Shipping from China to Kazakhstan and the CIS: routes, timelines and EAEU customs
How to ship goods from China to Kazakhstan and the CIS: rail, road, timelines and cost, EAEU customs, the common HS tariff and VAT, Khorgos and Dostyk crossings. A practical breakdown for importers.
Kazakhstan is Central Asia’s largest importer from China: a shared border of over 1,700 km, two well-developed land crossings and EAEU membership make it the key logistics hub for the whole region. Goods cleared in Kazakhstan move freely to Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan without re-declaration — a significant advantage for regional purchases of furniture, fit-out materials and equipment. However, the EAEU’s unified HS tariff contains thousands of 10-digit codes, and a single digit error can reclassify furniture as “industrial goods” with a different duty rate and additional charges.
Routes and timelines
| Method | Timeline* | Border crossing | When to choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail (FCL) | 12–20 days | Dostyk, Khorgos | Large batches, containers |
| Road (TIR) | 10–18 days | Khorgos, Korgas | Mid-size batches, address flexibility |
| Air | 4–8 days | Almaty, Astana | Urgent and compact items |
*Indicative from cargo readiness to the door; depend on the route and crossing congestion.
Two main land corridors: Dostyk (rail, operating since 1991) and Khorgos (rail + road, a modern international cross-border cooperation centre, preferred for new container routes under the Belt and Road Initiative). For FCL containers with furniture from Guangdong, Khorgos is the preferred choice: 12–15 days transit from Ningbo or Shanghai. General China shipping timelines and costs.
What makes up the cost
- Main-leg transport — container or truck from China to Kazakhstan.
- Warehouse pickup, packaging and consolidation in China.
- Export clearance in China.
- EAEU customs charges — duty under the UCT + VAT at the importing country’s rate.
- Door delivery in Kazakhstan or an adjacent CIS country.
- Cargo insurance — for valuable and fragile shipments.
The Incoterms agreed with the factory (FOB, DAP, DDP) determine which of these cost layers is already included in the factory price.
EAEU customs: HS codes, unified tariff and VAT
Kazakhstan is part of the EAEU alongside Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. This means:
- EAEU Unified Customs Tariff (UCT) — the duty rate is set by the HS code and is uniform across all member states.
- VAT — charged at the importing country’s rate: Kazakhstan 12%, Russia 20%, Belarus 20%, Armenia 20%, Kyrgyzstan 12%.
- Free circulation within the EAEU — goods cleared in one member state generally move between states without re-declaration.
HS codes and duties for typical categories
| Category | EAEU HS code | UCT duty |
|---|---|---|
| Wooden bedroom furniture | 9403 50 000 0 | 10% |
| Upholstered furniture (sofas, armchairs) | 9401 61 000 0 | 10% |
| Kitchen furniture | 9403 40 000 0 | 10% |
| Porcelain stoneware flooring | 6907 21 100 0 | 5% |
| Sanitary ware (basins, baths) | 6910 10 000 0 | 10% |
*EAEU rates for 2026; verify against the EAEU Unified Customs Tariff on the official EEC website.
Border crossings: Khorgos and Dostyk
Khorgos is a modern international cross-border cooperation centre: a dry port, warehousing zone and direct rail routes from Yiwu, Chengdu and Guangzhou. Throughput capacity is growing under the Belt and Road programme; for FCL furniture and fit-out containers it is the preferred route with 12–15 days transit. Dostyk is the original rail crossing, more often used for bulk and industrial cargo, with higher congestion and longer queues.
Crossing congestion is a separate factor: in peak seasons and before Chinese New Year waiting times can reach 3–7 days. This needs to be built into planning when working to tight deadlines.
Case study: a wrong HS code cost $2,700
During a self-managed furniture purchase for a hotel project in Almaty, the declarant entered an incorrect EAEU HS code on the CMR — 9403 90 (furniture parts and components) instead of 9403 60 (other wooden furniture). Parts and components carried a different duty rate; the shipment was also flagged for monitoring as “commercial” with a below-market declared value. The $27,000 cargo sat in bonded storage at Dostyk for 11 days under additional inspection. Total losses: $1,200 for storage and $1,500 for the broker’s reclassification work. The hotel opening shifted by two weeks.
The rule: every line item in a specification must be classified against the EAEU HS code before shipment — with an experienced broker, not by analogy with a “similar product.”
How it works turnkey
When sourcing through a partner, EAEU customs is part of the service: the correct HS code for every line item, consolidation from multiple factories, cargo insurance and door delivery in Kazakhstan or any other CIS country. Dream View charges a fixed 10% commission on the order value; the landed cost is confirmed before the cargo ships.
Shipping goods from China to Kazakhstan or the CIS? Use our China-to-Kazakhstan shipping service to request a route, HS-code, duty and landed-cost calculation.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Kazakhstan take?
Roughly: rail — 12–20 days, road — 10–18 days, air — 4–8 days. Times from cargo readiness to the door depend on the route, congestion at Khorgos/Dostyk crossings and customs. In peak season queues at the crossings can add 3–7 days.
Which crossings does cargo use from China to Kazakhstan?
The main flow goes through Khorgos (a modern dry port, preferred for FCL furniture and fit-out containers) and Dostyk (the original rail crossing, high throughput capacity). From there cargo is distributed across Kazakhstan and to CIS countries.
What is EAEU customs and how does it work?
Kazakhstan is part of the EAEU along with Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. A unified customs tariff (UCT) applies: the duty rate is set by the HS code and is the same across all member states. VAT is charged at the rate of the country of import.
Can goods move freely within the EAEU?
Yes. Goods cleared through customs in one EAEU member state generally move freely between member states without re-declaration. This is a significant advantage for regional sourcing that is then distributed across the area.
What is the import duty on furniture into the EAEU from China?
Under the EAEU unified customs tariff: wooden furniture — 10%, upholstered furniture — 10%, porcelain stoneware — 5%, sanitary ware — 10%. VAT is added at the importing country's rate: Kazakhstan 12%, Russia 20%, Belarus 20%, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan 12%.
Can goods be cleared through Kazakhstan customs for onward sale in Russia?
Yes. Goods cleared in Kazakhstan move freely to Russia, Belarus and other EAEU countries. However, the VAT rate of the final country of sale and the rules for intra-union transit must be taken into account.
Sources
- ЕЭК — Классификация товаров в соответствии с ТН ВЭД ЕАЭС(eec.eaeunion.org)
- ICC Incoterms® 2020(iccwbo.org)