Speed Logistics organises non-EU transport between Germany and Kazakhstan – to Almaty, Astana and Shymkent. On the roughly 7,000-kilometre Middle Corridor across the Caspian Sea we calculate 3 to 5 weeks of transit, including full customs clearance from the export declaration to import clearance in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Kazakhstan traffic today demands more than transport capacity: route selection and sanction screening decide whether your shipment arrives promptly. Our dispatch team is reachable around the clock, screens every shipment in advance and quotes you a fixed price within a few hours.
Routes and sanctions situation: northern route or Middle Corridor
Our primary route is the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian) via Türkiye, Georgia and the Caspian Sea to Aktau or Kuryk: around 7,000 kilometres, sanction-compliant, but with a longer and weather-dependent transit time of a realistic 3 to 5 weeks, because the Alat–Aktau ferry slots are limited. The classic northern route via Belarus and Russia would be considerably shorter and faster at around 4,800 kilometres, but is avoided because of the EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus and is at most an option for non-sanctioned product groups. We screen every shipment for sanction compliance before accepting the order, in particular against dual-use lists and listed consignees, and carry only permitted goods with complete evidence. We use the same core routing for Uzbekistan and the rest of the Central Asia region. Which route is economically and legally right for your goods we clarify before submitting a quote.
Customs clearance: export, transit and EAEU import
We handle the complete chain from EXW to DDP: export declaration in Germany, the transit procedure for the chosen route – on the Middle Corridor usually via TIR carnet, which guarantees the customs and tax duties (up to the carnet's maximum amount) and speeds up border clearance – as well as the commercial invoice and packing list. As Kazakhstan is an EAEU member, its common customs tariff and import procedures apply; for many technical products an EAC conformity marking must also be demonstrated. These requirements we clarify before loading with you and the consignee, so that border clearance runs without idle days. For exhibition and demonstration goods as well as reusable equipment we organise the ATA carnet – as our ATA carnet solution for reusable equipment shows in detail.
Services for your Kazakhstan transport
- Direct run without transshipment to Almaty, Astana and Shymkent – from the sprinter van to the 40 t articulated truck
- Part loads and groupage in Central Asia traffic from one pallet
- Air and sea freight as a fast or economical alternative respectively
- Project cargo and oversized loads for oil, gas and mining projects
- GPS tracking, cargo insurance and multilingual dispatch
Industries: oil, gas, mining, metals
Typical goods are machinery, plant components and spare parts for energy and mining projects as well as capital goods for the metals industry – Kazakhstan is one of the world's largest raw-material producers, so demand for European plant technology is correspondingly high. High-value shipments we run to TAPA FSR-oriented security standards, temperature-controlled pharma goods GDP-compliant. You receive a fixed point of contact, continuous tracking across all route sections and a documented proof of delivery after arrival.
Packaging, climate and transit-time buffer
Over around 7,000 kilometres with several border passages and extreme temperature differences – well below freezing in the continental winter, far above it in summer – preparation decides the success of the transport: we advise on transport-suitable export and weatherproof packaging including corrosion protection, secure the cargo to regulation and use air-sprung vehicles for sensitive plant components. Time-critical projects we plan with a realistic buffer for border and ferry clearance and inform you proactively about every milestone of the journey. That keeps your project on schedule despite the long distance.
Regular Central Asia traffic
For companies with ongoing demand we set up fixed departures to Kazakhstan and consolidate part shipments from several plants into economical full loads. Your benefits: stable rates, a fixed point of contact, established customs processes and reliable transit times – even when conditions on the route change. Short-notice single shipments we check immediately for feasibility, sanctions situation and the fastest available corridor. We also calculate the combination with air freight for urgent part quantities in the same quote.
Almaty, Astana and Shymkent in detail
The three main destinations differ considerably in logistics terms. Almaty in the south-east is the economic and trading centre and lies on the Middle Corridor around 1,200 kilometres south-east of Astana – those arriving via the Caspian ferry and Beyneu therefore reach Almaty later than the capital. Astana in the centre is the seat of administration and a hub for government and infrastructure projects. Shymkent in the south, near the Uzbek border, is an industrial location and a practical transshipment point for shipments running onwards from there into Central Asia. We match the onward carriage to the respective destination and, where possible, bundle deliveries within one region.
Ferry, schedules and honest transit-time communication
The transit time on the Middle Corridor depends heavily on the Alat–Aktau Caspian ferry: the connection follows no fixed liner schedule, slots are allocated by utilisation and weather, and operations halt in a storm. We therefore quote reliable time windows for this route rather than fixed arrival days and update the forecast as soon as the ferry slot is confirmed. For projects with a hard assembly date we plan the pre-carriage so that a missed ferry slot does not tip the entire chain – and keep the air-freight option ready as a fallback for urgent parts.
How such an order runs in practice is shown by our Kazakhstan project cargo case study.
Specific key figures for the route can be found on our route page Germany–Kazakhstan.