---
title: "Road Freight from China to Turkey and the Caucasus: Border Crossings, Routes and Transit Times"
description: "Trucking from China to Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia: Khorgos, Alashankou and Bakhty crossings, Caspian and Russia routes, transit times, TIR."
url: https://dealtilogistics.com/en/insights/china-to-turkey-caucasus-road-freight
language: en
date_published: 2026-11-02
date_modified: 2026-11-02
author: "Dealti Insights"
publisher: "Dealti Logistics"
---

# Road Freight from China to Turkey and the Caucasus: Border Crossings, Routes and Transit Times

_In short_

- In road freight from China to Turkey and the Caucasus, the cargo is transferred to the international truck in the China-Kazakhstan border region and moved through Kazakhstan.
- Dealti Logistics uses the Khorgos (Nur Zholy), Alashankou (Dostyk) and Bakhty (Baketu) crossings; all China-Kazakhstan crossings have been open to TIR since 2019.
- After Kazakhstan there are two corridors: the Caspian Sea ferry to Azerbaijan, or Russia and the Upper Lars crossing into Georgia.
- Typical transit times: Azerbaijan 14-15 days, Georgia 17-18 days, Armenia 17-18 days, Turkey 19-22 days.
- Armenia is served only via China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia and Armenia; both corridors are used for Turkey.
- Every shipment travels with a CMR; a TIR carnet is at the customer's choice.

Road freight from China to Turkey and the Caucasus means moving goods made in China by truck through Kazakhstan to Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan or Armenia. The cargo is transferred to the truck that will run the international leg, either at bonded warehouses in the China-Kazakhstan border region or directly from the vehicle that handled transport inside China, and then reaches the Caucasus by Caspian Sea ferry or through Russia. Dealti Logistics' typical transit time on this lane is 14-15 days to Azerbaijan, 17-18 days to Georgia and Armenia, and 19-22 days to Turkey.

## How the Lane Works

A road shipment out of China is not a single truck driving nonstop from the factory to the consignee. It usually has five stages:

1. **Transport inside China.** The goods travel from the city where they were made to the border region in western China (Xinjiang) on domestic Chinese trucks.
2. **Transfer.** At bonded warehouses in the border region, or directly from the domestic vehicle, the cargo is transferred to the truck that will run the international trip. Dealti Logistics' China lane starts at this point.
3. **China-Kazakhstan border.** The truck enters Kazakhstan through the Khorgos, Alashankou or Bakhty crossing.
4. **Crossing to the Caucasus.** After Kazakhstan there are two options: cross the Caspian Sea by ferry to Azerbaijan, or cross Russia and enter Georgia at the Upper Lars checkpoint.
5. **Customs and delivery at destination.** The cargo clears import customs in the destination country and is delivered to the consignee.

How long the leg inside China takes depends on which Chinese city the goods leave from. That is why, when asking for a quote, it matters to state where the goods start in China or which border-region warehouse they will be ready at.

## China-Kazakhstan Border Crossings: Khorgos, Alashankou and Bakhty

Several crossings between China and Kazakhstan are open to road freight. Dealti Logistics uses three of them on its China lane:

| Crossing (Kazakh / Chinese side) | Location | Notable for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nur Zholy / Khorgos | Towards Almaty, Ili region on the Chinese side | The busiest road crossing, next to the Khorgos cross-border cooperation centre and a [dry port](/en/insights/dry-port). |
| Dostyk / Alashankou | Eastern Kazakhstan, Bortala region on the Chinese side | Best known as a rail crossing, but also has a road checkpoint. |
| Bakhty / Baketu | Tacheng city on the Chinese side | A smaller, less congested crossing. |

Which crossing is used depends on where the goods are ready in China and on congestion at the time. Queues are not fixed. Kazakhstan and China have agreed on measures such as round-the-clock operation and added capacity at Nur Zholy-Khorgos to ease congestion, while in busy periods the Kazakh side can cap the number of trucks allowed through per day. Being able to switch to another crossing when one backs up is the most useful time saver on this lane.

For documents, the three crossings are the same: China joined the UN TIR Convention in 2016, the first TIR transports passed through Khorgos in 2018, and since 2019 all five crossings on the Kazakh border have been open to TIR.

