Transporting Thai–Laos–Vietnam–China Durian: Freight Rates & 2 Vehicle Transfer Options

x Are you struggling to find a logistics provider that can handle the entire transit route for durian through 6 border gates across 4 countries?
x Are you worried about your durian container being held at the border, incurring storage fees, with no one taking responsibility?
x Do you need an all-in freight rate from Thakhek/Cha Lo → Huu Nghi, including documentation, customs clearance, and loading/unloading?

Proship.vn We currently operate the road transport route for durian containers in transit from Chanthaburi (Thailand) → Huu Nghi/Youyiguan (China), with 2 container handover options: Vehicle transfer at Thakhek (Laos) — USD 3,400 all-in, or vehicle transfer at Cha Lo (Vietnam) — USD 2,500 all-in. The estimated total lead time is ~8.5 days (2 days for loading + 3 days for Cadmium testing + 3.5 days for road transport), excluding customs clearance time at the 6 border checkpoints.

• Durian transport route Thailand–Laos–Vietnam–China: 1,600 km overland transit through Thailand – Laos – Vietnam – China.
• All-in pricing: Includes documentation, customs clearance, and loading/unloading (LoLo) — no additional itemized charges.
• Fresh durian transportation: Ensuring continuous vehicle rotation to optimize transit time.
• Cadmium testing support: Meeting the required 3-day standard under China’s import regulations.
• Flexible handover: Container pickup in Laos (earlier control) or Vietnam (cost optimization).

BẢNG GIÁ CƯỚC VẬN CHUYỂN SẦU RIÊNG CONTAINER RF ĐIỆN 2026

Ghi chú:

• Giá trên chưa bao gồm các chi phí khác. Vui lòng liên hệ để có giá trị chính xác nhất vì giá luôn thay đổi theo thời điểm.
• Nếu quý khách có nhu cầu Hổ trợ thủ tục hải quan 2 đầu Vui lòng liên hệ để được tư vấn.

Updated Freight Rates for the Thailand–Laos–Vietnam–China Durian Container Route

Proship’s freight rates for transporting durian from Thailand to China via transit range from USD 2,500 to USD 3,400 per container, depending on the container handover point. All rates below are all-in prices, including documentation, customs procedures for durian in transit through Vietnam, and container loading/unloading fees.

Important Note — the following costs are NOT included in the freight rates:

• Vehicle/container storage fees beyond the free time allowance (details in Sections 3 and 4)
• Loading costs and Cadmium testing at the Thailand origin
• Additional costs incurred if the goods are held for inspection by Chinese authorities
• Cargo insurance (if requested by the customer)
• VAT as required by regulations.

The difference between the two options is USD 900/container — a decisive figure for shippers handling large volumes during the peak season.

Route Overview and 6 Customs Clearance Points

The Thailand–Laos–Vietnam–China durian transport route is an overland container transit route that passes through 3 intermediary countries before entering China through official import procedures, with a total road distance of 1,600 km and 6 customs clearance points.

Journey and Distance of Each Leg

* Note: The 8.5 days include loading, testing, and road transit time, but do not include waiting time for customs clearance at the 6 border checkpoints. This is an important factor to add when shippers calculate the expected delivery time to wholesale markets in China.

Six Customs Clearance Points Along the Route

Thailand–Laos–Vietnam–China Durian Transport Route Map

Overview of the Thailand–China agricultural product transportation route:

Chanthaburi (TH)
   │ 800 km / 1 ngày
   ▼
(1) Nakhon Phanom (TH) ═══BORDER═══ (2) Thakhek (LA)
   │ 150 km / 1 ngày
   ▼
(3) Na Phào (LA) ═══BORDER═══ (4) Cha Lo (VN)
   │ 650 km / 1,5 ngày
   ▼
(5) Hữu Nghị (VN) ═══BORDER═══ (6) Youyiguan (CN)

Market Context — Why This Route Is Heating Up

According to China Customs, in the first six months of 2026, China’s durian imports reached 1.07 million tons, an increase of nearly 300,000 tons compared with the same period in 2025. Of this, imports from Thailand were valued at USD 3.79 billion, accounting for 81% of the total import value. Vietnam ranked second with USD 846 million, representing an 18% share.

Strong demand from China has driven a sharp increase in demand for overland transit transportation of Thai agricultural products and durian to China, especially as Thailand has maintained its position as the largest durian supplier to this billion-person market for many years. The overland route through Laos and Vietnam helps shorten the time for Thai durian to reach the Huu Nghi border gate compared with traditional routes.

In terms of documentation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has published a list of 37 testing facilities in Vietnam approved by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) to analyze Cadmium (Cd) and Auramine O in fresh fruits for export, updated as of June 26, 2026. Test results from GACC-accredited laboratories are currently one of the mandatory requirements for completing durian export documentation — which is why the 3-day Cadmium testing period is fixed into the route’s lead time.

Option 1 — Vehicle Transfer After Import Transit Clearance in Laos (Thakhek)

For the Thailand–Laos–Vietnam–China durian transport route, under Option 1, Proship takes over the container at Thakhek (Laos) immediately after the transit import procedures are completed and assumes responsibility for the entire remaining leg to the Huu Nghi border gate.

