How high are rents in Basel at the moment?

We do not quote specific rents in Basel , because we have no reliable current source; central locations such as St. Alban or the old town are considered particularly sought after. If you are looking for more choice, also look at municipalities in the Canton of Basel-Landschaft such as Allschwil or Binningen, which are well served by tram.

Which employers shape the @CITY@ job market?

Basel is an international centre of the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, with groups such as Novartis , Roche , Syngenta and Lonza. Then there is the University of Basel , banks such as the Basler Kantonalbank and the Bank for International Settlements, and the trade fair. This makes Basel a sought-after destination for skilled professionals.

How long does a move from Berlin to Basel take?

The route from Berlin-Moabit is around 867 km long and runs via the A9, A4 and A5 to the border at Weil am Rhein. By lorry that is about 13 hours including breaks, so two days. Then there is customs clearance with form 18.44; we give you the fixed price after a survey.

What makes up the quality of life in Basel?

Basel combines culture, nature and business: almost 40 museums, the Rhine banks for swimming and short trips to Alsace or Germany shape daily life. Then there is the Fasnacht carnival, fairs such as Art Basel and a dense tram and bus network – convincing reasons for many newcomers.

Do I need a parking restriction zone for my move to Basel?

In many residential quarters of Basel, especially in the old town and Kleinbasel, a parking ban outside the building makes sense, so that the removal van can stand right at the door. On request we take care of the application to the Canton of Basel-Stadt and plan the process on moving day.

How do I register after moving to Basel?

After moving, you register with the Einwohneramt Basel-Stadt within 14 days; the date of the online booking is what counts. You need to bring ID, your tenancy agreement and documents in German, French, Italian or English. Update your health insurance and BVB season ticket promptly, so that your fresh start succeeds.

Is Basel well served by public transport?

Yes, the Basler Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB) and the BLT connect the quarters by tram and bus. The SBB station is centrally located, with connections to Zurich, Germany and France, plus the Badischer Bahnhof. The EuroAirport makes Basel accessible internationally – handy for commuters and expats.

How much does a long-distance move to Basel from abroad cost?

The cost of a long-distance move to Basel depends on distance, volume and the effort at the border; from Berlin it is around 867 km. After a free survey we give you a fixed price including packing and transport. You will find more on the page Moving Berlin – Basel .

Which quarter suits young working people?

Young professionals are often drawn to Kleinbasel , for example to the Rosental with the Erlenmatt development or to Wettstein, because of modern flats, cafés and short distances to the Rhine. If you work at Novartis or Roche, look for short journeys to your workplace and the nearest tram stop.

How can I find a flat in Basel quickly as a newcomer?

Start your flat search in Basel early and use Swiss property platforms, housing cooperatives and contacts through your employer. Ask your new employer whether they help with finding a flat – some do this for new staff from abroad.

Does your company also offer moves to the Basel region?

Yes, from Berlin we also drive to municipalities around Basel such as Allschwil, Riehen or Binningen and handle the return route to Germany. Our locations page shows destinations with their own pages. We give you the fixed price after a survey, also outside Basel's city limits.

How long do I have in Basel to take out health insurance?

According to the Canton of Basel-Stadt, you must be insured against illness and accident within three months of taking up residence. Certain people can be exempted in favour of health insurance in their country of residence. Household contents and personal liability insurance are not mandatory but are recommended.

When do I have to register my dog in Basel?

According to the canton, you register with the dog control office within 10 days of acquiring the dog or moving in. It is due at the latest when the dog turns three months old. Plan this step straight after registering with the residents' office.

Is there a German course in Basel for newcomers?

According to the canton, you receive the voucher for the German course at the welcome meeting at the residents' office. It covers 80 lessons, is free of charge and valid for twelve months. The requirement is a longer-term stay with a B permit.

Do I have to pay customs duty on my household goods when moving to Basel?

