warehouses, food and drink, cardboard packaging, electronics assembly.
- Kurzeme (Liepāja, Ventspils) – steel structures, engineering parts and goods from the ports.
- Zemgale (Jelgava, Bauska) – grain, flour, confectionery and other food products.
- Vidzeme (Valmiera, Cēsis) – sawn timber, plywood, timber houses and solid wood furniture.
- Latgale (Daugavpils, Rēzekne) – metalwork, dairy products and pallets from local sawmills.
From Latgale the truck does not go via Riga; it heads straight south into Lithuania, so the run to the Czech Republic is of similar length. For shipments in the opposite direction see transport to Latvia.
Groupage, part load or full truck from Latvia?
Volume decides. One euro pallet takes 0.4 loading metres and a full trailer offers 13.6 ldm. If you know the dimensions, check the space you need with the loading metre calculator or read what a loading metre is.
| Shipment size | Best option | When it pays off |
|---|---|---|
| 1–6 pallets (up to 2.4 ldm) | pallet transport as groupage | samples, restocking, a first order from a new supplier |
| 7–18 pallets (approx. 2.8–7 ldm) | part load | regular mid-sized orders, palletised timber products |
| roughly 18–33 pallets or up to 24 t | full truck | sawn timber, furniture, bulk food, seasonal stock |
| a few urgent pallets | express van transport | spare parts or material for a stopped production line |
With heavy goods such as pellets or semi-finished metal, the trailer reaches its weight limit before the floor is full. Our article parcel, pallet or truck compares all the options.
Why combine Latvian and Lithuanian consignments?
A truck from Latvia crosses the whole of Lithuania, passing Šiauliai, Panevėžys and Kaunas. If you buy from suppliers in both countries, we put everything on one trip and you pay for one run instead of two. Groupage works the same way: a pallet from Riga travels with Lithuanian freight and shares the cost of the journey. How imports from Lithuania work is explained on transport from Lithuania to the Czech Republic, and exports there on transport to Lithuania.
Extra freight can also be picked up in Poland. The truck passes the Warsaw or Łódź area and can add a consignment from a Polish warehouse – see imports from Poland, and for the reverse direction transport to Poland.
Which route does Latvia–Czech road freight take and what can delay it?
From Riga the truck heads south to the Lithuanian border, continues through Lithuania on the Via Baltica to Poland, and then crosses Podlaskie and central Poland towards Silesia and the Czech Republic. It is overland all the way, with no ferry and no transhipment. Internal Schengen borders are crossed without stopping.
Delays rarely come from the road; they come from the calendar. In Poland vehicles over 12 t may not run on public holidays from 8:00 to 22:00 or at summer weekends, and in the Czech Republic the ban applies on Sundays and public holidays from 13:00 to 22:00. Exact times are summarised in our overview of truck driving bans. In Latvia itself the key date for loading is the midsummer festival of Līgo and Jāņi at the end of June, when most warehouses close. In winter, expect snow and short days in the north.
Which documents and Incoterms apply to imports from Latvia?
Goods from Latvia are EU goods and are not cleared through customs. A CMR consignment note, the delivery note and the supplier's invoice are all the truck needs. Excise goods such as alcohol require accompanying documents issued by the sender. The delivery term decides who books the transport:
| Incoterm | Who books transport | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | buyer | transport and loading are your responsibility; we arrange collection from the supplier's gate |
| FCA | buyer | the supplier loads, you book the run from Latvia with us |
| DAP | supplier | the seller pays for transport, you simply receive the goods |
The general procedure for buying in another member state is covered in our article on importing goods from the EU.
How should Latvian goods be prepared for loading?
- Pallets ideally in the 120 × 80 cm format – sizes and load capacity are explained in our article on the euro pallet.
- Timber and board bundles strapped tight and marked with their length; long items are side-loaded into a curtainsider.
- Upholstered furniture wrapped in film and cardboard so it survives three days on the road.
- Chilled food with a stated temperature and enough shelf life.
Which trailer suits which goods is shown in our overview of vehicle types.
What should a quote request for transport from Latvia include?
- Loading address and opening hours of the supplier's warehouse.
- Order or loading reference under which the warehouse releases the goods.
- Number and dimensions of pallets, or loading metres.
- Total weight and type of goods.
- Delivery address in the Czech Republic or Slovakia and the required date.
Within 30 minutes in office hours you receive a price including tolls for all four countries. What drives that price is explained on our transport cost page. Knapek Spedition has operated since 2011 and works with more than 500 vetted contracted carriers; all routes are listed under international transport.
Buying from the Baltics on a regular basis? We combine loads from Latvia and Lithuania and agree fixed collection days – regular transport, or contact us.
Related guides: Importing goods from the EU · Euro pallet – size and load · Transit times in Europe