Get a transport quote.
A reply in 30–60 minutes.

Because too many variables feed into the price at once: the lane and its freight balance, the body type, weight and volume (LDM), timeframe and urgency, road tolls, the current fuel price and additional services. The same kilometres on a different vehicle and in a different week cost something else, so a ready-made table would be misleading. GOCAR deliberately does not publish a fixed price list and calculates every booking individually. The quote is free, without obligation and usually ready within 30–60 minutes.

A transport rate is the sum of the carrier's fixed and variable costs plus their margin: fuel (usually the single largest item), the driver's pay, vehicle depreciation and servicing, road tolls, insurance and the cost of the empty positioning leg to the loading point. A freight forwarder such as GOCAR assembles these elements into one door-to-door price and compares offers from a network of hundreds of carriers, so you do not pay for inefficiencies. The exact breakdown depends on the route and the load, which is why the quote is individual and free.

Most often the cost is the per-km rate multiplied by the chargeable route kilometres (including the positioning and return legs), plus fixed surcharges. The rate itself rises with the type of vehicle and body: a van is cheaper than a rigid, a rigid cheaper than a curtain-sider, and a reefer or ADR is dearer than standard. On short routes the cost of positioning to the loading point pushes the per-kilometre price up sharply, which is why short bookings can be proportionally more expensive. GOCAR matches the vehicle type to the load and will price a specific lane once you provide the details.

Usually you pay for whichever is greater: the actual weight or the space occupied (LDM). A light but large load (e.g. a few tonnes taking up most of the trailer) can cost more than a heavier but compact one, because it blocks space and prevents another load being added. That is why weight alone is not enough for an accurate quote. GOCAR will ask for the weight and dimensions (or the number and type of pallets) in order to select the vehicle and price it fairly.

An LDM (loading metre) is the length of trailer space your load occupies at the standard width of 2.4 m - 1 LDM equals about 2.4 m² of floor. In groupage and part-load transport you pay precisely by LDM or pallet count, because the carrier is selling space: one Euro pallet (120×80 cm) is about 0.4 LDM, an industrial pallet (120×100 cm) about 0.5 LDM, and a full 13.6 m trailer holds about 33 Euro pallets. Providing the dimensions, pallet count and weight lets GOCAR calculate the LDM straight away and prepare an accurate, free quote.

A single pallet abroad is most often carried as groupage (a part-load) - you do not hire the whole vehicle, you only pay for the space it takes, so its dimensions, weight and whether it is full-size are decisive (one Euro pallet is about 0.4 loading metre, LDM). The price is pushed up by distance, the border crossing, lanes with a difficult backhaul and any customs clearance outside the EU (Switzerland, Norway, UK). GOCAR consolidates such single pallets across its carrier network - provide the dimensions, weight and addresses, and you will receive an individual, free quote at offer@gocar.com.pl.

This is not a hard rule but a practical guide: once a shipment exceeds roughly a dozen-plus pallets, the groupage price starts to approach the cost of a full FTL, and you add the risk of transhipment and slower delivery. Above that threshold a full vehicle is often cheaper per pallet and safer, because the goods are not sorted en route. The threshold depends on the lane and on the weight and dimensions of the pallets. GOCAR will price both options side by side so you can pick the better one.

The per-kilometre rate is not a price list but the resultant of the costs of a specific route - fuel, road tolls and vignettes (different in every country), the cost of the driver's work and, crucially, the availability of a return load: on a lane from which it is hard to come back loaded, the carrier builds the empty kilometres in and the rate rises. So the longer the route, the lower the unit per-km rate tends to be, but the higher the total cost. As a freight forwarder, GOCAR compares offers from hundreds of carriers every day and selects a vehicle with a good backhaul balance - rather than chasing an average rate, ask for a specific free quote for your route.

A van up to 3.5 t can be the fastest and cheapest option for smaller, urgent loads, but the price cannot be stated in advance - it depends on the length and direction of the route, the loading and delivery locations, driver availability in the region, the timeframe and whether it is a dedicated run or a part-load. On short routes the fixed costs (positioning, loading, waiting) dominate, so the per-km rate is higher than on long ones. GOCAR has vans and larger vehicles within its carrier network - describe the shipment and the timeframe, and we will select the right vehicle and send a free quote.

