The Alps make Italy the most route-sensitive destination in western Europe. Each Alpine crossing has its own tolls, restrictions and risk of closure, so choosing the right one can save hours, especially in winter.
Transit times
| Destination | Full load | Groupage |
|---|---|---|
| Milan and Lombardy | 2–3 days | 4–5 days |
| Turin and Piedmont | 2–3 days | 4–5 days |
| Verona, Venice and the North East | 3 days | 4–6 days |
| Bologna and Emilia-Romagna | 3 days | 4–6 days |
| Florence and Tuscany | 3–4 days | 5–6 days |
| Rome | 3–4 days | 5–7 days |
| Naples and the South | 4–5 days | 6–8 days |
Typical times with customs documents ready. Alpine closures, Italian and French driving bans, and August holidays can add time.
Alpine routes
| Route | Notes |
|---|---|
| Mont Blanc tunnel (France – Italy) | Direct to the Aosta valley and Turin or Milan. Lorry tolls, and periodic closures for maintenance |
| Fréjus tunnel (France – Italy) | Good for Turin and Piedmont |
| Via Switzerland (Gotthard or San Bernardino) | Direct to Milan, but Switzerland is outside the EU: customs transit, a heavy vehicle fee and a night driving ban |
| Via Austria (Brenner) | For the North East. Busy, with restrictions on night driving and some goods, and frequent block clearance at peak times |
Customs and Italian requirements
Goods between Great Britain and Italy need export and import declarations, safety and security data and GVMS on the UK side. Goods that meet the UK–EU rules of origin travel duty-free with a statement on origin. If a load goes through Switzerland, it also needs transit documents for the Swiss leg.
Italy restricts lorries over 7.5 tonnes on Sundays and public holidays, typically from the morning to the evening, with longer hours in summer and extra restrictions on some summer Saturdays. Many businesses close for part of August, so plan summer deliveries carefully.
What we commonly move to and from Italy
- Fashion, clothing, footwear and leather goods
- Food, wine and speciality products
- Furniture and lighting
- Ceramic tiles and stone
- Machinery, packaging machinery and industrial equipment
- Automotive parts
- Collection near Milan and Italian export declaration
- Monday
- Through the Mont Blanc tunnel and France
- Monday and Tuesday
- UK import declaration ready, Channel crossing
- Tuesday night
- Delivery to London
- Wednesday
- Collection to delivery
- about 2.5–3 days
Indicative, for a direct part load with documents ready. Groupage via a hub adds a day or two.
How we can help
We arrange full loads, part loads and groupage between the UK and Italy, choose the Alpine route that suits the load and the season, and handle customs on both sides. See our European road and ferry freight service, or project cargo for oversized Italian machinery.
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.