PA1 Freight Rate

The Thailand–China container transport rate under Option 1:

• USD 3,400 — all-in for the Thakhek → Huu Nghi leg
• Includes: Documentation (Doc) + Customs Clearance (Customs) + Loading/Unloading (LoLo).

PA1 Vehicle Arrangement

To ensure continuous vehicle rotation, the route requires 3 tractor units:

• 2 RTN trucks — 4 days/round trip
• 1 Proship truck — 8 days/round trip.

PA1 Vehicle / Container Storage Fees

Special Note for PA1

If the container is held on the Chinese side:

• After unloading → charged at the empty container rate (VND 1,500,000/day)
• Before unloading → charged at the loaded container rate (VND 2,500,000/day)

Option 2 — Vehicle Transfer After Import Transit Clearance in Vietnam (Cha Lo)

Under Option 2, the Thai/RTN partner transports the container all the way to Cha Lo (Vietnam), and Proship only handles the domestic leg from Cha Lo to Huu Nghi.

PA2 Freight Rate

The freight rate for transporting Thai durian to China under Option 2:

• USD 2,500 — all-in for the Cha Lo → Huu Nghi leg (Doc + Customs + LoLo)
• USD 1,900 — trucking only for the Cha Lo → Huu Nghi leg

PA2 Vehicle Arrangement

Only 2 tractor units are required, with synchronized rotation:

• 1 RTN truck — 6 days/round trip
• 1 Proship truck — 6 days/round trip

PA2 Vehicle / Container Storage Fees

Updated vehicle storage fees for the Thai–China durian transport route:

Free time: 72 hours from the time the container arrives at the border gate; storage fees will only be charged thereafter.

Special Note for PA2

• No loading/unloading (LoLo) fees at Cha Lo
• No empty container rental fees.

Comparison of the Two Options — Which One Should You Choose?

The short answer: choose PA2 if cost is the priority, and choose PA1 if shipment control is the priority. The price difference is USD 900/container.

When Should You Choose PA2 (Cha Lo)?

• The shipper already has a reliable transportation partner in Thailand/Laos and only needs Proship to handle the domestic leg
• Cost is the priority: USD 900 cheaper per container, with a lighter vehicle requirement (2 trucks instead of 3)
• Want to reduce customs clearance and operational risks in Laos — risks on the Thailand–Laos leg are shifted to the Thai/RTN partner
• Handling large volumes during the peak season and looking to optimize the cost per container.

When Should You Choose PA1 (Thakhek)?

• Need a single point of contact to take responsibility for a longer leg, end-to-end from Laos to China
• Control is more important than price: Proship takes over the cargo earlier and can monitor the shipment status from Laos
• The shipper does not yet have a sufficiently reliable partner to handle transit export procedures at Na Phao
• Higher cost because Proship handles an additional 150 km of the Laos leg + Laos transit export procedures.

Why Choose Proship for the Durian Transit Route?

With its strong fleet capacity, Proship is proud to be one of the companies transporting goods from Thailand to China, backed by the following strengths:

• Full-route service through 6 border gates across 4 countries: This is a major technical barrier that very few providers can handle from end to end
• Offices located along the route: Savannakhet (Laos) and Nanning Railway Station, Guangxi (China) — enabling on-site issue resolution without being fully dependent on partners.
• All-in pricing covering Doc + Customs + LoLo: Shippers do not need to negotiate individual items with different contractors.
• Continuous vehicle rotation: Durian is fresh, time-sensitive cargo that cannot afford to wait for vehicles.
• Existing Cadmium testing support process (3 days): A mandatory requirement imposed by China for imported durian.
• Refrigerated container fleet and agricultural cargo experience: Proship operates both North–South refrigerated container services and container routes to China, Russia, Cambodia, and Laos.
• Online shipment tracking: Available at customer.proship.vn, providing transparent shipment status.

3-Step Transportation Process

The process for transporting durian from Thailand to China:

Step 1: Submit a Request and Confirm the Option

Customers contact the regional Hotline and provide: estimated volume, expected season start, loading location in Thailand, and preferred handover point (Thakhek or Cha Lo). The operations team provides a quotation and confirms the vehicle arrangement schedule within 24 working hours.

Step 2: Load, Test, and Handover the Container

Loading in Chanthaburi (2 days) → Cadmium testing (3 days) → transit export customs clearance at Nakhon Phanom. The container is handed over to Proship at Thakhek (PA1) or Cha Lo (PA2) after completing the transit import procedures.

Step 3: Transport and Customs Clearance at Huu Nghi

Proship dispatches vehicles for the contracted leg, handles documentation and customs procedures at the border gates along the route, transports the container to Huu Nghi, and completes import customs clearance through Huu Nghi Quan (Youyiguan). The operations team updates the shipment status at each milestone.

If you are looking for a service for transporting durian from Thailand to China or transporting Thai agricultural products to China at competitive rates and with reliable service, Proship is one of the leading logistics providers for transporting goods from Thailand to China, ready to handle transit customs procedures for durian through Vietnam and the complex processes involved in the Thailand–Laos–Vietnam–China durian transport route. Contact us today to compare our Thailand–China container freight rates!