Household goods, vehicles and animals you have owned for at least six months can be imported duty-free as removal goods. For this you need the customs declaration form, proof that you are moving your residence such as an employment or tenancy agreement, and a non-detailed inventory list. Details are on the canton's page «New in the Canton of Basel-Stadt».

How does the resident parking permit work in Basel?

You apply via the eForm «Application for a resident parking card» on eservices.egov.bs.ch. The card is digital and applies to one number plate in the approved zone; it can be used after confirmation by the motor vehicle inspection office or once activated in the ParkSmart Basel app. It does not give you a right to a parking space.

NEW IN BASEL

Basel for Newcomers: Registration Quarters, Daily Life

Q: Which districts are suitable for families in Basel?

Families often live in quieter quarters such as Bruderholz or Bachletten , or in the municipality of Riehen . Gundeldingen is popular because it is close to the SBB station. Ask early about school and childcare places in your chosen quarter; in Riehen you register with the municipal administration.

The guide to your first weeks in Basel: registration, quarters, employers and daily life on the Rhine bend.

Request a Quote

Our Services

Customer Service01625978461

Google · 119 reviews

(5,0/5)

Monday – Friday09:00 – 17:00 Uhr

Red van with a box body on a paved square in front of trees

FROM BERLIN-MOABIT

Guide for newcomers

Basel: Pharma, Museums and the Rhine Where Three Countries Meet

The first few weeks

Unsere Firma brings your household goods from Berlin to Basel – around 867 km via the A9, A4 and A5 to Weil am Rhein – and helps with form 18.44.

Basel lies where Switzerland, Germany and France meet; with 180,097 inhabitants (early 2026), it is Switzerland's third-largest city after Zurich and Geneva. As the home of Novartis and Roche, Basel is a world-leading centre of the pharmaceutical and chemical industry; the Bank for International Settlements also has its headquarters here. Founded in 1460, the University of Basel is the oldest in Switzerland. If you move to Basel, you will find short distances and plenty of culture.

Basel is known as the «city of museums»: almost 40 museums in the canton, including the Kunstmuseum Basel, and the annual Art Basel shape its cultural life. In summer, the banks of the Rhine and the riverside buvettes (kiosk bars) invite you to swim in the Rhine. The EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg connects the city with international destinations. In the first weeks, what counts is registration, health insurance and customs; our home removal service takes care of the transport from Berlin.

Sofa wrapped in stretch film, cushions and stacked moving boxes in an empty flat

€50DISCOUNT

MOVING TO SWITZERLAND

PERSONAL CONSULTATION

Fixed Price for Your Move to Basel – Enquire Now

After a survey, liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB)

Whether it is a room in a shared flat in Kleinbasel or a family flat in Grossbasel – we give you the fixed price for your long-distance move from Berlin after a survey. We clarify access in quarters such as St. Alban or Gundeldingen and the parking ban for moving day with you in advance. Call us without obligation on 01625978461 and secure your preferred date.

Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.

Two movers in red T-shirts lifting a film-wrapped piece of furniture into a lorry

FROM BERLIN

Your Move from Berlin to Basel

Customs, access, assembly

We set off from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and drive around 867 km to Basel via the A9, A4 and A5 to the Weil am Rhein border crossing; by lorry that is about 13 hours including breaks, so two days. At the border you present form 18.44 for removal goods; we draw up the inventory list with you while packing. In older buildings in the city centre and the narrow lanes of Kleinbasel we plan carrying distances, and in new builds such as in the Erlenmatt quarter, lift and access. We give you the fixed price after a survey; for your belongings we accept liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB). Destinations with their own pages can be found in our locations overview.

Packing Service

We pack crockery, books and electronics and note the contents for the customs list – in Basel everything goes into the right room, with our packing service.

Office Move

If you change jobs to Basel and bring a small office with you, we plan files, technology and furniture with you in one appointment – with our office move.

Senior Move

When parents move to their children in Basel, we help with sorting, packing and furnishing the new flat – calmly planned with our senior move.

