International freight: road imports and exports between Croatia and Europe
We organise international road freight between Croatia, the European Union and the region, for imports and exports, as a full truckload or as groupage. About two thirds of our 7,000+ shipments a year cross a border.
Reviewed by: Alen Protić, Head of Logistics · October 2026
loading and unloading countries
partner carriers
typical time from loading to unloading on international lanes
Italy → Croatia, our busiest international lane
How we organise international freight
For every shipment a dispatcher picks the carrier and vehicle to fit the lane, the cargo and the deadline. With more than 500 partner carriers, on most European lanes we have someone who runs that route regularly, often with a return load.
Our main import lanes into Croatia start in Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Czechia, Poland and Germany. Our main export lanes run to Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Germany, Romania and Poland.
You get one contact for the whole move: the loading slot, the CMR, following the truck across the border and confirming delivery.
What we organise
The same process for imports and exports, from one pallet to a whole truck.
Full truckload (FTL)
A vehicle for your shipment only, no transhipment. Usually a 13.6 m curtainsider, a mega trailer or a reefer when needed.
Groupage
A few pallets in a truck you share with other shipments. You pay for the space your goods take up.
Imports to Croatia
Collection from your supplier in the EU and delivery to your address or distribution centre.
Exports from Croatia
Loading at your site and delivery to your customer abroad, with proof of delivery on the CMR.
Lanes outside the EU
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Turkey, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, with customs documents.
Temperature-controlled freight
Reefer trucks for food and other sensitive goods. State the temperature in your enquiry.
How an international shipment runs
The same dispatcher handles it from enquiry to signed CMR.
Enquiry
Loading and unloading addresses, goods, quantity, the date you need and, for non-EU lanes, your customs agent.
Quote
The dispatcher checks the route and capacity and sends the price, timing and vehicle type.
Loading and border
We book the loading slot, check the CMR and, outside the EU, align the transport with the customs appointments.
Delivery
We confirm unloading and send you the signed CMR as proof of delivery.
Transit times on our busiest lanes
Time from loading to unloading in calendar days, based on the booked dates of orders loaded in July, August and September 2026. The first figure is the typical time, the second is not exceeded by 8 in 10 shipments.
Timing depends on the location within the country, unloading hours, weekends and holidays. Your quote states the exact timing for your shipment.
- Italy → Croatia · 1–2 days
- Croatia → Austria · 1–3 days
- Croatia → Slovenia · 1–3 days
- Croatia → Germany · 2–4 days
- Netherlands → Croatia · 3–4 days
- Croatia → Hungary · 3–5 days
What affects the price of international freight
We do not publish a price list because the price depends on the shipment. These are the main factors:
- Lane and return load
- Distance, and whether the carrier has a load for the way back. The same distance can cost more in one direction than the other.
- Full truck or groupage
- A whole truck, or only the space your goods take up in a shared vehicle.
- Tolls and ferries
- Tolls differ by country, and some lanes include a ferry.
- Borders and customs
- Outside the EU, border waiting times and customs appointments count.
- Timing
- A fixed delivery slot or a Friday loading narrows the choice of carriers.
Documents and liability
What to know before an international shipment.
CMR consignment note
Travels with every international road shipment. It is issued at loading, and the copy signed at unloading is proof of delivery.
Customs documents
Non-EU countries need export and import customs declarations. Tell us in your enquiry who your customs agent is so we can align the timing.
Liability for the goods
Under the CMR Convention the carrier's liability is limited to 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight. For higher-value goods we recommend separate cargo insurance.
Guides for international shipments
7 common mistakes with your first international shipment
From an incomplete enquiry to separately arranged legs: seven common mistakes and how to avoid them before goods move.
How to prepare a freight enquiry (and get an accurate quote faster)
Learn the six details a useful freight enquiry should include and which mode-specific information helps produce a clearer quote.
Logistics in 2026: Key trends shaping the transport industry in Croatia and the EU
Find out which trends are defining the logistics industry in 2026 and how Croatian carriers and their clients can prepare for the changes ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Based on the booked dates of our orders from July to September 2026, typically 1 to 2 days from loading to unloading. The exact timing depends on the loading and unloading locations and is stated in the quote.
Yes. We organise transport to Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Turkey, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. These lanes need customs documents, so tell us in your enquiry who your customs agent is.
Yes. For smaller volumes we organise groupage: your goods travel in a truck with other shipments and you pay for the space they take up.
Every international road shipment travels with a CMR consignment note. Non-EU countries also need export and import customs declarations. Commercial documents such as the invoice and delivery note are prepared by the shipper.
Yes. About 9% of our shipments travel in a reefer with controlled temperature. State the required temperature in your enquiry.
Have a shipment? Tell us where from, where to and what.
For transport, send a quote request — a dispatcher checks the route and capacity and comes back with a concrete proposal. For general questions about working together, use the contact form.
or call +385 91 111 8209 · info@humble-logistics.com
