Customer Information - Road Freight

The situation at the borders has slightly changed. Especially on the border with Italy, smaller border crossing points are now closed while the most important border crossing points remain open. The same applies to the borders with Switzerland, Hungary and Slovakia.

It has been announced, that these exceptions will not be extended any further. The weekend and holiday driving bans have also been reinforced as of 18 May 2020.

Our partners are reporting that the networks are still working with their full capacity, however due to the measurements put in place by the Austrian government, many customers have closed down and/or have closed their goods receiving department. Since 14 April 2020, Austria has decided to open up smaller shops again, therefore consignees might be open again, but we kindly ask you to please check with your consignee.

Additionally, due to the border checks between Germany/Italy and Austria delays are reported at the border. Even though the situation at the Italian – Austrian border has improved, minor delays still occur.

Health checks are carried out at the border from Poland to Belarus.

Average delays of 1-2 days have been reported.

The first measures regarding the lockdown have been lifted on 04 May 2020. All B2B businesses are allowed to open again.

Freight transportation is not affected in any way. Before dispatching your shipment, please make sure that the consignee is in business and able to receive your shipment.

The situation at the Bosnian border with Serbia has relaxed a little bit since last week. There are currently waiting times at the border with Croatia, due to reduced staff at the customs checks. There are currently no waiting times to enter Croatia from Bosnia.

The Bulgarian government has lifted the state of emergency in the country and announced an emergency epidemic situation, which will be in place from 14 May 2020 to 14 June 2020. Entry bans for foreign nationals from risk areas are still in place and the measures for international freight transports remain the same.

Since 18 March 2020, Bulgaria has closed its borders for people coming from risk areas. There are special restrictions for truck drivers in place. Generally, there is a 14-day quarantine rule, which does not apply to foreign drivers if they leave Bulgaria immediately after unloading in Bulgaria or if they transit within 24 hours. Bulgarian drivers are also subject to the quarantine unless they are returning to one of risk areas. In this instance they must remain in quarantine until they leave.

The government has also suspended the driving and resting time restrictions. Since 30 March 2020, the border crossing point with Greece “Zlatograd – Thermes” has been closed until further notice. The check points that had been established at the town of Bansko and all regional centers have been lifted. People’s movements is restricted to essential activities. Freight transport is not restricted, but delays are to be expected.

The Government of Bulgaria now requires truck drivers coming from countries with registered Covid-19 cases to undergo a 14-day quarantine. However, drivers are still allowed to transit Bulgaria for the purpose of carrying out or completing international transport and related activities. Therefore, Road Transport is not affected.

After the announcement of the European Commission, the Croatian government has confirmed that there will be no restrictions to the transport of goods when using the Green Lanes.

The delays at the Croatian-Serbian border are at about 1-2 hours for entry to Croatia and 4 hours for exit from Croatia.

We are expecting delays of at least 24 hours for deliveries and collections. Shuttle services are scheduled for Serbia, Bosnia and Slovenia.

The state of emergency in the Czech Republic has officially ended on 17 May 2020. All driving restrictions are in place again.

All transports to and from the Czech Republic are still possible with some delays to be expected at the borders, as the smaller border crossing points are closed and health checks are conducted.

All retailers, department stores, restaurants and cafés are allowed to open again. Please check if the consignees are open again before shipping any goods.

The government of Denmark has closed their border to their neighboring countries – these measures have now been extended until 31 May 2020. Freight transportation is still possible. We are expecting a positive impact on our operations.

The police will, as far as possible, take into account the access of trucks and, where possible, separate lanes for freight traffic will be made.

Still, delays at the border are to be expected.

The Government of Estonia has announced a lockdown in the country and has decided to close all shops in the country except supermarkets and pharmacies. There are border checks conducted by the authorities, but no delays are reported.

The free movement between the three states (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) has been restored since 15 May 2020. This is possible for people with a permanent residence in the three states and that do not show any symptoms. It has also been announced that people from Finland are allowed to travel to Estonia more frequently, without being required to go into quarantine, only if they do not show any symptoms

The city of Helsinki also imposed a general lockdown but will not restrict the transport of goods.