## Route and Transit Time by Destination

| Destination | Route | Typical transit time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Azerbaijan](/en/destinations/azerbaijan) | Kazakhstan, Caspian Sea ferry, Alat | 14-15 days |
| [Georgia](/en/destinations/georgia) | Kazakhstan, Caspian Sea ferry, Azerbaijan | 17-18 days |
| [Armenia](/en/destinations/armenia) | Kazakhstan, Russia, Upper Lars (Georgia), Bagratashen | 17-18 days |
| [Turkey](/en/destinations/turkey) | Kazakhstan, then either the Caspian ferry and Azerbaijan or Russia and Upper Lars; via Georgia in both cases | 19-22 days |

These are the typical ranges Dealti Logistics sees on this lane, not guaranteed delivery times. Border queues, ferry waits, weather and public holidays can extend them.

### Azerbaijan and Georgia: the Caspian Crossing

Ferries from the port of Kuryk or Aktau in western Kazakhstan cross the Caspian Sea to the port of Alat near Baku. Trucks drive on and off the vessel on their own wheels, which is known as [Ro-Ro](/en/insights/ro-ro) transport. Cargo for Azerbaijan is delivered a short distance from Alat, while cargo for Georgia continues across Azerbaijan by road. We cover the wider corridor and its recent growth in our [Middle Corridor article](/en/insights/what-is-the-middle-corridor). On the Caspian leg, the ferry schedule and port waiting time are what move the transit time most.

### Armenia: a Single Route

Dealti Logistics moves cargo from China to Armenia on one route only: China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia and Armenia. The truck enters Georgia from Russia at Upper Lars, crosses Georgia and reaches Armenia through the Bagratashen checkpoint on the Georgia-Armenia border. No other route is used on this lane.

### Turkey: Two Corridors

Both corridors are used for cargo to Turkey: the Caspian ferry via Azerbaijan and Georgia, or Russia and Upper Lars into Georgia and on to Turkey. Either way, the truck enters Turkey from Georgia. The corridor is chosen according to ferry and border conditions at the time of shipment.

## Caspian or Russia? What Decides the Corridor

Each corridor has strengths and weaknesses; neither is always faster.

- **Caspian corridor:** The main uncertainty is the ferry. Sailings depend on vessel capacity and sea conditions, and waiting at the port can take several days.
- **Russia corridor:** The main uncertainty is Upper Lars. It is the only official land crossing between Russia and Georgia and can close to trucks in bad weather, especially in winter. When it was closed to trucks in January 2026, more than 1,700 trucks waited on the Russian side; in February 2026 about 2,500 heavy vehicles were reported waiting.

That is why a quote is always given for a specific route, and the corridor is confirmed against current conditions as the shipment approaches. We explain how the route feeds into the price in our [freight rates article](/en/insights/how-road-freight-rates-are-set).

## Documents: TIR Carnet or CMR?

Every shipment on this lane travels with a [CMR consignment note](/en/insights/cmr-consignment-note). The CMR is the document of the transport contract; it identifies the sender, the consignee, the carrier and the goods.

A [TIR carnet](/en/insights/tir-carnet) is optional. Dealti Logistics moves the shipment under a TIR carnet if the customer wants one, and without a TIR carnet, under CMR, if not.

- **With a TIR carnet:** The sealed cargo moves through the transit countries under an international customs guarantee on a single document; as a rule it is not opened for inspection in transit countries.
- **Without a TIR carnet:** Transit follows each crossed country's own customs transit procedure. Kazakhstan and Russia share the common customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union, so on that stretch transit runs under Union rules; Azerbaijan and Georgia apply their own procedures.

Both methods get the cargo to the destination country. Which one fits depends on the consignee's customs preferences and the nature of the shipment; just mention it when you ask for a quote. You can read the logic of choosing a transit document in our [T1 vs TIR carnet article](/en/insights/t1-vs-tir-carnet) and the idea of a transit country in the [glossary](/en/insights/transit-country).

At destination, the cargo is cleared with an import [customs declaration](/en/insights/customs-declaration). This is usually done by the consignee's [customs broker](/en/insights/customs-broker); if needed, you can also use our [customs clearance services](/en/service/customs-clearance-services). Having the commercial invoice and packing list complete and travelling with the cargo is the simplest way to cut waiting at destination.

## What Cargo Moves on This Lane?

The most common cargo out of China is industrial machinery and equipment, electronics and consumer goods, textiles and finished goods, automotive spare parts, and plastics and packaging materials. The vehicle is chosen to suit the cargo:

- 92 m³ and 120 m³ curtainsiders for general cargo,
- [refrigerated trucks](/en/service/refrigerated-transportation) for temperature-controlled cargo,
- [lowbeds](/en/service/heavy-transport) for heavy and oversized cargo.

