Turkey sits between our European road freight and deep sea services. It's close enough for trucks to reach the UK in about a week, and has busy container ports with regular services to the UK. Which you choose depends on how urgent the goods are, how much you're moving and what it is.
Road or sea?
| Option | Typical transit | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Full truck load, overland | 5–8 days | Urgent or regular loads, fashion and retail stock |
| Truck via ferry to Italy (Ro-Ro), then road | 6–9 days | Avoiding long land routes and border queues |
| Groupage / part load | 7–12 days | A few pallets that don't need a whole trailer |
| Sea container (FCL or LCL) | 10–20 days port to port, plus delivery | Heavy or bulky goods, and lower cost per unit |
Indicative ranges, from collection in the Istanbul or Marmara region. Border queues, holidays and weekend driving bans in Europe can add time.
Road freight from Turkey
Trucks from Turkey usually travel through Bulgaria and central Europe, or take a ferry from Turkish ports to Trieste in Italy and drive on from there. The goods normally move through the EU under the Common Transit Convention (Turkey and the UK are both members), so no EU duty is paid on the way. Customs clearance happens when the goods reach the UK.
Full loads are the quickest option. Groupage services consolidate pallets from several suppliers, usually at hubs in Istanbul, and run on set departure days.
Sea freight from Turkey
| Port | Region | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Istanbul (Ambarlı) | Marmara | The largest container gateway, close to Istanbul's manufacturers |
| Izmit / Kocaeli | Marmara | Industrial and automotive goods |
| Gemlik | Bursa | Automotive parts, textiles and white goods |
| Izmir (Aliağa) | Aegean | Textiles, food products and marble |
| Mersin | Mediterranean | Southern and eastern Turkey, food and agricultural goods |
Some services sail direct to the UK and others tranship at a Mediterranean hub. Sea freight is usually the cheapest option for heavy goods such as stone, tiles, metals and machinery.
The UK–Turkey trade agreement
The UK–Turkey Free Trade Agreement has applied since 1 January 2021. Industrial goods and some agricultural products that originate in Turkey can usually enter the UK at zero duty. To claim it:
- The goods must meet the agreement's rules of origin
- You need valid proof of origin, usually a EUR.1 movement certificate or an origin declaration on the invoice
- The A.TR movement certificate, used for EU–Turkey trade under their customs union, is not valid for UK imports
The UK and Turkey have also been negotiating an upgraded trade agreement, so check the latest position for your goods.
- Customs value of the goods, including freight
- £40,000
- Duty at an example standard rate of 12%
- £4,800
- Duty with valid UK–Turkey proof of origin
- £0
- Duty saved on one load
- £4,800
Illustrative figures. Check the standard and preferential rates for your commodity code on the UK Trade Tariff.
Documents you'll need
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- CMR consignment note (road) or bill of lading (sea)
- Transit document (T1) for road freight through the EU
- Proof of origin (EUR.1 or an origin declaration), if claiming zero duty
- Your GB EORI number and correct UK commodity codes
What we commonly move from Turkey
- Clothing, home textiles and towels
- White goods and household appliances
- Vehicle parts and components
- Furniture and homeware
- Steel and construction products
- Dried fruit, nuts and other food products
Plan around holidays
Turkey's two main religious holidays, Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı, each close many businesses for several days, and their dates move each year. Weekend and holiday driving bans for lorries in several EU countries can also affect road freight timings.
How we handle Turkey freight
Our team's European ferry and road background means we know the routes, the crossings and the hauliers. We'll compare road and sea for your goods, check origin paperwork before collection, and handle UK customs and delivery. See also how long road freight to Europe takes.
Written by the 365 Freight team · Last reviewed . Rates, rules and schedules change, so we'll confirm the details for your shipment when we quote.