Since 19 March 2020, Finland has closed its borders as well, which does not affect road transport. The border controls on the Finnish border have been prolonged by the government until 14 June 2020.

The government has prolonged the suspension of the driving and resting time restrictions until 31 May 2020. It has been confirmed that the driving and resting times will come into effect again after 31 May 2020.

As announced by the government, France is now starting to leave the lockdown. Some shops are reopening, and people are allowed to leave their houses again. We would like to remind you to please make sure that the consignee of your shipment is in business and able to receive your shipment.

The French government has lifted the driving bans for vehicles heavier than 7.5 tonnes for the period 31 May – 1 June 2020. It applies for vehicles transporting food (human or animal), hygiene or medical products (or any product needed for their development) and construction materials (the equipment required for any general public works or the construction of public buildings). On 14 May 2020, the French Ministry of the Interior issued an authorisation form with which transport companies can perform domestic operations beyond 100km from their place of establishment and outside their department of residence.

Same day deliveries, advices or fixed dates cannot be offered anymore. Delays in distribution are expected.

The French government has also released a decree that signatures for B2C deliveries are not necessary anymore and are therefore suspended until further notice.

The entry requirements for Georgia have been tightened. With few exceptions, foreign travelers are no longer allowed to enter. Freight traffic is still allowed. Drivers who have been in the EU in the past few days are placed into a 14-day quarantine.

Average delays of 1-2 days have been reported.

The German government has opened the borders to Austria, Switzerland, France, and Luxembourg on 16 May 2020. The same applies to the border with Denmark, but the date is yet to be agreed on. All border crossing points will be operative again. The controls will be reduced to sample checks at the borders with Austria, Switzerland, and France. With Luxembourg, the controls will be abandoned completely.

The German Federal administration has temporarily extended the driving and rest time regulations with an extension until 31 May 2020. This period will not be renewed, so the regulation according to Article 14.2 of the EU Regulation 561⁄2006 will fully apply again from June.

The government has also decided to close all malls, bars, restaurants and similar locations. The government has announced that from 20 April 2020, smaller shops are allowed to reopen again.

The delays from the Czech Republic to Germany have been cleared so far and there are no delays reported

The government has announced that the relaxation of driving & resting times will not be extended after 31 May 2020 and will therefore come into effect again on 01 June 2020.

The Greek Prime Minister announced that Greece has imposed a national lockdown since 23 March 2020. This does not affect freight transportation. The Greek Prime Minister announced that Greece has imposed a national lockdown since 23 March 2020. This does not affect freight transportation.

Since 17 March 2020, the Hungarian government has closed the borders. This does not apply for international transports or transit.

The delays to enter Hungary from Croatia are currently about 4 hours. Hungary also has imposed a national lockdown for its inhabitants since 28 March 2020, This does not affect road transportation in general.

The ferry services have now stopped carrying passengers. It is still possible to ship semi-trailers, containers and swap bodies. Delays are to be expected.

Ireland has also lifted the regulations on driving and resting times. This measure has now been extended until 31 May 2020. Ireland has now entered the first phase of easing the lockdown - as from 18 May 2020 Hardware Shops, Garden Centres, Homeware shops, electrical and IT shops and phone shops are allowed to reopen. Outdoor Construction workers and Gardeners can return to work as well. We are expecting a positive impact on our operations.

Other shops and industries will follow from June to August in different phases. Updates will be provided accordingly.

Therefore, please check with your customers whether they are still open and only send the goods to Ireland, if the consignee can accept the shipment.

Update for Northern Ireland: Due to the current situation, our network is now working with limited staff and a reduced fleet, which leads to less capacities in their collections and deliveries. This might lead to delays.

Find more detailed information here

The situation is getting better, after it has now been announced by the government that in the “Phase 2” plan, most industries are allowed to reopen again since 04 May 2020.