Furniture Transport

We bring artworks, a piano or a wardrobe to Basel padded and reassemble furniture – with our furniture transport from Berlin.

BASEL CHECKLIST

Six steps for newcomers

These points belong on your list when moving to Basel. The information comes from the Canton of Basel-Stadt and the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security; rates and deadlines may change, so check them before your appointment.

Register within 14 days

Register with the residents' office (Einwohneramt) within 14 days; the date of the online booking is what counts. Registration costs CHF 25 per person.

Health insurance within 3 months

Within three months of taking up residence you must be insured against illness and accident; certain people can apply to be exempted.

Removal goods

Household goods, vehicles and animals you have owned for at least six months cross the border duty-free – with the customs form.

Buy the BebbiSagg

Household waste goes into the blue BebbiSagg from Migros, Coop or Denner; bulky waste needs stickers at CHF 5 per 10 kilograms.

German course voucher

If you stay longer with a B permit, you receive a voucher for 80 German lessons at the welcome meeting, free of charge and valid for twelve months.

Dog and parking card

You register dogs with the dog control office within 10 days; the resident parking card is digital, for a car with a Basel number plate.

FOR SMALL LOADS

Save with a part load

Small move, small price

With a shared load to Basel, you share load space and travel costs with other jobs heading for Switzerland. It suits students at the University of Basel, temporary flats or individual pieces of furniture. Even for a few boxes, you need the customs form with an inventory list at the border; we agree collection in Berlin and delivery in Basel in time windows.

Open cargo area of a red lorry with packed furniture, panels and boxes

CANTON OF BASEL-STADT

Basel
for Newcomers

Methodical and reliable

Besides finding a flat, a move to Basel involves matters such as registering with the residents' office, health insurance and a season ticket from the Basler Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB). If you move from abroad, for example for a job in the pharmaceutical sector, you receive your residence permit through registration; biometric data are recorded at the appointment. The choice of quarter also shapes commuting times and daily life. Our long-distance moves page covers the route and customs when moving from Germany.

Choosing a neighbourhood

Old town, Gundeldingen or Kleinbasel: the address determines access, lift and carrying distances. For a home removal, senior move or student move to Basel, we plan vehicle and team accordingly.

Customs and moving day

With our packing service, furniture transport and, if needed, a small transport, the day stays manageable – the inventory list for customs is drawn up while packing.

Businesses and special cases

For an office move, company relocation, public authority move, shared load or furniture taxi to Basel, we agree time windows, customs clearance and parking ban in advance.

Mover in red workwear pushing a sack truck with a box towards a stack of boxes

MoabitLocation: Stromstraße 21

Google 5.0 (119 reviews)

Two movers in dungarees carrying moving boxes through a bright flat

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Living in Basel

Quarters, rents, work, registration and daily life in Basel.

Families often live in quieter quarters such as Bruderholz or Bachletten, or in the municipality of Riehen. Gundeldingen is popular because it is close to the SBB station. Ask early about school and childcare places in your chosen quarter; in Riehen you register with the municipal administration.

@CITY@ districts at a glance

Basel is divided into 19 residential quarters: those on the left bank of the Rhine belong to Grossbasel, including the Altstadt, St. Alban, Gundeldingen, Bachletten, Iselin and the Bruderholz; those on the right bank to Kleinbasel, such as Wettstein, Klybeck and the Rosental with the new Erlenmatt development. Riehen and Bettingen are separate municipalities in the Canton of Basel-Stadt.

Kleinbasel is considered younger and more multicultural, with cafés and direct access to the Rhine; Bruderholz and Bachletten are quieter residential areas. If you live in Riehen or Bettingen, you register with the respective municipal administration. We do not quote specific rents, because we have no reliable current source.

Housing Market and Rents in Basel

The housing market in Basel is in demand, not least because of the pharmaceutical and research sector with employers such as Novartis, Roche, Syngenta and Lonza. We do not quote specific rents without a reliable source; compare offers on Swiss property portals and with housing cooperatives.

