How to Calculate the Transit Time for Cargo in Road Transport Across Europe?

This article aims to comprehensively present how to calculate the transit time for cargo in road transport across Europe, focusing on delivery vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 3.5 tons, trucks with a GVW of 7.5 tons, and full truckload (FTL)/less than truckload (LTL) class trucks with a GVW of up to 24 tons.
We will consider two types of transport execution: dedicated (full load) and partial (part load). You can read this article in 1.5 minutes.

Key Factors Affecting Transit Time

The transit time for cargo can vary depending on many factors, such as:

• Type of transport (dedicated or partial)
• Distance between the loading and unloading points
• Traffic restrictions
• Regulations concerning drivers’ working hours
• Weather conditions
• Customs clearance process.

Types of Transport and Estimated Delivery Time

1. Dedicated Transport (Full Load)

A popular service at Visline is dedicated transport. This means that the cargo from one customer exclusively occupies the entire vehicle space. It is the most direct and fastest form of transport since the vehicle goes directly from the loading point to the unloading point without additional stops to load other goods.

Estimated delivery time depending on the distance between the loading and unloading points:

a) VAN type vehicles (GVW up to 3.5 tons)

• Up to about 700 km = next-day delivery
• From 700 to 1500 km = delivery within 2 days
• Over 1500 km = delivery from 3 to 4 days

b) 7.5 ton type vehicles (GVW up to 7.5 tons) and FTL/LTL type vehicles (GVW up to 24 tons)

• Up to about 550 km = next-day delivery
• From 550 to 1300 km = delivery within 2 days
• Over 1500 km = delivery from 3 to 4 days

2. Partial Transport (Part Load)

In the case of partial transport, the vehicle carries loads from different customers, requiring additional time for coordinating loading and unloading at various locations. It is a more economical option but takes more time.

Estimated delivery time depending on the distance between the loading and unloading points:

Vehicles of all classes (VAN, 7,5 t, FTL/LTL)

• Delivery within 3-6 days, regardless of distance

Best Practices

Emails and calls asking to specify the delivery time are the most frequently asked questions by our customers. No wonder, as everyone wants to be able to plan the process over time. That’s why at Visline, we discuss in detail with the client the possibilities of executing the freight in various ways, depending on individual needs.

For instance, it happens that a part of the shipment that requires fast transport is sent by so-called express services, i.e., smaller BUS/VAN type vehicles, and the remaining cargo arrives slightly later by a larger vehicle, which moves slower.

What distinguishes Visline is excellent customer service and a real desire to effectively solve the customer’s problem in the most advantageous way possible. That’s why contact with our forwarders is rated so highly in customer service opinion surveys (4.5/5.0).