Hiring the whole vehicle (FTL) is a charge for the entire vehicle regardless of how full it is, so it is calculated by the route (km × directional rate) rather than by the number of pallets. The price is shaped by distance and direction, the availability of a return load, the season, fuel prices and additional costs (e.g. extra loading and unloading points, excessive waiting, a requirement for a specific body type). FTL usually pays off from a dozen-plus pallets upwards and for urgent deadlines. GOCAR will find a free vehicle with the best backhaul balance within its carrier network - give us the lane and the load, and the quote is free and usually ready within 30–60 minutes.

Temperature-controlled transport is dearer than ordinary carriage, because it adds an energy-hungry refrigeration unit, higher cleanliness requirements and a strict time regime - and the rate itself depends on the required temperature range (frozen is dearer than chilled), the length and direction of the route, the body type and the number of stops. With an insulated body (insulation alone, without active cooling) it can be cheaper than a reefer with a refrigeration unit. GOCAR has both reefers and insulated bodies in its carrier network - state the required temperature, the type of goods and the route, and you will receive a free, tailored quote.

Every specialisation is a markup over a standard curtain-sider: ADR requires driver qualifications, a placarded vehicle and appropriate equipment; express often means a dedicated vehicle with no consolidation, and sometimes a double driver crew. The scale of the surcharge depends on the route, the goods and the urgency, which is why we do not give fixed brackets as a certainty. GOCAR handles ADR and express CITO, so we will price exactly the option you need - simply provide the ADR class and UN number, or the required deadline.

When carrying a vehicle, the price is shaped mainly by the weight and dimensions of the car (passenger cars are cheaper than vans or machinery), the route and its quality, the region (more expensive in large cities), getting the recovery vehicle to the start point, and whether the car is roadworthy - a non-running vehicle needs a winch and longer securing, which raises the cost. Billing may be for the whole service or by km. GOCAR also organises abnormal and specialist transport within its carrier network with the right bodies - describe the vehicle, its condition and the route, and we will prepare an individual, free quote.

BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor) is a fuel adjustment reflecting fluctuations in the price of diesel, which is the single largest cost of carriage. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the base price and may be indexed periodically on the basis of market quotations. This means the rate reacts to the fuel market rather than being padded out as a precaution. When quoting, GOCAR presents a clear total price so there are no hidden surprises.

Tolls are a real cost of every kilometre driven on toll roads and can be one of the largest items alongside fuel and the driver, especially in Germany. The amount depends on the vehicle's weight, number of axles and emissions/Euro class, which is why the same route on different vehicles costs differently. After the German Maut increases, westbound lanes felt it directly in their rates. GOCAR includes the toll for a given route in a single final price, which it states in the quote.

An empty vehicle still burns fuel, wears its tyres and costs the driver's time, but earns nothing, so those kilometres have to be built into the price of the one-way move. When you travel to a region from which a return load is hard to come by, the rate usually carries a markup to cover the empty backhaul. If the carrier finds a return load, the unit cost can drop. Thanks to its network of hundreds of carriers, GOCAR more easily lines up backhauls and limits the empty-mileage surcharge.

Because the price is decided not only by the outbound run itself but also by whether the vehicle returns with a load. On lanes with a good balance (the main Poland–Germany axes) a carrier easily finds a return load and gives a lower rate; on difficult lanes (e.g. Poland–Norway) the empty return kilometres are built into the price. Add to that seasonality and current vehicle availability. A freight forwarder such as GOCAR compares hundreds of offers every day and picks the vehicle with the best backhaul balance - which is why it is worth asking for a quote for a specific date, as the market price changes. Free of charge: offer@gocar.com.pl.

The most common surcharges are unloading by tail-lift or crane (HDS), booking/notification (arranging delivery by phone), delivery to a fixed hour or within a narrow time window, several unloading points in a set sequence, and the accounting of exchange pallets. Each such requirement takes up the driver's time or calls for equipment, so it genuinely raises the rate. The fewer the constraints, the cheaper it is. List these needs straight away in your enquiry and GOCAR will include them in the quote rather than adding them later after the fact.

The biggest savings come from flexible timeframes (the vehicle can be matched to the route instead of paying for urgency), consolidating several shipments or adding a part-load instead of an empty full truckload, standardising pallets and dropping unnecessary constraints such as a fixed hour or a tail-lift when they are not essential. Sometimes moving the shipment by a day catches a cheaper vehicle returning from a route. A freight forwarder sees more options than a single carrier. Tell GOCAR your priorities (price or time) and we will select the cheapest sensible option.

