Groupage departures from İzmir to Europe
The EU is Türkiye’s (Turkey’s) largest export market, and that steady flow of freight is what makes groupage (LTL) work even for exporters shipping a few pallets. Your cargo is collected in and around İzmir, consolidated with other loads bound for the same country or for cities along the same route, and leaves on one truck. The rate is based on the loading metres (LDM), volume or weight your cargo takes up.
In groupage, paperwork drives the timetable: if one consignment on the trailer is missing an invoice, an export declaration or a movement certificate, the whole truck can be held with it. That is why we check every consignment’s documents before loading. Our groupage transport page explains the consolidation process step by step.
Full loads, express and temperature control
For loads that fill the trailer, are heavy or must meet a fixed date we run full-truckload transport: the curtainsider carries your cargo only and goes straight to the consignee. Spare parts, samples and trade-fair material that will not fill a truck but cannot wait go by express minivan or lorry van, with an estimated 48–72 hours between Türkiye and Germany. Fresh produce from the Aegean and other temperature-sensitive food travel by refrigerated transport, with the temperature logged throughout.
Countries we serve in Europe
| Country | Groupage (LTL) | Full load (FTL) |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Yes | Yes |
| Austria | Yes | Yes |
| Bulgaria | Yes | Yes |
| France | Yes | Yes |
| Spain | Yes | Yes |
| Switzerland | Yes | Yes |
| Italy | Yes | Yes |
| Portugal | Yes | Yes |
| Romania | Yes | Yes |
| Serbia | Yes | Yes |
| Greece | Yes | Yes |
Nine of these countries are EU members; Switzerland and Serbia are outside both the EU and its customs union. That difference shapes the paperwork as well as the route plan, and the notes below set out the logic for each group.
Bulgaria, Romania and Greece
These three EU members are the nearest stops on the lane. Trucks cross into Bulgaria at Kapıkule or Hamzabeyli and into Greece at İpsala; Romania is reached through Bulgaria over the Danube bridges at Ruse–Giurgiu or Vidin–Calafat. The Kapıkule–Kapitan Andreevo crossing is also the main point where trucks bound for western and central Europe enter the EU. Depending on what the consignee prefers, import clearance for these three countries can take place at the border or at an inland customs office.
Germany and Austria
Germany is one of Türkiye’s largest export markets, and textiles and clothing, automotive parts, machinery and food are prominent among the goods it buys. By road, trucks continue from Bulgaria along the Serbia–Hungary or Romania–Hungary corridor; for some loads, a Ro-Ro crossing to Italy with an onward leg through Austria is worth considering. Germany’s distance-based HGV motorway toll (Maut) and, in Austria, the night-time driving restrictions and truck dosing in Tyrol are built into the plan.
Italy
There are two main options for Italy: all the way by road through the Balkans and Slovenia, or a combined solution using the Ro-Ro links from Turkish ports to Italy (Trieste, for example). Ro-Ro can reduce the number of transit countries and the driving time, while all-road keeps you independent of a sailing schedule. For deliveries to northern industrial areas such as Milan, Turin, Bologna and the Veneto, we compare both against your load.
France, Spain and Portugal
These are the lane’s westernmost countries. Loads usually run through northern Italy into France, then over the La Jonquera crossing on the Mediterranean side into Spain and on to Portugal; a Ro-Ro crossing to Italy can shorten the driving on this long haul. The longer the distance, the more consolidation and delivery planning matter, so for groupage to Lyon, Barcelona, Madrid or Porto we time the departure around your consignee’s expected delivery date.
Switzerland
Switzerland is not in the EU or the EU customs union, so the A.TR does not apply there. Goods cross EU territory under T1 transit and are then cleared through Swiss import customs. Preferential duty may require a EUR.1 movement certificate or an origin declaration under the Türkiye–EFTA free trade agreement; because Switzerland abolished customs duties on industrial goods at the start of 2024, this mainly matters for agricultural and food products. The distance- and weight-based heavy vehicle charge (LSVA) and the night-time and Sunday driving bans for trucks are also part of the plan.
Serbia
Serbia is outside the EU as well. Under the Türkiye–Serbia free trade agreement, preferential duty may require a EUR.1 movement certificate or an origin declaration. Trucks enter from Bulgaria at the Kalotina–Gradina crossing, with the Bulgarian leg run under transit. Besides its own markets such as Belgrade and Novi Sad, Serbia is the main corridor for traffic continuing to central Europe via Hungary and Croatia. For the other non-EU countries in the region, see our Balkans lane.
Documents and customs for Europe
- Every shipment: commercial invoice, packing list, CMR consignment note and the Turkish export declaration.
- EU countries: an A.TR movement certificate for industrial goods in free circulation in Türkiye; a EUR.1 (or an origin declaration) for goods outside the customs union, such as agricultural products and coal and steel products. The A.TR removes customs duty, but an import declaration and import VAT are still due in the destination country.
- Switzerland and Serbia: proof of origin under the relevant free trade agreement (a EUR.1 movement certificate or an origin declaration) and import clearance on arrival.
- Transit: Türkiye has been a party to the Common Transit Convention since 2012, so across EU countries and Switzerland a T1 transit declaration is opened and discharged electronically in NCTS.
- Product-specific: fresh produce and plant products may need extra documents such as a phytosanitary certificate.
Declarations and regulatory questions are covered by our customs clearance service.
Why Multitransport?
- Our own tractor fleet: we run this lane with our own tractor units and curtainsider trailers, and vehicle allocation, driver planning and routing are decided in one place.
- Three options, one desk: we weigh groupage, full load and express against the size of your load and its delivery date.
- Paperwork before loading: A.TR, EUR.1 and T1 documents are prepared in advance, which reduces the risk of document-related waits at the border.
- Route flexibility: we compare the overland route via Kapıkule with Ro-Ro-linked combined options for your destination.