11 EUR · 10 US · one tier
How Many Pallets Fit in a 20 ft Container?
A 20 ft container takes 11 EUR pallets (1.2 × 0.8 m) or 10 US pallets (1.219 × 1.016 m) in a single floor tier. If your loaded pallets stand no taller than ~1.19 m, double-stacking doubles those counts — weight permitting.
The interior that produces those numbers: 5.898 m long × 2.352 m wide × 2.393 m high.
The loading pattern
EUR pallets load as two bands running the length of the container. Band one: 7 pallets turned, short side (0.8 m) along the length — 7 × 0.8 m = 5.6 m, inside the 5.898 m interior. Band two: 4 pallets straight, long side (1.2 m) along the length — 4 × 1.2 m = 4.8 m. Across the width the bands take 1.2 + 0.8 = 2.0 m, comfortably within 2.352 m. Total: 7 + 4 = 11 pallets. Our pallet calculator runs the same pattern search for any pallet size.
US pallets: two columns of five, 1.016 m side across the width (2 × 1.016 = 2.03 m fits in 2.352 m), 5 × 1.219 m = 6.09 m — just over, so 4 per column plus 2 turned = 10.
When weight caps the count
Eleven EUR pallets of 1,000 kg each are 11 t — fine. Eleven at 2,500 kg are 27.5 t, at the edge of the container’s ~28 t payload and far beyond most road limits. For dense palletised cargo, count kilograms before counting floor spots.
Frequently asked questions
How many Euro pallets fit in a 20 ft container?
11 EUR pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) floor-loaded in one tier; 22 if the load height and weight allow double-stacking.
How many standard US pallets fit in a 20 ft container?
10 pallets of 48″ × 40″ in one tier — two columns of four lengthwise plus two turned.
Can you double-stack pallets in a 20 ft container?
Yes, if each loaded pallet stands no taller than ~1.19 m — two tiers then fit the 2.393 m internal height, giving 22 EUR pallets. The bottom tier must bear the top tier’s weight, and the total must stay inside the ~28 t payload and your road limits.