Dangerous goods (ADR): how transport is organised

25 March 2026

What counts as dangerous goods, how they are classified and what requirements apply to their international transport from the EU to Russia.

Hazard classes

Dangerous goods are divided into 9 classes by the nature of the hazard: explosives, gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidisers, toxic and infectious substances, radioactive material, corrosives and miscellaneous dangerous goods. The class determines requirements for packaging, marking and transport.

Road transport of such goods is governed by the ADR agreement, which sets uniform rules. For supplies to Russia, the most common classes in practice are 3 (flammable liquids — solvents, paints, alcohol-based products), 8 (acids, alkalis, cleaning agents), 9 (lithium batteries and equipment with them, aerosols in limited quantities) and 2 (gas cylinders, aerosol packs).

The UN number and packing group are taken from the safety data sheet (SDS) — without it no carrier will accept the goods. As the shipper, the SDS is the first document to send us.

What the goods and the vehicle need

✓UN-certified packaging marked with the class.
✓An instructions-in-writing card and SDS in the language of the transit country.
✓A driver with ADR certification and a vehicle with the required equipment and plates.
✓A transport document stating the UN number, class and properties of the substance.
✓For sea: a dangerous goods declaration under IMDG and approval by the shipping line.

Limited quantities (LQ)

Small volumes of household chemicals, cosmetics and aerosols can travel without the full ADR regime: inner packagings of up to 5 l or 5 kg and LQ marking remove most requirements.

Transit times and cost

Dangerous goods from the EU to Russia travel by dedicated truck in 8–15 days, or as groupage with a specialised carrier — less often than ordinary groupage, usually once every 1–2 weeks. The rate is 30–60% above standard because of certification, packaging and limited consolidation. Air is closed to most classes under IATA rules; sea is possible for many classes by agreement with the line.

We organise dangerous goods transport in compliance with all rules, choosing the vehicle and arranging the necessary permits. We accept dangerous goods only when every carrier in the chain holds ADR approval.

Questions and answers

Where do the UN number and packing group come from?

From the safety data sheet (SDS). Without it no carrier will accept dangerous goods.

Can dangerous goods go by air?

For most classes air is closed under IATA rules; sea is possible for many classes by agreement with the line.

How much more does ADR transport cost?

Typically 30–60% above the standard rate, because of certification, packaging and limited consolidation.

Dangerous goods: knowledge base →FTL from Poland and the EU →Air freight and lithium batteries →

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