Customs terms for cross-border rail transport

Responsibility for Customs Documentation

CargoNet’s customers are fully responsible for ensuring that valid and correct customs documents are provided for goods transported on cross-border trains.

Correct and complete customs information must be available to CargoNet no later than one hour before the loading deadline. Units missing customs information will not be loaded onto trains, and CargoNet reserves the right to charge a fee for missing customs papers (“no show”).

Consequences of Errors or Omissions

The customer/forwarder is responsible for ensuring that all information is submitted correctly and within the applicable deadlines. If errors or omissions are identified, CargoNet may pass on any claims from the Customs or Tax Authorities (VAT, customs duty, or fines).

Customs Services from CargoNet

Cross-border transport should be simple – that’s why CargoNet offers professional customs services through our own customs department. We ensure that all necessary documents are prepared and handled correctly, making the customs process as smooth for you as our customer. Get in touch if you would like to use our services.

For prices, see the applicable price list or contact our customs department directly at toll@cargonet.no

Effective from 15 September 2026, digital reporting and disclosure requirements (Digitoll) will be mandatory.

Digitoll is the Norwegian Customs Authority’s comprehensive digitalization project — an initiative that has been ongoing for several years and is now ready for implementation.

Digitoll requires information about the goods to be submitted electronically to Norwegian Customs at least two hours before the border crossing. For rail transport, this means in practice that the information must be submitted to Norwegian Customs and the booking completed with the required references no later than one hour before the loading deadline, in accordance with the applicable customs deadlines.

The purpose of Digitoll is to enable the Customs Authority to process and risk-assess the transport before the goods reach the border. This allows for a more automated border crossing and release process.

The Digitoll concept consists of a four-part digital information submission that must be completed before border crossing:

1. Transport information – this will always be submitted by CargoNet for our trains
2. Master consignment information – details about the load unit; this will always be submitted by CargoNet for goods in our trains
3. House consignment information – detailed information about the goods; submitted by you as the customer or by your customer or your customer’s customs representative (can be purchased as a service from CargoNet Customs department)
4. Customs declaration (TVINN or NCTS) – submitted by you as the customer or by your customer or your customer’s customs representative (can be purchased as a service from CargoNet Customs department)

Phase 1 – Deadline 15th of September 2026:

Requirement for digital pre-arrival notification and information submission.

• All imports must take place under the Digitoll-regime
• The customer/forwarder must, within the applicable deadline, register via the web portal:
  • Contents of the load unit (general commodity description)
  • Valid released NCTS transit MRN number (T1/T2)
  • Digitoll house MRN number
  • Note: For multiple transit documents and/or Digitoll houses per load unit, the information must be submitted by e-mail/Excel in our standard form, to booking@cargonet.no (contact us if you need the form) or transferred via API.

Transit declarations (NCTS):

The Digitoll concept does not replace the use of transit procedures.

This is because the transit procedure is currently the only outgoing procedure in Digitoll for railway ensuring correct closure of EU exports in accordance with existing regulations; EU export process stage 2 (IE507) and stage 3 (IE590)

The solution where the export MRN is registered in Digitoll for closure in AES at border crossing is regulated under the Norwegian/Swedish Border Customs Cooperation Agreement, which applies only to road transport.

When the export MRN is correctly registered in the transit declaration (NCTS), the export will automatically be closed in AES when the NCTS transit procedure is completed. The customer or customs representative may also register the NCTS transit MRN in the house consignment message, ensuring that both the NCTS transit declaration and the export declaration are automatically closed at the border. If transit is selected as the import procedure in Digitoll, the transit will be border-registered in NCTS and must be completed at an authorised consignee.

Customs warehouse

It will still be possible to register goods under the customs warehousing procedure without submitting a declaration in TVINN. The goods number must then be stated in the house consignment message in Digitoll. The direct transport arrangement will remain in place until 1 March 2027.

Border crossing

Customs clearance takes place automatically when the train crosses the border. Norwegian Customs receives information about the border crossing directly from Bane NOR, and the goods are automatically released unless the shipment is selected for customs control.

For rail transport, the train will not stop at the border. If Norwegian Customs requires a customs control, this may instead be carried out upon the train’s arrival at Alnabru or at another suitable control location. Goods selected for customs control must be released by Norwegian Customs before they can be collected by the customer or transported onwards by domestic rail.

If goods are selected for customs control, the customer will be notified by CargoNet using the registered contact information. Please contact us at toll@cargonet.no to confirm which email addresses you would like such notifications to be sent to.

If a unit is not released at the border crossing and is booked through to another terminal in Norway, it will be loaded onto the first available train for onward transport as soon as it has been released by Norwegian Customs.

Phase 2 – Deadline 1st of March 2027:

Requirement for customs declaration before border crossing and termination of the Direct Transport Scheme.

This means that all shipments must be declared in TVINN and/or NCTS before crossing the border. This requirement also applies to goods declared under the customs warehousing procedure.

