Groupage transport
Transvolando offers groupage services (shared load or LTL — Less than Truckload) for companies that send palletized or boxed merchandise between Spain, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. We share semi-trailer space between multiple shippers on regular weekly routes, reducing the rate per pallet up to 60% vs full load (FTL).
We operate consolidation hubs in Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao with scheduled weekly departures: Madrid on Tuesdays, Barcelona on Wednesdays, Bilbao on Thursdays. The merchandise is collected from the shipper, consolidated at the hub, sorted by destination and loaded onto a Spain-United Kingdom trunk semi-trailer (Eurotunnel or ferry). In the British terminal it is de-consolidated by postal code and delivered over the last kilometer to the final recipient. Standard door-to-door transit: 4 to 7 business days. Typical euro pallet rate 1.2×0.8 m up to 750 kg Spain–United Kingdom: £180–£260 all included (pickup, customs, CMR insurance, delivery).
For shipments with a critical deadline we offer Express groupage with daily departures from Madrid and Barcelona, transit 3–4 days, surcharge +35%. For temperature-controlled merchandise we have dedicated refrigerated groupage at 2–8 °C (pharmaceutical products, food) and frozen groupage at -18 °C. Customs management (transit T1, UK import CDS declaration, EUR.1 certificate of origin, SAD form for VAT deferral via PVA) is carried out by our team under the EORI of the exporter and importer. Free assistance in registering new EORIs with HMRC and AEAT (3 working days). Medium conventional FTL Spain–United Kingdom: €3,221 — groupage provides savings of 60% on partial shipments.
Groupage transport service for companies: save on each shipment
What is groupage transport and how does it work?
It is a service in which your merchandise travels sharing space in the same truck with shipments from other companies.
Our operations are based on maximum efficiency. Thanks to return transport management, we can offer very competitive groupage rates, allowing small loads to travel with the logistics of a large company at a reduced price.
The operation is planned based on volume (pallets, linear meters), weight, route and deadlines, coordinating collection and delivery so that the merchandise arrives in condition.
Efficient solution for companies that move cargo .
Would you like to save costs on your groupage transport?
Do you want to know better the benefits and characteristics of fractional loading?
Do you need to know what you have to take into account to optimize your shipments?
The Groupage or fractional load is a service that consists of renting only a part, by sharing truck transport with other companies you optimize your costs, take care of your pocket and take care of the environment by reducing CO2.
Logistics groupage for companies: what does Transvolando offer?
Transvolando offers groupage transport for companies when your merchandise does not need a full truck and you are looking to optimize costs without losing control.
We coordinate collection and delivery according to route and deadlines, selecting the best option based on pallets, linear meters and weight.
As a truck transportation company with extensive experience in shared transportation, we ensure that your merchandise shares space safely, optimizing each route to guarantee agile deliveries anywhere on the map.
We manage the operation from start to finish with proactive monitoring and clear communication in the event of any incident.
We operate in Spain and Europe,adapting to access, schedules and loading/unloading needs so that your shipment arrives safely and on time.
Advantages of national and international groupage transport
The groupage cargo transport service is ideal when your merchandise does not fill a full truck and you want to move it efficiently, reducing costs without giving up control of the shipment.
It allows you to adjust operations to your real volume and maintain flexible logistics for one-time or recurring shipments.
- Cost savings by sharing transport space.
- Flexibility for partial loads (pallets or packages).
- Route optimization
- Less need for stock
- Monitoring and communication
Why choose International Groupage transport?
As soon as you read the following advantages you will know why choosing international groupage transport is the best option for both companies and carriers.
Without a doubt, it is a highly recommended solution that allows us to optimize load sharing with the use of truck fleets of companies specialized in road transport such as we are at Transvolando, and provides a quality logistics solution to all types of companies that ship merchandise.
Guarantee that the merchandise travels safely at all times
The merchandise, in this mode of transport, remains in the truck for a short period of time and does not need to be stored, so, as it does not have to be handled several times, it runs less risk of being hit or damaged.