If you are looking for more choice, also look at neighbouring Baselland, for example Allschwil or Binningen, which are served by BVB or BLT trams. Starting your search early significantly increases your chances of finding a suitable home before your moving date – and therefore of meeting the registration deadline without stress.

A price overview at a glance

Type of move	Price from
1 room	€359
2 rooms	€594
3 rooms	€879
4 rooms	€1,299
House/villa	individual
Long-distance move	€3.80/km

Enquire without obligation: free survey.

Moving costs: the most important price factors

Volume
Per-kilometre rate from €3.80
Floor and lift situation
Need for a parking restriction zone

Available as options: furniture assembly and shared load.

Moving service – individual for you

We align our offer entirely with your wishes – here our core services:

Home move: home move – for your new chapter of life
Move with assembly: move with assembly – furnished turnkey
Company move: company move – organised smoothly
Part load: part load – for smaller quantities
Furniture transport: furniture transport – safely packed and transported
Clearance: clearance – fast and thorough

From Berlin to Basel – and Back

We set off from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and drive to Switzerland – to Basel it is around 867 km. The route and customs are described on the page Moving Berlin – Basel; further destinations are shown in the locations overview.

Registering in Basel: Residents' Office, Deadline and Fee

If you move to Basel, according to the Canton of Basel-Stadt you must register with the residents' office (Einwohneramt) within 14 days. What counts is the date of the online booking of the appointment, not the appointment itself. The online registration form has five steps, takes about 15 minutes and cannot be saved part-way. Depending on your details, digital registration via eUmzug is possible; otherwise you attend in person. Registration costs 25 francs per person; the Migration Office invoices the fee for the foreigner's identity card separately.

Location: Einwohneramt, Spiegelgasse 6, 4051 Basel. From 2 November 2026, the counters will be in temporary premises on Schwarzwaldallee, opposite the main entrance of the Badischer Bahnhof. In Riehen and Bettingen you register with the respective municipal administration.
Language of documents: documents must be in German. Certificates and register extracts are also accepted in French, Italian or English; other languages need a translation.
Moving from abroad: biometric data (fingerprints and photo) are recorded at the appointment.

According to the canton, you must take out health insurance within three months of taking up residence. Household goods, vehicles and animals you have owned for at least six months can be imported duty-free as removal goods; for this you submit the customs declaration form. Read more about the border process in our moving checklist for Switzerland.

Daily Life in Basel: Bebbi-Sagg, Bulky Waste and Resident Parking Card

In Basel, household waste goes into the blue «BebbiSagg», available in 10, 17, 35 and 60 litres. According to the canton, since 1 January 2026 the 35-litre bag has cost CHF 2.70 and the 60-litre bag CHF 4.65. You can buy the bags at Migros, Coop and Denner, for example. Put them out at the kerbside on your quarter's collection day, from 7 pm the evening before or by 7 am in the morning. Kitchen waste goes into the Bioklappe (organic waste flap); for this you need a chip card (one-off CHF 20) and the Basel organic waste bags.

Bulky waste is chargeable: one sticker at CHF 5 covers up to 10 kilograms, two cover up to 20 kilograms. You book the collection by 12 noon the day before via the cleanliness hotline 061 267 10 00 or online.

The resident parking card works like this: it is issued for a vehicle registered to you in the respective zone, for a period of one to twelve months. According to the canton, people who have moved from abroad also count as residents. From 1 January 2027, the card for a small vehicle (up to 3,899 mm) with a Basel number plate costs CHF 30 per month or CHF 360 per year, plus a CHF 20 processing fee. The card does not entitle you to a parking space. For moving day we plan a parking restriction zone if needed. Further guidance is offered by the moving guide for Basel.

City Guides

Beste Umzug Redaktion

October 16, 2026

Back to Blog

City Guides Basel Flat Hunting

Moving to Basel: Costs, Process & Districts