How many pallets fit in a trailer and a 40" container, how to distribute weight across the axles, and how to avoid empty space.
A well-planned load means fewer trips, a lower transport cost per unit, and safer goods. In this guide we show how many pallets fit in a trailer and a container, how to distribute the weight across the axles, and how to eliminate empty space.
In this article
A typical curtain-side trailer has a load space of about 13.6 m long × 2.45 m wide. That allows you to position:
Before choosing a vehicle, compare pallet arrangements in the trailer loading calculator. For further worked examples, see the guide How to make a load plan.
| EUR pallet arrangement | Number on the floor |
|---|---|
| Lengthwise (1200 mm deep) | approx. 33 EUR pallets |
| Crosswise (800 mm deep) | approx. 33-34 EUR pallets |
| Industrial pallets 1200×1000 | approx. 26 pallets |
If the height and weight of the goods allow double-stacking, the number of pallet spaces doubles - that's the simplest way to increase trailer utilization.
| Container | EUR pallets | 1200×1000 pallets |
|---|---|---|
| 20' (approx. 5.9 × 2.35 m) | approx. 11 | approx. 9-10 |
| 40' (approx. 12.0 × 2.35 m) | approx. 23-24 | approx. 20-21 |
The container's bottleneck is its 2.35 m width - two EUR pallets placed lengthwise (2 × 800 mm) leave a free strip that is worth filling with loose parcels.
The number of pallets isn't everything - where you place the heavier goods matters too:
Pallet3D arranges pallets and parcels in the trailer and container in 3D and shows the fill rate. Try it free for 5 days.
Run calculator →What data to collect, how to set the loading order and how to tell a workable layout from one that only looks right on paper.
For a KRONE trailer, the calculation gives 33 EPAL 1, 34 only geometrically, or 26 EPAL 2. Check the dimensions and layout constraints.
11 euro pallets in a 20', 23-25 in a 40', and why a High Cube changes the height but not the floor plan.