A plus for the environment
At Transvolando we are committed to caring for our planet, and the international shared transport service offers a plus for the environment, because thanks to this solution we prevent several incomplete trucks from circulating on our roads. By making fewer differentiated transfers, there will be fewer vehicles emitting polluting gases into our environment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Groupage Transport
How much does it cost to send a pallet from Spain to the United Kingdom?
A standard Euro pallet 1.2 m × 0.8 m weighing up to 750 kg costs £180–£260 door to door between peninsular Spain and the UK mainland, including:
- Pickup at your warehouse or that of your supplier
- Customs clearance (T1, CDS, EUR.1)
- Cross-dock at our British terminal
- Last mile delivery
- Full CMR Insurance
Surcharges:
- Northern Ireland: +15%
- Channel Islands: +25%
- Scottish Highlands: +15%
- Pallets > 750 kg: + £45/pallet
- Pallets > 1.8m high: + £60/pallet
What is groupage and how does it work?
Groupage (also called shared load or LTL — Less-than-Truckload) consolidates merchandise from several shippers into the same semi-trailer. The process:
- Pickup — the vehicle picks up at each charger following a planned route
- Consolidation — the pallets arrive at our hub (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao)
- Cross-dock — are sorted by destination and loaded onto a semi-trailer Spain→United Kingdom
- Trunk — the complete semi-trailer travels Spain→UK (Eurotunnel or ferry)
- De-consolidation — the British terminal sorts by delivery postal code
- Last kilometer — local distribution to the final address
The cost of the journey is divided between several shippers, reducing rates per pallet up to 60% versus FTL rates.
How long does a groupage shipment take from Spain to the United Kingdom?
Standard transit times:
- Madrid → London: 4–5 business days
- Barcelona → Birmingham: 5–6 business days
- Valencia → Manchester: 5–7 business days
- Bilbao → Glasgow: 6–7 business days
- Seville → London: 6–7 business days
Departures: Madrid (Tuesday), Barcelona (Wednesday), Bilbao (Thursday). For critical deadlines we offer Express Groupage (daily departures) with +35% surcharge, transit 3–4 days.
Do I need an EORI number to send groupage from Spain to the United Kingdom?
Yes. Both the shipper (Spanish exporter) and the recipient (British importer) need:
- EORI number (registered in EU and UK respectively)
- VAT registration (for VAT calculation and PVA deferral)
- Commercial invoice with HS codes of tariff heading
- Packing list with weights and dimensions
Our customs team helps with the EORI discharge (free service) to new exporters/importers — usually issued within 3 working days by HMRC and the Spanish AEAT.
Is groupage suitable for fragile, high-value or temperature-controlled merchandise?
Suitability by type of cargo:
- Industrial spare parts and packaging: standard room groupage
- electrical components: with ESD-safe packaging
- Retail stock and dry food: standard
- Glassware and ceramics: Attention reinforced packaging and no stacking
- Fine art (>£10k): Do not use dedicated insured transportation
- Pharma: in groupage at controlled temperature
- Frozen: in dedicated frozen groupage (-18 °C)
- ADR (goods peligrosas): /Attention depends on class, request a specialist quote
For high value merchandise above £10,000 per pallet we recommend dedicated transport.
How is groupage different from a courier in cross-border shipments?
Comparison between courier and groupage for B2B shipments:
- Up to 30 kg/package: competitive courier, groupage possible but inefficient
- 1–4 pallets: groupage up to 50% cheaper than courier
- 4+ pallets: limited courier, standard groupage service
- Customs: auto courier (sometimes HS incorrect); groupage manual review by registered agent
- Insurance: courier limited liability; groupage full CMR coverage
- Transit: courier 2–4 days; groupage 4–7 days
- Pallet damage: courier 3–5%; groupage < 1%
- Fragile merchandise: courier often rejected; groupage accepted with reinforced packaging
For palletized B2B shipments, groupage is almost always the best economic and operational option.
Your shipment could already be on its way
Entrust your shipments to our team of experts. Reduce costs by sharing transportation without losing quality or deadlines. Request your groupage quote now and start saving. Start saving time and money now!