The freight market works on supply and demand: when there is plenty of transport on offer and few free vehicles, rates rise, and vice versa. This is influenced by the season (pre-holiday and summer peaks, production surges), vehicle availability on a given lane, and fuel and toll costs. That is why an offer from a month ago need not still apply today. GOCAR monitors the market and its carrier network on an ongoing basis, so the quote (usually within 30–60 minutes) reflects the current situation on your lane.

Not necessarily - a forwarder does not simply add a margin on top, but compares the offers of many carriers every day and selects a vehicle with the best route and backhaul balance, which often gives a better price than searching for a single carrier yourself. You also get a single point of contact, the right body selection, OCP insurance and handling of the formalities. GOCAR holds OCP cover of EUR 600,000, over 10,000 completed shipments and availability 7 days a week - and a comparative quote is free and without obligation, so you can simply check the price at no risk.

A quote is an indicative, individual calculation based on the parameters provided - quick information on the order of magnitude of the cost. A binding offer (within the meaning of Article 66 of the Polish Civil Code) already contains a specific price, the scope of the service and a validity period, and once accepted it becomes the basis of the booking. At GOCAR you will usually get a free quote within 30–60 minutes, and once the details are clarified we confirm a specific, binding rate for the given transport.

Transport offers have no fixed expiry - validity depends on the arrangements and market conditions, because rates are affected by fuel prices, seasonality and vehicle availability. That is why a good offer should include a validity date, and the rate is worth confirming directly before booking. At GOCAR we always specify until when a given rate applies, and we will quickly confirm the current price - free of charge and usually within 30–60 minutes.

Check whether the offer states the lane and addresses, the load parameters, the scope of the service, the price with a note on whether it is all-in or a base rate, any surcharges (e.g. fuel), the Incoterms rule, the expected transit time, the payment terms and the validity period. The difference between an all-in rate and a net rate excluding charges can be significant, so always ask for the full amount for the shipment. GOCAR states the quote transparently and will explain exactly what it covers - feel free to ask at offer@gocar.com.pl.

The price is calculated for specific data, so a change in weight, pallet count, dimensions or requirements (e.g. adding ADR or a reefer) may affect the rate - sometimes even a small increase in mass or width forces a different vehicle or permits, which raises the cost. Always report a change before loading and you will receive an updated quote. GOCAR will recalculate it again free of charge and without obligation - just send an email to offer@gocar.com.pl.

Yes - for simpler lanes an indicative price can often be given over the phone within a few to a dozen-or-so minutes, while for a more complex load it is more convenient to send the details by email. At GOCAR you can call +48 693 544 255 (we are available 7 days a week), and we will finalise a precise, free quote on the basis of the parameters provided, usually within 30–60 minutes.

With reputable freight forwarders, preparing a quote is free, and the request itself is an enquiry, not a booking - you sign nothing and commit to nothing. Only accepting the offer and issuing a forwarding order sets the transport in motion. At GOCAR the quote is always free and without obligation, so you can calmly compare it with others and decide without pressure - send your enquiry via the form or to offer@gocar.com.pl.

Yes - for container carriage the price is a combination of several stages: the sea freight (for a full container FCL or for the space used in LCL), the inland haulage to and from the port, terminal and port charges, and customs clearance. Sea rates change more seasonally than road rates and depend on the trade lane and the availability of space on the vessel. GOCAR arranges container and multimodal transport, assembling all the stages into a single quote - provide the ports or addresses, the type of load and whether you need FCL or LCL, and we will prepare a free calculation.

Time and price are often interchangeable levers: a willingness to wait a few days lets us select a vehicle that is heading your way anyway, so it is cheaper; a fixed, short deadline or delivery to a specific hour narrows the pool of vehicles and raises the rate. The most expensive is a dedicated express run, which cuts transit time to the minimum. Tell GOCAR whether price or the deadline is the priority - we will select the option to match that priority, and the quote remains free and usually ready within 30–60 minutes.

Yes - the Incoterms rules determine who bears the costs and risk on a given leg of the route, who arranges loading, haulage to the terminal or clearance, and that translates into the scope of service in the quote. The cost differs when we collect the goods from the sender's door versus when collection is on your side. If you know the rule (e.g. EXW, FCA, DAP), state it in your enquiry - GOCAR will tailor the scope and price exactly those stages for which the carrier is responsible.