Shipping goods to Moscow, Russia
Moscow is Russia’s largest consumer market and the country’s main distribution centre. Most imports from Europe, Asia and the US pass through the Moscow transport hub.
Shipping goods to Moscow — from Europe, Asia and the US
Moscow concentrates the bulk of Russia’s imports: the largest customs posts, temporary storage warehouses and the distribution centres of national retail chains are all here. It is a convenient place to clear goods and distribute them across the whole country.
If your customer is in Moscow, we organise the whole delivery for you: we collect the goods from your premises, consolidate consignments, lodge the EU export declaration if you do not do it yourself (with proof of exit for your VAT zero-rating), clear the goods through Russian customs and deliver them to the consignee in Moscow. You get a transparent price and control at every stage of the route.
Why Tranzit3
Groupage and containers
We ship both small consignments (LCL/LTL) and full containers and trucks (FCL/FTL).
Turnkey customs
We take care of HS classification, calculation of duties and taxes, lodging the declaration and release of the goods in Russia.
Safe arrival
Proper packing, as few transhipments as possible and insurance at the full value of the cargo.
What is most often shipped to Moscow
- ✓Electronics and appliances
- ✓Clothing and textiles
- ✓Goods for marketplaces
- ✓Equipment
- ✓Household goods
- ✓Cosmetics
Routes and transit times to Moscow
| From | Mode | Transit time |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (Rotterdam/Hamburg) | Road / sea + road | 12–20 days |
| China | Rail / road / air | 18–35 / 5–10 days |
| Turkey | Road | 8–14 days |
| USA | Sea + road / air | 35–50 / 7–12 days |
Transit times are indicative, door to door, including customs clearance.
Logistics infrastructure in Moscow
- ✓Moscow Regional Customs
- ✓Temporary storage warehouses at Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo
- ✓Beliy Rast and Khovrino freight terminals
- ✓Wildberries and Ozon distribution centres in the Moscow region
How we work
- 1Request and quote
You send the details of the consignment — we calculate the cost and choose the route for your cargo. - 2Collection and consolidation
We collect the goods from your premises and, if needed, consolidate them at our warehouse in Rotterdam, Warsaw or Vilnius. - 3Transport and customs
We ship by the most suitable mode and clear the goods through Russian customs. - 4Delivery in Moscow
We deliver the goods to your customer in Moscow and follow the shipment through to hand-over.
Receiving the goods and the last mile
The last mile in Moscow is governed by the permit regime: a vehicle with a maximum permitted weight above 3.5 t needs a permit for the zone inside the MKAD ring road, the Third Ring or the Garden Ring, with separate day (7:00–23:00) and night (23:00–7:00) permits. Since 2022 a permit is valid only if the vehicle is connected to the city’s RNIS navigation system through an on-board telematics unit, and any deviation from the route stated in the permit is visible in the system. That is why an import truck is usually received at a warehouse outside the MKAD, and the goods go into the city on vans of up to 3.5 t — a separate transhipment that has to be built into the schedule rather than “delivery straight from the border to the door”.
Seasons and weather
The Moscow region is one of the few where no spring thaw restrictions are declared: no seasonal axle-load limits are introduced here, so in April–May the schedule is broken not by “road closures” but by weather and the queue for unloading. In winter, city specifics are added to slippery approaches: streets and lanes in the centre are temporarily closed for snow clearing and removal, and the agreed unloading window shifts. River entry is not a working option for imports into Moscow — navigation in the Moscow basin is seasonal (in 2026 it opened on 24 April), and the canal locks mainly carry mineral and construction materials and industrial raw materials rather than general cargo.
Customs clearance in the region
Declarations for Moscow consignments are accepted by the electronic declaration centre of Moscow Customs, while physical control — inspection, sampling — is carried out by the post of actual control where the goods are physically located; the Akulovsky, Vashutinsky, Vostochny, Leningradsky and Moscow Railway posts are spread across the city and region. Since 1 July 2025 Moscow Customs has reported to the Central Customs Administration; it and all its posts were given new codes in the 10132 series (the declaration centre is 10132160) and the old ones were cancelled, so document templates and powers of attorney should be rechecked. Air cargo arriving at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo or Vnukovo is declared not by the airport customs but by the single Aviation Customs Post (declaration centre) in Khimki.
What most often breaks the schedule
The schedule is most often broken by the gap between the declaration and the goods: the decision is taken by the declaration centre while the consignment sits in a temporary storage warehouse in the Moscow region, and any inspection or request for documents lengthens the chain “declaration centre — post of actual control — warehouse” by days that are not in the plan. Second is door-to-door delivery: without a permit and RNIS connection a truck will not enter the MKAD, and a truck with a permit pays for transit on the Moscow toll expressway if no more than two hours pass between entry and exit and it crosses the Central Ring Road twice a day. For air consignments there is a third factor: in 2026 Moscow airports repeatedly introduced temporary restrictions on arrivals and departures, and cargo builds up at the terminal after the aircraft has landed.
Customs clearance for Moscow: Central Electronic Customs
The declaration is lodged with the Central Electronic Customs, while the goods are held at a temporary storage warehouse in the Moscow region. Since 15 July 2026 the Moscow electronic declaration centre has reported to the Central Electronic Customs; its location has not changed.
We lodge the declaration before the goods arrive, so release takes 1–2 days: the HS code and duty calculation are agreed in advance, and certificates and permits are prepared at the purchasing stage. Clearance is handled by a customs representative on the Federal Customs Service register; your customer receives the declaration with the release stamp and a full set of closing documents.
B2B only, sanctions screening first
We work with companies only: shipments from 50 kg (air: no weight limit), minimum service fee €200; no personal parcels or retail purchases. We handle only goods that are not subject to EU, UK, Swiss or US sanctions and screen HS codes and all parties before we quote. We reply within 2 business hours.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship goods to Moscow?
The cost depends on the country of dispatch, the weight, the volume and the mode of transport. Send us the details of your consignment and we will calculate the exact price for your cargo.
Where do you ship to Moscow from?
From European countries, Asia (China, Turkey, South-East Asia, Korea and others) and the US — by container, groupage, road, rail and air.
Who handles customs clearance?
We do. Tranzit3 provides turnkey customs clearance in Russia: HS classification, calculation of duties and VAT, lodging the declaration and release of the goods, with delivery in Moscow.
Can I send a small consignment?
Yes. For small volumes, groupage (LCL/LTL) is the right option — only the space actually used is paid for. Shipments start at 50 kg.
Ways to ship to Moscow
More in this section
Request a quote
Reply within 2 business hours