Removals to Switzerland
Removals to Switzerland are the most particular move in our European range, for one reason: Switzerland isn’t in the EU, so it runs its own customs system rather than the process you’d meet moving to France or Germany. Add Alpine access, car-free resorts and precise Swiss building rules across Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and Zug, and the planning matters. Britannia Sandersteads has run European moves as a family-run firm since 1972 — here’s how removals to Switzerland actually work, what affects the cost, and the questions worth answering before you book.
What's Included in Our Switzerland Removals Service
A move to Switzerland goes entirely by road — loaded in the UK and driven across France or Germany to your Swiss address, since there’s no coastline to ferry into. It’s one of the more involved routes in our European removals service because of the non-EU customs step, so we handle it end to end with our own crew and trusted Swiss delivery partners across the German-, French- and Italian-speaking cantons. The standard at collection in Surrey is the standard at delivery in Zurich or Geneva.
- Dedicated and part-load options by road, with delivery across all 26 cantons — cities, lakesides and Alpine villages alike
- Professional packing and export wrapping in the UK, with a full unpacking service at your Swiss address
- Non-EU customs handled — we prepare the detailed inventory Switzerland requires and advise on the documents and duty-relief position
- UK and Swiss-end storage if there's a gap between moving out and your new home being ready
How removals to Switzerland work
Key Information
Customs: outside the EU
Switzerland’s biggest difference is that it isn’t in the EU, so it runs its own customs system — separate from both the UK and the EU. Your goods clear Swiss customs on arrival, and a detailed, valued inventory is central to that. We prepare it and advise on the duty-relief position, and point you to the Swiss customs authority for the exact rules.
Access in the cities and the Alps
Swiss access splits two ways. In Zurich, Geneva and Basel, city-centre buildings often have restricted vehicle access and lifts that won’t take large furniture, so a smaller vehicle does the final leg. In the mountains, seasonal roads and car-free resorts like Zermatt mean goods transfer to compact electric vehicles or the railway for the last stretch. Tell us the address early.
Storage before shipping
With the customs step and a long road leg, Swiss timings can shift, and your apartment may not be free the day your goods arrive. We can hold everything in our own containerised storage at Godstone before departure, with no minimum period, and our Swiss partners can store it locally until your new home is ready.
What affects the cost of removals to Switzerland?
A Switzerland move is priced on the specifics, never a flat rate. The main factors:
- Volume — the load size sets the vehicle and crew, and drives most of the cost
- Dedicated or part-load — a vehicle to yourself costs more than sharing a scheduled European run
- Packing — full pack, fragile-only part pack, or materials-only, each priced differently
- Route and canton — it's an all-road trip via France or Germany, so how far into Switzerland you're going matters
- Customs — the non-EU clearance and valued inventory add admin an EU move simply doesn't
- Access — a car-free resort, a seasonal Alpine road, or a lift too small for furniture all add time or equipment
- Storage and timing — bridging a gap, or committing to a fixed delivery date, adds cost and reduces give
The honest way to get a real figure is a quick, free survey.
Why Britannia Sandersteads for Switzerland
- Family-run since 1972 and part of the Britannia Cooperative — the UK's largest independent, family-owned removals network, 40+ locations behind your Swiss move
- BAR members, so your removals to Switzerland come with the association's code of practice and free independent dispute resolution
- National Quality Award winners in 2023 and 2024, with your move handled throughout by our own full-time, trained staff — the people who deal with Swiss customs daily
- The same packing and containerised storage standards as our overseas removals and every house move we run
Don't Take Our Word for It
Request Your Free Quote
Send us the details. We aim get back to you within 2 hours during business hours.
01883 741000
info@sandersteads.co.uk
Mon-Fri 7:30am – 5:30pm
How long do removals to Switzerland take?
It’s an all-road trip across France or Germany rather than a sea crossing, so timing depends on the destination canton, the service (dedicated or part-load) and our schedule. We confirm realistic dates at survey, and on a shared load delivery is a window rather than a fixed day.
How does the quote process work?
First comes a free video or in-home survey; with Switzerland’s customs step, getting the inventory and access right from the start matters. You then get a written, itemised quote — crew, vehicle, packing, the road transit, customs and any storage — so nothing surprises you after booking.
Do you pack for me, or do I pack myself?
As much or as little as you want: full pack, a part pack for the fragile and high-value items, or materials only. Everything delicate is export-wrapped for the long road journey and properly listed, so it also stands up to the customs inventory.
Is moving to Switzerland different from an EU country?
Yes, and it’s the main thing to plan for. Switzerland isn’t in the EU, so it runs its own customs system with a detailed, valued inventory and its own duty-relief rules — separate from both the UK and the EU. We prepare the inventory and handle the paperwork; for the exact rules, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security is the authority.
Can you deliver to an Alpine chalet or a car-free resort?
Yes — it’s routine for our Swiss partners. Where a full-size lorry can’t reach — a car-free resort like Zermatt, a narrow Alpine road, or a restricted city-centre street — goods transfer to a smaller or electric vehicle, or the mountain railway, for the final leg. Flag the address at survey so it’s arranged in advance.
Is my move insured in transit?
Cover is arranged as goods-in-transit insurance, separate from your UK home contents. High-value items are best declared and valued individually — which matters twice over here, since the Swiss customs inventory wants values too. We explain it all at quote stage.
Can you store my belongings before shipping?
Yes. If your dates don’t align, we store your belongings in our own containers at Godstone before the drive out, and our Swiss partners can hold them locally until your home is ready. There’s no fixed minimum period.