TEXTILE
Shipping textiles and apparel by truck from China to Iran
Textiles and apparel from China to Iran by road. Consolidated at Yiwu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, then out through Wuqia or Khorgos on a TIR-sealed curtainsider. On the Wuqia line a direct truck transloads once, at Bukhara, and currently runs 21–23 days to the bonded warehouse at Tehran West Customs — counted from the crossing; the domestic leg to Wuqia is typically within 7 days and is counted separately. Hub-to-customs, not to the shop.
- 21–23 days Wuqia to the Tehran West Customs bonded warehouse on a direct truck, currently (26–30 days with transshipment)
- Hub-to-customs · CPT / DAP · the consignee’s broker clears and pays duty
- Cartons or compressed bales; fabric rolls need end-caps and a pallet base
- FTL and LCL from 1 CBM or 100 kg, weekly Tuesday & Friday departures
The route
Origin hub → export clearance and sealing at Wuqia (TIR lock + electronic seal) → Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan under a single TIR carnet → entry into Iran at Sarakhs → the Tehran West Customs bonded warehouse, where a warehouse entry receipt (Ghabz-e Anbar) is issued to your broker. A direct truck transloads once, at Bukhara; a transshipment truck transloads at Osh and again at Bukhara, which costs less and takes longer. A TIR carnet keeps unsealings and transloads to a minimum — it does not remove them, and it changes neither the transit time nor the rate. On this line Kyrgyzstan levies 0.4% of the cargo-invoice value as a transit tax: a tax, not freight, excluded from the quotation and paid by the customer. The Khorgos line runs through Kazakhstan instead, never carries the 0.4%, and its transit time is quoted on request. Turgart and Alashankou are not operated.
Bales, cartons and what Tehran Customs asks
Garments in cartons, knitted fabric in compressed bales, rolls of woven fabric, home textiles, shoes. Write the fibre composition and the HS heading — “a batch of clothes” delays both the quote and Iranian clearance. Soft bales must be wrapped and sit on a base a forklift can pick; rolls need end-caps. Moisture and crush damage are the usual claims, not theft under TIR seal. Brand, label and origin marking are the consignee’s import file, not the trucker’s; if the goods need a certificate of origin or a lab test for Iran, the broker asks for it after the Ghabz-e Anbar, not on the road.
No published rates. To get a quote, send three things: the origin hub; the destination customs (Tehran West Customs / Aprin / Mashhad); and the cargo data — HS code, gross weight in kg, volume in CBM.
FAQ
How long does it take from the Wuqia crossing to Tehran Customs?
Counted from the Wuqia border crossing: a direct truck currently takes 21 to 23 calendar days to the Tehran West Customs bonded warehouse and a transshipment truck 26 to 30 days; to Mashhad it is 18 to 21 days direct and 24 to 28 days with transshipment. A direct truck transloads once, at Bukhara; a transshipment truck transloads at Osh and again at Bukhara. The domestic leg from the Yiwu or Shenzhen warehouse to Wuqia is typically within 7 days and is counted separately. Transit time on the Khorgos line is quoted on request. These are current operating ranges, not a guaranteed transit.
Do you deliver door-to-door?
No. Delivery is to the Tehran West Customs bonded warehouse; the consignee's licensed broker clears the goods and arranges local delivery.
Can you take compressed bales in LCL?
Yes, if each bale is wrapped, marked, and can be forklifted. Loose sacks without a pallet are refused at receiving. Weight per bale and the uncompressed volume both go on the packing list — Tehran Customs prices by weight and by description, not by how tight the press was.
Do you hang garments on rails in the trailer?
No. This is a sealed TIR curtainsider, not a garment-on-hanger truck. Packed cartons or bales only. GOH and hanging rails are a different product and are not operated on this corridor.
What is the minimum for LCL?
One cubic metre (CBM) or 100 kg, at the Yiwu and Shenzhen (Pinghu) facilities, on the weekly Tuesday and Friday consolidation to Tehran Customs.
Related: Shipping electronics by truck · LCL to Tehran Customs: three costly mistakes · How to pack for a TIR curtainsider · Request a freight quote · China to Iran TIR road freight