Dangerous and prohibited goods
As our contract customer, you can also send some goods classified as dangerous through us.
ADR is only be available for deliveries to the recipients address with Home Parcel and Business Parcel. LQ is available also for pick-up point deliveries and can be used with Pick-up Parcel, Express Parcel, Customer Return, Home Parcel and Business Parcel. Parcels with LQ additional service can not be sent to all pick-up points, e.g. all parcel lockers are not available.
Dangerous goods are substances which, by virtue of their sensitivity to explosion, fire, radiation, toxicity, corrosion or any other property, are liable to cause harm to persons, property or the environment. For example, many everyday items found in homes, such as nail polishes and hair sprays, aerosols, paints and batteries, as well as hunting gun cartridges are classified as dangerous goods.
As a consignor, you are responsible for knowing the dangerous goods classification of your products and for ensuring that the substances or goods sent by you, as well as their packaging, markings and address card entries comply with applicable laws and regulations. Consignments that do not comply with applicable laws or delivery terms cannot be accepted for shipment and will not be delivered. As a consignor, you are also liable for any damage caused by your non-compliance, such as additional handling costs. All transports of dangerous goods are carried out in compliance with the acts referred to in the ‘Vaarallisten aineiden kuljetus tiellä’ (Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road) manual, the decrees issued by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the regulations of Traficom. In addition, we comply with Matkahuolto’s terms and class-specific limitations.
Class-specific limitations
When sending substances or articles classified as dangerous, please note that the size of shipment may be limited depending on the danger class of the substances or articles involved. The maximum quantities are shown as gross weights unless otherwise indicated.
Class 1.4 S: Explosives
The maximum quantity of Class 1.4 S explosives is 20 kg (net). We do not carry other explosives. The products must package in high-strength wrapping to prevent any of the contents of the package from leaking out.
Class 1.4 S explosives include firearm cartridges that do not contain an exploding bullet, or cartridges and signal cartridges for small arms.
Class 2: Gases
The maximum quantity of nontoxic Class 2 gases is 60 kg; the maximum amount of Class 1O oxygen and Class 4F acetylene when transported together being, however, two cylinders with a maximum capacity of 20 litres supported in such a way as to be immobilised. Transport of toxic gases (groups T, TF, TC, TO, TFC, TOC) is forbidden.
Gases include, for example, aerosols (hairsprays, deodorants, spray-paints, automotive chemicals), gas cartridges, small gas containers, gas lighters and refill kits, hand extinguishers, pressurised diving bottles and welding shielding gases and flammable gases.
Class 3: Flammable liquids
The maximum total quantity flammable liquids belonging to Group II and Group III is 100 litres of which Group II flammable liquids may account for a total of 60 litres. You may not ship parcels and containers with flammable liquids marked not only with the Class 3 label but also with label 6.1 or 8.
Flammable liquids include, for example, paints, varnishes, thinners, solvents, adhesives, perfume products, oil distillates, gasoline and ethanol-based windscreen washer fluids.
Class 4.1: Flammable solids
The maximum total quantity of Class 4.1 substances marked with danger label 4.1 alone is 50 kg. You are not allowed to ship Class 4.1 substances that require other labels in addition to 4.1, nor any other Class 4 substances.
For example, matches are in Class 4.1.
Class 6.1: Mildly toxic substances
The maximum total quantity of Class 6.1 mildly toxic substances belonging to Group III that you can ship through us is 20 kg. The shipment of other Class 6 substances is prohibited. This class includes, for example, disinfectants and pesticides.
We do not carry infectious substances that belong to Class 6.2.
Infectious substances in Class 6.2 may not be transported on board a coach.
Exceptions to this are laboratory specimens classified under UN 3373.
The official name is BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE, CATEGORY B.
UN 3373 BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE, CATEGORY B, 6.2
Packing is done in accordance with the P650 method described in the ‘Vaarallisten aineiden kuljetus tiellä’ (Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road) manual. The packaging shall consist of three components:
Primary receptacle
Secondary packaging
Outer packaging
In addition, specimens of human and animal origin with a very low probability of being pathogens are not subject to ADR regulations. Exemption is subject to expert assessment. The packaging must indicate: “Exempt human specimen” or “Exempt animal specimen”.
