Groupage transport
Groupage in road, air and rail freight. For companies shipping smaller volumes - you pay only for the space, weight or volume your cargo actually uses.
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Groupage means smaller lots of cargo carried together with other shippers' consignments. Instead of paying for an entire vehicle or transport unit, the client pays for the space, weight or volume the cargo actually uses - depending on the mode of transport.
Groupage or LCL - comparing time and cost
| Solution | Indicative time | Cost level | When it works best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road groupage | 2-10 days (Europe) | usually medium | Deliveries in Europe, pallet shipments |
| Air groupage | 1-5 days (flight only) | usually high | Urgent, light or high-value shipments |
| Rail groupage | approx. 20 days (China-Poland) | usually medium | Imports from China when sea is too slow and air too expensive |
| LCL (sea groupage) | 40-60 days (China-Poland) | usually low | Smaller lots from Asia and beyond Europe, when time matters less |
Road groupage
Pallet shipments and smaller loads travel in a shared vehicle together with other shippers' goods. Cartrag organises collection from the shipper, transport and delivery to the consignee in Poland and across Europe. For shipments outside the European Union, the order also covers customs formalities.
Air groupage
Air freight is chosen for urgent shipments or those whose value justifies the higher freight cost. Direct cargo connections from Gdańsk are limited, so for most orders it is more cost-effective to truck the shipment to Warsaw airport: rates are lower there, connections more frequent and aircraft larger. For imports, the shipment arrives in Warsaw and continues to the consignee by road.
Rail groupage
Rail groupage from China can be arranged depending on currently available routes and transit conditions. Transit time is usually shorter than sea freight but longer than air. The date is affected by connection availability, transhipments, the situation on the route and border clearances. Cartrag verifies feasibility for each specific shipment.
How quoting and execution work
To prepare a quote we primarily need:
- collection and delivery addresses,
- number of pieces,
- dimensions and weight,
- number of pallets,
- type of goods,
- expected delivery date,
- information on required customs formalities.
How an order works
- Submitting shipment and route details.
- Quoting and selecting the right mode of transport.
- Collection of the shipment and consolidation with other cargo.
- Transport and customs formalities, where required.
- Delivery to the consignee.
Frequently asked questions about groupage
There is no single threshold. Profitability depends on weight, volume, route and current rates. With a larger number of pallets a dedicated vehicle or container may be more cost-effective. Cartrag compares the options when quoting each order.
A courier handles standard parcels in a sorting network. Groupage covers palletised and non-standard cargo requiring individually organised transport, documentation or customs clearance.
The flight itself usually takes a few days. On top of that come customs clearance and onward delivery from the airport to the consignee. Dates are indicative.
No. Some categories of goods are subject to restrictions on the transit route. Cartrag checks this before accepting an order and, if needed, proposes sea or air transport.
LCL is sea groupage in a shared container. Groupage covers road, air and rail shipments.
YOUR CONTACT
Joanna | accounting at Cartrag
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