On 17 May 2020, the Italian Prime Minister published updated regulations, applicable from 18 May 2020. Until 02 June 2020  Freight transport to/from Sicily can only be operated via the port of Messina-Tremestieri. Rules on freight transport from/to Sardinia remain unchanged. For movement between different regions, as intra-region movement is now permitted. The domestic traffic bans for vehicles heavier than 7.5 tons have been lifted for May 31 May 2020 and 02 June 2020.Our branches in Italy are open and will continue their operational services.

Before dispatching your shipment, please make sure that the consignee is in business and able to receive your shipment. In order to ensure that our supply chains remain operational, we are carefully planning our transportation and warehousing capacities. Shipments that can’t be delivered will be returned or stored temporarily - all costs incurred will be charged to the consignor. Thank you for your kind understanding.

Find more detailed information here

Foreigners can only enter Kazakhstan in exceptional cases. However, international road freight traffic should not be restricted.

The government of Latvia has imposed restrictions for truck drivers entering the country. Currently, freight transport is not affected in any way.

Since 16 April 2020, smaller shops are allowed to reopen again. Lithuanian drivers must go into a 14-day quarantine when returning to the country but are allowed to leave if they have to perform another transport.

Lithuania is on quarantine and foreigners are not allowed to enter, which does not apply to freight transportation. Health checks are conducted, which might lead to delays when entering to Lithuania.  The traffic jams at the border to Poland have been cleared for now and traffic is running smoothly. Several smaller border checkpoints have been closed.

The government has also decided to suspend the driving and resting times until 01 June 2020, we are expecting a positive impact on our operations.

No delays are reported

Find more detailed information here

The government of Norway has closed their border to their neighboring countries. The borders will remain closed for a further 90 days after 15 May 2020.  Freight transport is still possible; we are however experiencing delays at the borders.

The regular ferry cargo line between Kiel and Oslo has been reintroduced and is now running three times a week both ways. The government has announced that the driving and resting time restriction come into effect again immediately.

The government of Poland declared the state of epidemiological emergency and has closed the borders for all foreign travelers. The border controls have officially been extended until 12 June 2020. Freight transportation is not affected.

Poland has lifted the rules for driving and resting times until 31 May 2020, we expect a positive impact on our operations.

Find more detailed information here

Road traffic has been stopped in general at the Portuguese borders, which does not apply to freight transports.

Portugal has entered the first phase to ease the lockdown, which can be renewed every 15 days. Social distancing is still in place and masks are obligatory in public spaces and therefore also recommended for drivers. The borders remain closed and can only be crossed through the following crossing points: Quintanilha, Tui, Vilar Formoso, Elvas, Castro Marim, Vila Verde de Raia (Chaves), Monfortinho (Castelo Branco), Marvão (Portalegre) and Vila Verde de Ficalho (Beja).

Romania has confirmed that the state of emergency in the country has been reduced to a state of alert. Face masks should be worn in public places. Romania imposed travel restrictions, which do not apply to international road freight transport.

Quarantine rules are now in place for drivers entering into the country, they are however not quarantined at the border. 

The Romanian government has also set up transit corridors through the country, where transit is possible without interruptions.

It has been announced by the government that the Russian borders will remain closed indefinitely, but freight transport will still be allowed.

Several restrictions are in place for the city of Moscow and the surrounding regions, however, Freight Transportation is still possible 

As from 22 May 2020, a negative test is no longer necessary to enter Serbia nor a special permit for domestic and foreign citizens. It has been announced that from 01 June 2020 , the borders will be fully open for people coming from the 4 neighbouring countries – BiH, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia.

The delays at the Serbian-Hungarian border are currently about 4-5 hours on entry to Serbia and 1-2 hours on entry to Hungary. The delays at the Croatian-Serbian border are at about 3-4 hours for entry to Serbia and 1-2 hours for exit from Serbia.

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The Slovenian government has updated its regulations on the road freight transport to Slovenia. Only four border crossing points remain open for entry through Italy. The road freight transport from Italy to Slovenia is currently stopped at the border except for:

• Trucks with their final destination in Slovenia

• Trucks with postage, medicine equipment, pharmaceutical products or humanitarian help.

From 31 May 2020, the freight vehicle restrictions on Sundays and holidays are back on for trucks whose weight exceeds 7.5 tons.

