💰 Current Freight Rates
Price data updating. Contact us for current rates.
Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What
The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to Laos is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.
- Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
- Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
- Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.
| Term | 1 Loading on truck | 2 Export customs declaration | 3 Carriage to port of export | 4 Unloading at port of export | 5 Loading on vessel / aircraft | 6 Main carriage | 7 Cargo insurance | 8 Unloading at port of import | 9 Loading on truck at import | 10 Carriage to destination | 11 Import customs clearance | 12 Import duties & taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW Ex Works | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck | Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FCA Free Carrier | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FAS Free Alongside Ship | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| FOB Free On Board | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Buyer Buyer — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CFR Cost and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CPT Carriage Paid To | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Seller Seller — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU) | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import | Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DAP Delivered At Place | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance | Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes |
| DDP Delivered Duty Paid | Seller Seller — Loading on truck | Seller Seller — Export customs declaration | Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export | Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft | Seller Seller — Main carriage | Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance | Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import | Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import | Seller Seller — Carriage to destination | Seller Seller — Import customs clearance | Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes |
EXW Ex Works
Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.
FCA Free Carrier
Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.
FAS Free Alongside Ship
Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.
FOB Free On Board
Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.
CFR Cost and Freight
Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight
As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).
CPT Carriage Paid To
Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid
As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)
Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.
DAP Delivered At Place
Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.
DDP Delivered Duty Paid
Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.
Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.
📋 Service Details
What to expect on the China–Laos Rail Freight lane
We move door-to-door rail freight from South China into Laos. Cargo enters through Landlocked — via Laem Chabang (Thailand) or Hai Phong (Vietnam) and clears with Lao Customs Department, which takes 3–8 days on average.
Laos is the one landlocked ASEAN market with a direct rail link to China. The Boten–Vientiane railway puts Kunming within roughly 30 hours of Vientiane, and container rail is now usually cheaper and faster than trucking through Thailand. Conventional sea freight has to transit Laem Chabang or Hai Phong and then move overland, which adds a second customs event.
Route facts
| Destination country | Laos |
|---|---|
| Region | Asia Pacific |
| Mode | Rail Freight |
| Gateways used | Landlocked — via Laem Chabang (Thailand) or Hai Phong (Vietnam) |
| Transit, China to gateway | 10–16 calendar days via Thai or Vietnamese transit port |
| Clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season | Oct–Dec |
Delivery cities on this lane
Each city below has its own guide covering the gateway that serves it, the inland leg after clearance and the local delivery requirements.
- China to Vientiane — capital and the terminus of the China–Laos railway. Via VTE air / Boten rail; inland leg same day. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Savannakhet — central corridor city on the Thai and Vietnamese routes. Via VTE air / Boten rail; inland leg +1 day. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Pakse — southern commercial centre. Via VTE air / Boten rail; inland leg +2 days. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Luang Prabang — northern tourism city on the rail line. Via LPQ air / Boten rail; inland leg +1 day. Rail Freight guide →
- China to Boten — the border rail and road crossing with Yunnan. Via Boten rail; inland leg same day. Rail Freight guide →
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ℹ️ Additional Information
What Lao Customs Department will ask for
VAT 10%; duty 5–40%, with ACFTA and RCEP preference on a Form E. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis.
Conformity: Import licence for controlled categories; Form E for duty preference.
Known friction points: Transit through Thailand or Vietnam creates a bonded-movement step that must be documented in advance. Fuel, vehicles and controlled goods need specific licences. Rail bookings tighten sharply around Chinese New Year.
Documents we file under DDP
- Commercial invoice showing HS codes and the true transaction value
- Packing list with carton count, gross and net weight, and dimensions
- Rail consignment note (CIM/SMGS)
- Certificate of origin where it reduces the duty rate
- Product certification or conformity documents where the commodity requires them
Packing notes
- Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000)
- Use ISPM-15 treated wood for any pallet or crate — untreated timber is a common hold
- Mark every carton with the consignee name, city and carton number of total
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders before booking, not after
Other modes into Laos
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity rules change by ministerial decision. The figures here are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your HS code with Lao Customs Department or your broker before shipping.
