Groupage between Spain and Italy means paying for the pallet spaces you occupy rather than for a whole trailer. For consignments from one pallet up to half a truck, the gap against chartering a dedicated vehicle reaches 45%. We run this corridor in both directions, collecting from the sender and delivering to the consignee's address.
When LTL beats a full truck
A simple rule: if your freight fills less than half a trailer, a dedicated truck means paying for air.
| Consignment size | What to choose |
|---|---|
| 1–5 pallets | Groupage, almost without exception |
| 6–14 pallets | Groupage; price both if the deadline is tight |
| 15–20 pallets | Usually a full truck (FTL) |
| Fragile or high-value | FTL regardless of size: no transhipment |
A fuller comparison is in groupage or full truck.
Lanes and transit times
Main lanes: Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Zaragoza and Bilbao towards Milan, Turin, Bologna, Verona, Rome and Naples. Road time is typically three to five working days depending on collection and delivery points. The collection date is fixed and the delivery window agreed in advance.
Some routings pass through a terminal with transhipment: that is standard practice in groupage and precisely what keeps the rate low. How that handling works is covered in our note on cross-docking.
What is included
- Collection from the sender's warehouse within an agreed window.
- Securing and separating consignments inside the vehicle.
- International carriage with a CMR issued per leg.
- Delivery to the consignee's address, with arrival notification where required.
- Status tracking and one contact manager per shipment.
Preparing the freight
In groupage, preparation affects condition on arrival more than it does in FTL: pallets are loaded tight against each other and moved again at the terminal.
- A standard, sound pallet. A cracked pallet is the leading cause of damage during handling.
- Nothing overhanging the pallet footprint. A protruding corner is the first thing to catch.
- Wrap down to the pallet base, or the boxes slide.
- Labels on the side, including handling symbols — see cargo handling symbols.
- Accurate weight and dimensions on the booking. Discrepancies found at the terminal trigger a rate recalculation.
Documents
Spain and Italy are both EU member states, so there is no customs clearance. You need the CMR consignment note, an invoice or packing list, and the consignee's contact details. Freight with specific temperature or securing requirements should be flagged on the booking.
Why Layner Group
Over 10,000 commercial shipments completed, our own fleet from 1 to 24 tonnes, coverage across all 27 EU countries and offices in France and Poland. ISO 9001 quality system, CMR liability and official international transport authorisations. A preliminary rate for your pallets within 15–30 minutes.