Road freight is emerging as a practical third option for companies shipping from China and Southeast Asia to Europe. Door-to-door transit can take around 11–17 days, compared with approximately 5–12 days for air and 30–45 days for sea freight.
The option is aimed at shipments that cannot wait for a sea journey but do not require delivery within a few days. Manufacturers needing components, retailers replenishing seasonal stock and electronics distributors responding to demand may be able to work within a two-week delivery window.
Cost and service comparison
Everwest cites a recent fashion shipment from China to Sweden completed in 11 days, including collection, customs clearance and final delivery. The company says road freight can cost up to 70% less than air freight, although savings vary according to route, shipment size, cargo and market conditions.
That comparison should be made on a complete door-to-door basis. Airport handling, customs and final-mile delivery add time to airfreight movements, while road services can combine those stages within one route. Everwest CEO Zigmas Mikoliūnas says businesses often choose air freight for certainty rather than because every shipment needs its maximum speed. Its [international transport services](https://www.everwest.net/) target that requirement.
Potential users include the automotive, fashion, e-commerce, consumer electronics, smart-home and robotics sectors. Selected pharmaceutical and food products, as well as lithium-ion batteries, may also be suitable when regulatory and handling conditions are met.
Everwest estimates that road freight on Asia–Europe corridors can generate about 10 times fewer CO₂ emissions than air freight. The actual outcome depends on vehicle utilisation, fuel, distance and load characteristics.
Air remains the choice for highly urgent consignments, while sea freight continues to serve large planned volumes. Road transport is gaining ground where a 11–17-day journey meets the commercial requirement and the additional cost of air cannot be justified.