The traffic at the other borders is going quite smoothly. The delays at the Croatian-Slovenian border have relaxed. We are currently expecting delays of at least 24 hours for all collections and deliveries made.

Spain is expected to lift the state of alarm in the upcoming days, but will differentiate between regions, as the situation is not the same across the country. The following areas will start Phase 1 from 25 May 2020, which includes opening retail stores with less than 400m², open air markets, bars and restaurants, hotels and tourist accommodation:  Andalusia (Malaga and Granada); Madrid; Catalonia (the whole territory except for the areas of Camp de Tarragona, Terres de l’Ebre and Alt-Pirineu); Castilla y León; Castilla – La Mancha (Toledo, Albacete and Ciudad Real); and Valencia.

The following areas will start Phase 2 from 25  May 2020, which included opening shopping malls, hotels, bars and restaurants can reopen inside: Andalusia (Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Huelva, Jaén, Sevilla); Aragón (Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza);  Asturias; Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Menorca, Mallorca and Formentera);  Canary Islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro, La Graciosa and La Gomera); Cantabria - Castilla-La Mancha (Guadalajara, Cuenca); Catalonia (Camp de Tarragona, Terres de l’Ebre and Alt-Pirineu); Ceuta; Extremadura (Cáceres and Badajoz); Galicia (A Coruña, Lugo, Orense and Pontevedra); La Rioja;  Melilla;  Murcia; Navarra; and Basque Country (Álava, Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa).

It has been confirmed by the Spanish authorities that the transport of goods is generally considered “essential” and drivers therefore do not need a certificate for every shipment confirming its relevance. We are still expecting delays in the Spanish domestic networks as many customers have now adjusted their opening times.

From Thursday, 21 May 2020, the use of face masks is compulsory in all public spaces – open and closed – where social distancing cannot be respected. A distance of two meters between clients needs to be respected.

The government has announced that the relaxation of driving & resting times will not be extended after 31 May 2020 and will therefore come into effect again on 01 June 2020. The mandatory 14-days quarantine for individuals returning from abroad, announced by the Spanish government on 12 May 2020, does not apply to drivers performing international transport operations.

On 25 May 2020, it was confirmed that the relaxation of driving times and rest periods, which are currently in force will not be extended. Therefore, normal driving and rest periods will apply again from 01 June 2020, 0:00 hours.

The first stores (DIY-stores and similar) were allowed to reopen on 27 April 2020.

Switzerland has also lifted the restrictions on driving and resting times for transports related to basic services, such as food and medicine. We are expecting a positive impact on our operations

Please check with all consignors if the shipments can be delivered to the consignees. All hazardous goods, which cannot be delivered will be returned

On 27 April 2020, the Turkish government has changed the regulations for truck drivers entering the country to support international trade for most countries. Trucks carrying goods like medicine, medical supplies or food supplies are now prioritized. Drivers in transit through Turkey are required to leave the country as soon as possible and their routes and parking areas, will be given to them by the customs administrations. We will observe how these changes will impact the situation at the border.

From last week, barbers and shopping malls are allowed to open again. Please check if the consignees are open again before shipping any goods.

The government of Ukraine now carries out checks at their borders which leads to considerable delays. 19 border checkpoints are currently open.

Incoming persons are put into a 14-day quarantine, however truck drivers are exempt from this rule

The Government issued Step 2 of their roadmap, which includes opening of non essential stores. Outdoor markets and car showrooms are allowed to reopen from 01 June 2020. Retail shops are expected to be able to reopen from 15 June 2020.

The UK government has announced that the logistics sector is considered essential and will therefore not be subject to a shutdown.

The UK government has decided to lift the restrictions on driving and resting times, we are expecting a positive impact on our operations. These measures have been extended until 31 May 2020.

Before dispatching your shipment, please make sure that the consignee is in business and able to receive your shipment.

Update for Northern Ireland: Due to the current situation, our network is now working with limited staff and a reduced fleet, which leads to less capacities in their collections and deliveries. This might lead to delays. It has also been announced that the driving and resting times in Northern Ireland have been lifted until 31 May 2020.

Find more detailed information here