📊 China to Laos — Shipping Reference Data
| Main sea gateways | Landlocked — via Laem Chabang (Thailand) or Hai Phong (Vietnam) |
|---|---|
| Main air gateways | VTE (Vientiane), LPQ (Luang Prabang) |
| Destination customs authority | Lao Customs Department |
| De-minimis / duty-free threshold | No practical de-minimis |
| Import tax & duty regime | VAT 10%; duty 5–40%, with ACFTA and RCEP preference on a Form E |
| Local currency | LAK |
| Typical clearance / dwell time | 3–8 days |
| Peak / busy season | Oct–Dec |
| Conformity & certification | Import licence for controlled categories; Form E for duty preference |
Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.
🧰 Free 3D Loading Tools for This Rail Route
This page covers a Rail freight service from China to Laos. Use the matching tool below to plan your cargo before requesting a quote.
3D Carton Packing Calculator
Air freight to Laos is billed on chargeable weight, so tight carton packing directly lowers your cost per shipment. Enter your product size and see the optimal carton layout in 3D before you book.
Open Packing Tool →3D Container Loading Planner
Maximize every CBM on this route: load your carton list into the 3D container planner, check space and payload utilization, and download the loading plan for your forwarder.
Open Container Planner →✅ Laos Rail Freight Checklist
- Shrink-wrap and corner-protect cartons — air cargo is transloaded multiple times.
- Confirm whether the Laos rate includes fuel and security surcharges or lists them separately.
- Keep single cartons under 30 KG for air handling to Laos to avoid overweight surcharges.
- Label every carton with destination, carton number, and total count (e.g. 3/12).
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Rail DDP Door-to-Door from China to Laos take?
Rail freight on this route runs about 18–28 calendar days door-to-door, plus roughly 3–8 days of clearance/dwell once it reaches the gateway. All times include customs clearance under DDP terms.
What duties and taxes apply when importing into Laos?
Clearance is handled by Lao Customs Department. The regime is: VAT 10%; duty 5–40%, with ACFTA and RCEP preference on a Form E, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis. Under DDP these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival.
What certification is needed to import into Laos?
For regulated goods, plan for: Import licence for controlled categories; Form E for duty preference. Missing conformity paperwork is the most common clearance hold with Lao Customs Department, so confirm requirements for your HS code before shipping.
Can you ship special cargo (batteries, branded goods) to Laos?
Yes — battery goods by sea follow UN3480/UN3481 rules with an MSDS; we prepare the dangerous-goods paperwork as part of DDP into Landlocked — via Laem Chabang (Thailand) or Hai Phong (Vietnam). Surcharges apply.
Which ports or airports does this route use into Laos?
Sea cargo to Laos clears through Landlocked — via Laem Chabang (Thailand) or Hai Phong (Vietnam); air freight clears via VTE (Vientiane), LPQ (Luang Prabang). We route through whichever gateway gives the fastest onward delivery to your address and build it into the DDP price.
How is the shipping cost on this route calculated?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) and charge the greater, rounded up to the next kilogram, then apply the per-KG rate shown in the table above.
Inland Delivery Coverage — Laos
We deliver beyond the arrival gateway. Each city below has its own destination guide covering the gateway it clears through, typical inland transit time and the local customs picture.
Note — these are reference guides, not quotes. The city pages describe routing, gateways and clearance for each destination. They do not carry rate tables. For pricing to any city listed here, use the rate table on this page or ask us for a quote.
- Vientiane VTE air / Boten rail inland same day Guide only — no rates
- Savannakhet VTE air / Boten rail inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Pakse VTE air / Boten rail inland +2 days Guide only — no rates
- Luang Prabang LPQ air / Boten rail inland +1 day Guide only — no rates
- Boten Boten rail inland same day Guide only — no rates
Shipping Laos cargo by industry
This rate is for the lane. What decides whether the cargo arrives intact is the commodity — how it prices, how it must be packed and loaded, and which compliance step holds it at the border. These guides cover that per industry.
- Glass Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Electronic Switches Electronic Components & Semiconductors
- IoT Devices Consumer Electronics & Smart Devices
- Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Home Storage Products Furniture & Home Products
- Fashion Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Laboratory Equipment Medical, Laboratory & Precision Instruments
- Locks & Safes Fire, Safety & Traffic Products
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Pet Products Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Private Label Products E-commerce & Retail Channels
📞 Contact Us
Ready to ship? Our team responds within one business day. We also handle sourcing and purchasing.