At the same time, the direct transport arrangement will be discontinued. This means that goods declared under the customs warehousing procedure can no longer be delivered directly to the consignee. Instead, the goods must physically be brought to the declared customs warehouse and remain there until they have been released for free circulation.

There are two possible procedures for goods from Norway to Sweden:

1. Transit procedure (TET/NCTS): The transit declaration must be issued and released before the train departs and terminated at an approved consignee. Rail transports are exempt from border registration in NCTS, and the first registration into Sweden/EU takes place at an approved consignee.
2. Pre-lodged import declaration procedure: CargoNet notifies the Swedish Customs (Tullverket) upon departure, submits the AVA (arrival notification) and I2 (request for clearance) at border crossing. The customer must ensure that CargoNet has authorization (POA) from the importer’s customs representative to activate their import declaration (please contact us if you have any questions regarding this)

The customer/forwarder must, within the applicable deadline, register via the web portal:

• Contents of the load unit (general commodity description)
• Importer/consignee
• Export declaration reference (TVINN)
• MRN number for the NCTS transit procedure and/or
• LRN and CRN numbers for the Swedish import procedure
• Note: For multiple transits/imports per load unit, the information must be submitted by e-mail in the standard form to booking@cargonet.no until further notice (contact us if you need the form).

From April 1st, 2026, one transit document must be issued per unit, with specified HS commodity codes (6 digits). This applies to goods both to and from Narvik, and goods to and from Kirunavaara.

CargoNet offers to issue transit declarations for goods transported between Alnabru and Narvik for a service fee. If customers require assistance with transit declarations for goods to or from Kirunavaara, this can be purchased as a manual customs service from the Customs Department during their opening hours.

The general customs deadline is 1 hour before the loading deadline, but for train 41901 from Narvik Monday to Friday, the deadline will be 21:00, and for train 41911 on Saturdays, the deadline will be 14:00

The customs deadline applies regardless of whether the customer submits the transit declaration themselves or requests CargoNet to do so. If CargoNet is to submit the transit declaration, the required data must be provided before the customs deadline. For shipments to or from Kirunavaara, the opening hours of the Customs Department apply when CargoNet is responsible for submitting the transit declaration.

• The transit document must be released (simplified procedure) before train departure when the transport starts by rail. For transports starting by road, the transit document must be released by Customs at the border customs office. Container/trailer ILU number must be stated in the transit declaration
• Customers who issue transit documents themselves must transfer the MRN number via API or register it in the order on the web portal in accordance with the applicable customs deadlines. If more than one transit document is issued per unit, the MRN number may be sent by e-mail to booking@cargonet.no
• Customers who require assistance with issuing a transit declaration to or from Narvik must submit the necessary data, including correct six-digit HS commodity codes, within the applicable customs deadline in one of the valid formats listed below:
  • Customer transfers data via API (contact CargoNet for specifications)
  • Customer sends data in Excel to booking@cargonet.no (contact CargoNet to receive the Excel template) – this will incur an additional fee for manual processing
  • Customer selects the correct HS code and enters the goods description in the web portal (only possible for uniform goods; contact CargoNet if the HS code for your goods is missing in the dropdown menu on the web portal)
• Exemptions from transit requirements: empty return containers/trailers and return packaging, including euro pallets, are exempt from NCTS transit procedure. The customer must select a fictitious commodity code in the web portal indicating that the unit is empty or contains return packaging exempt from NCTS transit procedure (non-declarable goods).
• CargoNet will close all transit declarations issued by us, upon train arrival at Alnabru/Narvik
  • For customers who have issued their own transit declarations, CargoNet can assist with closing. The customer must send the MRN-number with reference to the train booking and unit ILU number to toll@cargonet.no – this will be invoiced as an additional service by the Customs Department.
• For northbound trains to Kirunavaara, the transit document must be closed at the border. The driver must report to a manned customs office at the border and have the transit document closed there.
• Please note that if you have a booking on one of our trains from Sweden to Alnabru, with onward transport to Narvik, a T1 declaration is still required for Norwegian goods in transit from Alnabru to Narvik.

Deviations and unloading of trains in Sweden

If the railway line is closed and trains are unloaded in Sweden, units may be transferred from train to truck. Entry into Norway must then take place at a manned border crossing, presenting the MRN number/bar code of the transit declaration.

Customers who have ordered a transit declaration from CargoNet are requested to contact CargoNet Customer Centre to obtain the T-document/MRN for their goods.

Liability

CargoNet reserves the right to pass on any penalties or infringement fees to the customer in cases where CargoNet is the principal responsible for the transit procedure and the customer has failed to ensure that the transit procedure is properly discharged at the border crossing by road.

CargoNet accepts no responsibility or liability for incorrect, incomplete, or missing customs information. The customer is solely responsible for providing accurate and valid customs documentation within the applicable deadlines. Any penalties, administrative fees, or other financial claims imposed by customs authorities as a result of incorrect or missing information will be invoiced to the customer.