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Logistics in Chemnitz: Saxony's city of engineering

Chemnitz, home to around 250,000 people, is the third-largest city in Saxony. In the 19th century, it became one of the centres of German industrialisation, with textile mills and machine-building works that earned it the nickname Saxon Manchester. Between 1953 and 1990, the city was called Karl-Marx-Stadt. Today, mechanical engineering remains its backbone, joined by a strong automotive sector that includes a large engine plant and many specialised suppliers.

Chemnitz University of Technology supports the local industry with research in areas such as lightweight construction, materials and production engineering. As a result, prototypes, test rigs, machine parts and electronic modules move between the region and partners abroad on a regular basis, including suppliers in the UK. In 2025, Chemnitz was European Capital of Culture, which brought international attention, events and exhibitions to the city and the surrounding area.

To the south rise the Ore Mountains, where metalworking and craft traditions continue in many small firms. Leipzig/Halle Airport, one of Germany's major cargo airports, can be reached in about an hour, and Dresden lies a similar distance to the east. This central location between Saxony's three large cities makes Chemnitz a practical base for businesses organising freight transport to central and eastern Europe.

The route from the UK to Chemnitz

After crossing from Dover to Calais by ferry or from Folkestone to Coquelles on Le Shuttle, the vehicle drives through Belgium and enters Germany near Aachen. It then crosses the Rhineland and Hesse towards Bad Hersfeld, where it joins the A4. This motorway leads east past Eisenach, Erfurt, Jena and Gera, through the Glauchau area and on to Chemnitz, covering the last few hundred kilometres without any change of motorway.

North of the city, the A4 meets the A72 at the Chemnitz interchange. The A72 runs south-west towards Zwickau and Hof, where it connects with the A9 to Bavaria, and north towards Leipzig. Continuing east on the A4 brings you to Dresden and the Polish border, which is convenient when a shipment has onward destinations.

Customs between Great Britain and Germany

Since Germany is in the EU, a shipment from Great Britain to Chemnitz requires an export declaration in the UK and an import declaration within the EU. Both the consignor and the consignee need an EORI number. The Goods Vehicle Movement Service links the declarations to the lorry through the Goods Movement Reference when it passes Dover or the Channel Tunnel. Please agree the declarations with your customs agent before collection, as DAGO Express does not prepare these documents or handle customs clearance.

DAGO Express: your freight forwarder from the UK to Chemnitz

Our network includes more than 50,000 vehicles in 38 countries, and over 15,000 companies book their transports through DAGO Express. If a breakdown occurs, a replacement vehicle continues the journey, which matters on a long haulage route such as the UK to Saxony. Cross-border transports are run by verified partners with a valid EU licence and, where the goods require it, an ADR licence. Shipments are monitored around the clock, on weekends and public holidays too.

Cover through the Schunck Group extends to 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, and additional insurance for higher-value goods can be arranged at short notice. You receive a tracking link after booking and emails at collection and delivery. In the DAGO ShipperHub, you manage all orders, see ETAs, track KPIs and download real-time reports as PDF or Excel files, and the platform can be connected directly to your ERP system.

The online calculator shows the price within seconds once you enter the postcodes, dimensions and weight. You can also use the DAGO app or request a quote by email. From Chemnitz, deliveries continue into the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and all other countries in our network.