How to Calculate Transit Time

Today, consumers and businesses expect cost-effective, quick shipping services that deliver goods safely. With a growing number of services available, business owners and consumers are left wondering how to choose the most effective shipping method for their goods, and how to calculate transit times for each available service. In this guide, we unpack everything you need to know about transit times for domestic and international road, air, and sea shipments.  

What is Transit Time in Shipping?

Transit time is the total time it takes for a shipment to get from point A to point B. 

In other words, it refers to how many hours or days it will take for a shipment to arrive at the required destination. 

The shipment could be transported by a plane, boat, or truck, or via multiple modes of transport. 

How to Calculate Transit Time in Shipping

To calculate transit time in shipping, a number of elements need to be considered. 

Of course, the most significant determining factor for transit times is whether the goods are being shipped domestically or internationally. In most cases, international shipments cost more and have longer transit times than domestic shipments. 

For domestic shipments, transit times differ depending on the shipping service, state of origin, and the state of delivery. 

For international shipments, transit times will vary depending on the shipping service, country of origin and country of delivery. 

Factors such as customs clearance, additional stops, traffic congestion, weather, and shipment consolidation can also affect transit times. 

This means that even separate shipments with the same point of origin, mode of transport, and final destination may end up with different transit times. 

Below, we take a look at how to calculate transit times for both domestic and international shipments based on the mode of transport and chosen shipment service. 

Domestic Shipping

Before we calculate transit times for domestic shipping within Australia, let’s take a look at the domestic shipping services that are available. 

Standard Shipping

Standard shipping is considered the average shipping method, falling between the slower yet affordable tracking mail options, and the more expensive express shipping options. 

Standard shipping comes with a tracking system that allows you to follow where your package is on its journey. You’ll also be notified when it’s delivered. 

Standard shipping times will vary depending on your location. We’ll take a closer look at estimated standard shipping transit times between Australian states below. 

Express Shipping 

Express shipping refers to any expedited service offered by a freight company.

Services that fall under the express shipping umbrella include same-day delivery, overnight shipping, 2-day air shipping, and 3-day air shipping.

Express shipping typically costs more than standard shipping because most express parcels are carried by air for the majority of the journey to speed up delivery times. Standard shipping, on the other hand, may use road transportation, or a combination of air and road transportation. 

Below, we’ll compare Australian domestic express transit times between with standard transit times. 

Couriers & Freight Shipping Services

At Couriers & Freight, we offer both standard and express shipping services, as well as additional shipping services to ensure your goods are delivered as efficiently as possible.

Our domestic courier services include the below. 

Main Shipping Methods:

• Interstate Courier (Standard Shipping) – Delivers packages between states. 
• Road Shipping (Express Shipping) — Reliable and cost-effective express delivery of packages Australia-wide. 

Specialised Shipping Methods:

• Local Point-to-Point Shipping — Same-day metro couriers for shipments that need to be sent across town, or for same-day, four-hour, two-hour, and hourly deliveries. 
• Same-Day/Time-Critical Shipping — For shipment of goofss anywhere in Australia as soon as possible
• Overnight/Priority Express Shipping — Packages will be delivered next business day.
• Courier Satchels — Delivers range of satchen sizes between metro and rural areas.
• Interstate Pallet Courier — National road pallet service for bulk shipments.
• Time Definite Courier — When goods need to be delivered by certain time.

Estimated Transit Times in Australia

Generally, the approximate transit times for domestic shipments in Australia are as follows: 

Same-State Transit Times

For goods travelling within the same state, the standard and express transit times are estimated to range from:

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Regular and Priority Letters

Regular letters travelling within the same state can take up to 4 business days to arrive. 

Regular letters heading interstate can take 3 to 6 business days to arrive. 

As for priority letters, those being transporting within the same state can take up to 2 business days. 

Priority letters being delivered interstate can take 2 to 4 business days to arrive.

International Shipping

There are a number of international shipping services that allow goods to travel from one country to another. 

When sent internationally, goods are transported via air or ocean transportation methods. 

Transit times vary depending on which shipment service is chosen, which transportation method is chosen, and where you’re shipping to. 

Transit times are typically calculated from the day they arrive to the warehouse for exporting. 

Air Freight Transit Time

Air freight is the fastest way to send goods internationally.

Air freight transit times typically range from 8 hours to 10 days, depending on the countries of origin and delivery, the chosen shipping service, and other processing variables (such as customs clearances). 

Generally, shipments from Australia to nearby countries such as New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore will take 2 to 4 days via air freight. 

As you move further out, the transit times increases.  

At Couriers & Freight, we offer a range of international air freight services.

• International Economy Express Courier – For timely but non-urgent shipments. 
• International Express Courier – For your urgent importing and exporting needs.
• International Priority Express Courier – For your urgent international shipments that need expedited priority delivery. 
• International Time Definite Courier – For urgent international couriers that need to be delivered by 9am, 10am, 12pm, on the day they arrive from customs.
• International Dangerous Goods Courier – For dangerous goods shipments.
• International Third-Party Courier – For any international courier not going to or from Australia. 
• International Ecommerce Courier – For online international orders. 

To calculate air freight transit times for your goods, you can submit a form and receive a quote.

Ocean Freight Transit Time

Ocean freight is a popular international shipping method because it’s the cheapest option, and it allows couriers to transport goods in convenient shipping containers. 

The catch is that ocean freight transit times are much lengthier than air freight transit times. 

Excluding Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, Australia’s closest neighbours, transit times for ocean freight sent from Australia are lengthy. 

The shortest transit lines are between Australia and Southeast Asian countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Phillipines. 

The fastest international ocean freight route with the shortest transit time is between Singapore and Adelaide. Shipments heading along this route require 9 days in transit. 

Ocean freight transit times from Australia to the US can range from 20 to 65 days. Some container vessels can deliver goods to ports in Washington and California within 3 weeks, while one of the longest ocean freight routes is from Brisbane to Savannah, Georgia, which can take 57 days. 

There are two ways to ship cargo by sea: Full Container Load (FCL) and Less Container Load (LCL). FCL means the entire container is filled with just your cargo, so it’s most commonly used to deliver larger goods or bulk shipments. LCL means sharing a shipping container with other recipients. 

Couriers & Freight offers both FCL and LCL shipping options. The range of international ocean freight services include:

• LCL Ocean Freight – Import, export, and third-party ship less than container load freight. Freight serves 2400+ direct tradelines which reduces transit time of your goods.
• FCL Ocean Freight – Offering 20”, 40”HC, 45”HC, and overweight container load services to and from any port in the world.
• Household Goods and Personal Items – Ship personal items and household goods to and from any port in the world. 
• Oversized/Out of Gauge – Ship oversized, over-dimensional, overweight, and dangerous goods via ocean freight.

Coastal Shipping – Ship freight from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide to Peth.

Sea Freight Transit Time Calculator

To calculate ocean freight transit times for your goods, you can request a quote based on which method you’re using, or where you’re sending your cargo. 

We can help you find the best FCL or LCL freight service to fit your transit time and budgetary expectations. 

Couriers & Freight: Reducing Transit Times 

Through a single cloud-based hub, Couriers & Freight connects all parties in the supply chain, including local delivery drivers, international carriers, domestic carriers, ocean carriers, and customs agencies. 

We work with all major road, rail, shipping, and transit freight providers so that we can offer our customers the most effective air and ocean freight solutions — and that means reduced transit times. 

You can use our Post Tracking Software to gauge the arrival or your delivery. If you’re looking to ship goods, you can submit a form and we’ll give you an estimated transit time. 

Have a question about transit times? Get in touch with us today.