Class 8: Mildly corrosive substances
The maximum total quantity of Class 8 mildly corrosive substances belonging to Group III is 20 kg. Class 8 includes, for example, many batteries, strong cleaners, acids and bases.
Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
The maximum total quantity of Class 9 substances and articles is 50 kg.
This class includes, for example, some batteries, such as lithium batteries, many ready-to-install products and parts, self-inflating life-saving devices and asbestos. Carriage of batteries onboard a bus
We do not carry substances in any of the following classes:
Class 4.2 Highly flammable substances
Class 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
Class 5.1 Oxidising substances
Class 5.2 Organic peroxides
Class 6.2 Infectious substances
Class 7 Radioactive material
If you need to send dangerous goods in quantities that exceed the class limits, you should divide them into multiple shipments to avoid exceeding the maximum level for an individual consignment.
Limited quantities LQ
Limited quantities (LQ) of dangerous goods
When shipped in limited quantities (LQ), dangerous goods are packed in smaller packages. This enables the shipping of otherwise prohibited dangerous on board a coach. However, we can carry dangerous goods in limited quantities only if there is a limit specified for such goods. This LQ limit refers to the maximum size of the inner packaging. For substance-related limits, check the Limited Quantity LQ column in ADR Search.
Dangerous goods may only be packed in an inner packaging that is placed inside an appropriate outer packaging. An intermediate packaging is allowed. In addition, the provisions of section 4.1.5 shall be met for compatibility group S articles in Class 1.4. An inner packaging is not necessary when transporting objects such as aerosols or small gas containers. The total gross weight of the parcel may not exceed 30 kg.
The total gross weight may not exceed 20 kg for shrink-wrapped pallets.
Class 8 liquid substances belonging to Group II whose inner packaging is made of glass, porcelain or ceramic must be packed in a suitable rigid intermediate packaging.
Parcel labelling and address card entries
One side of the parcel should have an LQ label attached. No other markings on the parcel are required.
The address card should state the gross weight of the dangerous goods. Example: “Dangerous goods in limited quantities 5 kg”.
Exceptional quantity (EQ) of dangerous goods
For information on exceptional quantities for packed dangerous goods, see Chapter 3.5 of the ‘Vaarallisten aineiden kuljetus tiellä’ (Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road) manual.
Any amounts carried as exceptional quantities (EQ) are indicated in the Contents/ADR field of the address card as ”Dangerous goods in exceptional quantities”.
Sending ADR shipments
When you send dangerous goods, it is your responsibility as the consignor to complete the address card with statutory and regulatory information on the contents of the parcel. If your consignment contains several different substances classified as dangerous goods, you must pack them together in accordance with the provisions specified in Table A and section 4.1.10 of the Decree of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Indicate the following statutory and regulatory information on the address card:
UN number of the dangerous substance preceded by the characters “UN”
official name of the substance or article in accordance with section 3.1.2 of the Decree of the Ministry of Transport and Communications
transport class and potential additional classification or danger class of Class 1 explosive substances followed by compatibility group character and any packing group provided for the substance or article
abbreviation VAK (or ADR or RID)
number and description of parcels
total quantity of dangerous substances and unit of measurement (volume or gross or net weight)
consignor’s name, address and mobile number
consignee’s name, address and phone number
any special regulation under which the substance or article is exempted from other ADR requirements.
Consignments are not accepted for carriage if
they contain dangerous goods of a quality or quantity which Matkahuolto is not permitted to carry under law and regulations,
the address card entries or package danger labels are incomplete, or
an external visual inspection shows that the packaging is inadequate or leaking.
Danger labels
Only parcels with the following warning labels can be sent through Matkahuolto.
Dangerous goods carried as luggage
Carriage of dangerous substances and articles as luggage on board a coach is regulated by the provisions of section 28 of the Government Decree on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (194/2002).
You must inform the driver if you carry any of the dangerous substances or articles mentioned above in your luggage. Normally, such luggage is placed in the cargo hold for the duration of the trip to minimise the risk.If you need oxygen (UN 1072 OXYGEN, COMPRESSED, or UN 1073 OXYGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID) for medical reasons during the trip, you may carry it regardless of the provisions of Appendix A and B of the ‘Vaarallisten aineiden kuljetus tiellä’ (Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road) manual, provided that the gas cylinders comply with the requirements on construction, inspection approval and labelling.