If the cargo fills a truck, [full truckload (FTL)](/en/service/full-truckload) is usually the sensible choice; for a few pallets or a few cubic metres, [less than truckload (LTL)](/en/service/less-than-truckload) usually is. Importers buying from several suppliers in China can have the goods brought together in the border region and moved on one truck, which is called [consolidation](/en/insights/consolidation). If you are unsure, our [FTL vs LTL article](/en/insights/ftl-vs-ltl) will help.

## What to Prepare for a Quote

The more complete the first request, the closer the first price will be to the final one:

1. The city the goods leave from in China, or which border-region warehouse they will be ready at.
2. The delivery address (at least city and country).
3. What the goods are, and whether temperature control or special handling is needed.
4. Number of cartons or pallets, their dimensions and total gross weight; whether pallets can be stacked.
5. The date the goods will be ready and any delivery deadline.
6. Whether you want a TIR carnet.
7. Whether you need customs clearance support at destination.
8. The value of the goods if you want a [cargo insurance](/en/insights/cargo-insurance) quote.

## Shipping from China with Dealti Logistics

Dealti Logistics runs regular road freight from [China](/en/destinations/china) to Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Cargo is transferred to our own trucks from bonded warehouses in the Khorgos, Alashankou and Bakhty areas or from the vehicles that handled transport inside China; border crossings, transit documents and the CMR process are followed by our operations team. Our [tracking article](/en/insights/how-to-track-an-international-shipment) explains how to see where your shipment is. To request a quote, send the details above through our [get a quote](/en/get-offer) page.

Sources

- IRU announcements on China joining the TIR system (accession to the UN TIR Convention in July 2016, first TIR transports in May 2018) and on the opening of the Maikapchagai-Jimunai, Dostyk-Alashankou, Kolzhat-Dulata and Bakhty-Baketu crossings to TIR in March 2019.
- Tengrinews and statements by Kazakhstan's State Revenue Committee on round-the-clock operation and daily truck limits at the Nur Zholy-Khorgos crossing (2025).
- DFWatch reports on truck queues and weather-related suspensions at the Upper Lars (Verkhniy Lars-Kazbegi) crossing in January and February 2026.

Transit times are typical ranges based on Dealti Logistics' operating experience on this lane. Crossing hours and queues change often; the route and transit time for your shipment are confirmed at the quote stage.

## Key takeaways

- When asking for a quote, state the city the goods leave from in China or the border-region warehouse they will be ready at.
- Plan transit times as typical ranges, not guarantees; border and ferry waits can extend them.
- Allow for Upper Lars closing in bad weather during winter.
- Cargo for Armenia moves on a single route, through Russia and Georgia.
- Say at the quote stage whether you want a TIR carnet; a CMR is issued in every case.
- A complete commercial invoice and packing list travelling with the cargo cuts waiting at destination customs.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does trucking from China to Turkey take?

Dealti Logistics' typical transit time on this lane is 19-22 days. The cargo goes through Kazakhstan and then either the Caspian ferry and Azerbaijan or Russia and the Upper Lars crossing into Georgia, and on to Turkey. Border queues, ferry waits and weather can extend it.

### What are the transit times from China to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia?

Typical times are 14-15 days to Azerbaijan, 17-18 days to Georgia and 17-18 days to Armenia. These are typical ranges seen in operation, not guaranteed times.

### Which border crossing do trucks from China use?

Dealti Logistics' China lane uses the Khorgos (Nur Zholy), Alashankou (Dostyk) and Bakhty (Baketu) crossings on the Kazakh border. The crossing is chosen according to where the goods are ready in China and congestion at the border.

### Is the cargo collected directly from the factory in China?

No. The goods reach the border region by domestic transport inside China and are transferred there to Dealti Logistics' international trucks, either from bonded warehouses or directly from the domestic vehicle. That is why it matters to state where the goods start in China when asking for a quote.

### Which route is used from China to Armenia?

Dealti Logistics uses a single route on this lane: China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia and Armenia. The truck enters Georgia at Upper Lars and reaches Armenia through the Bagratashen crossing.

### Is a TIR carnet required on this lane?

No. Every shipment travels with a CMR consignment note; a TIR carnet is optional. If the customer wants one, the shipment moves under a TIR carnet, otherwise without one under CMR. Without a TIR carnet, transit follows each crossed country's own customs transit procedure.

### Is the Caspian route or the Russia route faster?

Neither is always faster. On the Caspian corridor the ferry schedule and port waits decide, on the Russia corridor the queues and winter closures at Upper Lars do. The corridor is chosen according to conditions at the time of shipment.

---

Source: [Road Freight from China to Turkey and the Caucasus: Border Crossings, Routes and Transit Times](https://dealtilogistics.com/en/insights/china-to-turkey-caucasus-road-freight) - Dealti Logistics.