Does CargoLS operate its own ships, planes, or trains?

No. We book capacity through established carrier partners and manage the road legs, customs, and coordination around each shipment.

How do I know which mode is right for my shipment?

It depends on your timeline and budget - we'll compare the realistic transit time and cost for your specific route before recommending a mode, rather than defaulting to the most expensive option.

Why has sea freight gotten slower in 2026?

Ongoing Red Sea disruption has pushed many Asia-Europe sailings out to 45+ days, which is also why rail freight demand on the same corridor has increased this year.

Can multimodal shipments include a road leg within Europe?

Yes - road collection and final delivery are part of every multimodal booking we handle, not a separate arrangement you need to organise yourself.

Is multimodal transport more expensive than standard road freight?

It depends on the mode and route - sea and rail can be cheaper per unit for large volumes over long distances, while air carries a premium for speed.

Multimodal Transport - Sea, Air & Rail Freight

Multimodal Transport - Sea, Air, Rail and Container Freight

Not every shipment fits on a truck for its entire journey. Cargo Logistic Solutions arranges sea, air, rail, and container transport through established carrier partners, and manages the road legs, customs, and coordination around each - so a multimodal booking becomes one managed shipment, not four separate contracts you have to stitch together yourself.

What Multimodal Transport Covers

Road haulage is our core specialisation - but some cargo genuinely needs to cross an ocean, fly, or move by rail instead. This section covers those four modes: sea freight for large volumes over long distances, air freight for time-critical or high-value cargo, rail freight for the middle ground between Europe and Asia, and container shipping for the road haulage that gets containers to and from ports and terminals. We don't operate vessels, aircraft, or locomotives ourselves - we book capacity with carrier partners and handle everything else: collection, customs clearance, and final delivery.

If your shipment is staying within Europe and moving entirely by road, that's covered under our core Road Freight service instead - this section is specifically for cargo that needs a mode beyond the truck.

Choosing the Right Mode

The four modes trade off speed against cost in different ways, and the right choice depends on your cargo and timeline more than on habit:

Mode	Typical transit (Europe-China)	Relative cost	Best suited to
Air freight	3–7 days	Highest	Urgent, high-value, low-volume cargo
Rail freight	12–25 days	Mid-range	Landlocked destinations, mid-volume cargo that doesn't justify air cost
Sea freight	28–45+ days (longer amid Red Sea disruption)	Lowest	Large volumes, oversized or heavy cargo, non-urgent restocking
Container shipping	Same as sea freight	Lowest (per unit volume)	Standardised FCL/LCL cargo needing port-to-door road haulage

Sea freight transit times have lengthened materially in 2026 due to ongoing Red Sea rerouting, which is part of why rail freight demand on the China-Europe corridor has grown sharply this year - a genuinely current shift, not a static rule of thumb.

How We Structure a Multimodal Chain

Mode selection. We confirm which mode actually fits your cargo, timeline, and budget - including telling you honestly when a cheaper mode works fine, or when speed genuinely justifies the premium.
Booking with carrier partners. Capacity is reserved with the relevant shipping line, airline, or rail operator for the long-haul leg.
Road collection and delivery. Our contracted fleet handles the legs at both ends - collection to the port, airport, or rail terminal, and final delivery from the equivalent point at the destination.
Customs and documentation. Export and import declarations, transit documentation, and any mode-specific paperwork (Bill of Lading, Air Waybill, CIM/SMGS consignment note) are handled so the shipment doesn't sit waiting at a handover point.
Single point of contact. One logistics coordinator tracks the shipment across every leg, rather than you managing separate relationships with a shipping line, a haulier, and a customs broker.

What Affects Multimodal Transport Cost

Mode chosen - air carries the highest cost per kilogram, sea and rail progressively lower, with rail sitting between the two on both cost and speed.
Distance and route - including inland haulage legs at both ends, which are priced separately from the long-haul leg itself.
Customs complexity - cross-border documentation requirements vary by mode and by destination.
Seasonality and disruption - capacity and pricing shift with events like Red Sea rerouting or peak-season demand on specific corridors.
Cargo type - oversized, hazardous, or temperature-sensitive cargo carries handling requirements that affect which mode is even viable.
Consolidation level - full container or full pallet bookings cost less per unit than shared/consolidated capacity.

Why Choose Cargo Logistic Solutions for Multimodal Transport

We're upfront that we don't own the ships, aircraft, or trains - what we manage is the part that actually determines whether your shipment arrives on time: booking the right capacity, handling the road legs at both ends, and keeping customs moving so nothing sits idle at a handover point. Every shipment is insured and tracked, with a dedicated logistics contact who can tell you exactly where it is in the chain. With offices in Poland, Spain, Germany, and the UK, we run the road side of these routes ourselves and coordinate the rest through established partners.

Need cargo moved by sea, air, or rail? Get a quote - we'll confirm the right mode for your shipment, and manage the full door-to-door chain around it.