Lausanne for Newcomers: Registration Métro, Nursery
Lausanne for newcomers
New on Lake Geneva: How to Settle In to Lausanne
The first few weeks
Lausanne is the capital of the canton of Vaud and the fourth-largest city in Switzerland; it climbs steeply from the lakeshore at Ouchy up to the Jorat plateau. The official language is French. With the University of Lausanne in Dorigny, EPFL and the CHUV university hospital, Lausanne is a major centre of education and healthcare, plus the Federal Supreme Court and the International Olympic Committee. This guide sorts out the first weeks: registration, health insurance, flat-hunting, Métro, nursery and bulky waste. We handle the transport as a home removal.
We have no branch in Switzerland: we come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and carry out moves to Lausanne and back. To cross the border as a new resident you need form 18.44 and an inventory list; household effects that you have used yourself for at least six months remain duty-free. Your belongings are covered under the HGB (§ 451e: €620 per m³), with additional insurance on request. We clarify early where the lorry may stand in front of the new address. Route and customs procedure are described on the page Moving Berlin – Lausanne.
Request a Quote for Your Move to Lausanne – at a Fixed Price
Fixed price after a survey, with customs papers
Call us on 01625978461 or request a free survey online. Afterwards we give you a fixed price for your move to Lausanne – whether a studio near Dorigny or a flat in an old building in the Cité. Steep access roads, floor and carrying distance are included, as is clearance at the border.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
Before Moving Day in Lausanne
Customs, hillside, parking permit
We come from Berlin and bring your household goods to Lausanne. Before moving day we go through form 18.44 and the inventory list for customs with you, clarify how steep and narrow the access to the new address is and whether a parking permit from the city is needed in front of the building. In Switzerland, heavy lorries are banned from driving at night and on Sundays and public holidays; we set the delivery day accordingly. We give you the price after the survey (fixed price), and your belongings are covered under the HGB.
Packing Service
Office Move
Student moves
Furniture Transport
Six First Steps in Lausanne
These tasks come up after moving to Lausanne – from registration to the déchèterie (waste centre) card. Information on deadlines comes from the City of Lausanne and the State Secretariat for Migration; check the current status before your appointment.
Register with the Contrôle des habitants
Take out health insurance
Prepare your application file
Use the Métro and buses
Sign up for a nursery place
Dispose of bulky waste
Shared Load to Lausanne
If you are moving to Lausanne to study at UNIL or EPFL or for a first job with little furniture, you do not have to pay for a whole lorry. With a shared load you use free loading space on a trip towards French-speaking Switzerland; we agree the delivery day and customs papers in advance, and your belongings are covered under the HGB here too.
Lausanne
for newcomers
New in Lausanne, many questions come up at once: how do I register with the Contrôle des habitants, and by when do I need health insurance? Where can I get advice in German? How do I find a home in a tight housing market, and when do I need to sign my child up with Réseau-L? We have summarised the City of Lausanne's information below. For the move itself we advise you on schedule, customs papers, hillside locations and packing so that everything fits on moving-in day in your new home on Lake Geneva.
Paperwork in the first few days
Moving in on a hillside and in the old town
Companies, practices and special cases
Frequently Asked Questions About Living in Lausanne
The Neighbourhoods of Lausanne
The historic centre is formed by the neighbourhoods of La Cité with the cathedral, Le Bourg, La Palud, Saint-Laurent and Le Pont. On the lakeshore lie Ouchy, Vidy and Cour, and to the west on the lowest terrace Malley; to the north on the plateau La Blécherette and Bellevaux, and to the east Chailly and La Sallaz. The city has grown seamlessly together with neighbouring municipalities such as Renens, Prilly, Pully and Epalinges.
The hillside location shapes everyday life: many routes lead steeply uphill, and Métro M2 connects Ouchy with the station and the upper neighbourhoods. We deliberately do not quote reliable rent figures; compare offers and check the route and connections before you accept.
Living, Studying and Working in Lausanne
The Lausanne housing market is tight. Search early via portals and property management agencies (régies), have a complete application file ready and stay flexible on neighbourhood and neighbouring municipality. Employers and points of attraction include the University of Lausanne in Dorigny, EPFL, the CHUV university hospital, the École hôtelière, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the International Olympic Committee.
Public transport is run by the tl with Métro M1 and M2, trolleybuses and buses, plus the RER Vaud suburban rail network. Lausanne's SBB station is one of the most important hubs in Switzerland, with fast trains to almost every part of the country and a TGV line to Paris. We schedule the moving date to match the flat handover.
Moving Prices by Flat Size
| Type of home | Cost from |
|---|---|
| 1-room flat | €344 |
| 2-room flat | €589 |
| 3-room flat | €879 |
| 4-room flat | €1,324 |
| House/villa | individual quote |
We charge long-distance moves separately from €4.15/km. It is best to clarify the details during a free survey.
What Determines the Price of Your Move
Volume, distance and structural conditions such as floor or lift are decisive for the final price. We charge the route from €4.15/km, plus a parking restriction zone if required. Optional services such as furniture assembly or a shared load round off the offer.
Services for your move to Switzerland
We offer you more than just transport – we take care of every detail of your move.
- Home removal: for your move to a new home – Home removal
- Move with assembly: we assemble your furniture on site – Move with assembly
- Company relocation: efficient solutions for businesses – Company relocation
- House clearance: we create order and space – House clearance
- Shared load: save on smaller transports – Shared load
- Furniture transport: safely and quickly to your destination – Furniture transport
From Berlin to Lake Geneva – and Back
We come from Berlin-Moabit and carry out moves to Switzerland as well as back to Germany, both private and commercial. Destinations with their own page are shown in the locations overview, details on long routes on the page long-distance moves.
Registration and Health Insurance in Lausanne After Moving In
In Lausanne, registration is handled by the city's Service du contrôle des habitants (residents' registration office). The city offers a welcome page for newcomers (“Bienvenue à Lausanne”) and gives the number +41 21 315 11 11 and [email protected] for questions; for questions about arrival it refers to +41 21 315 31 33. A specific registration deadline in days is not stated on the city's pages, so clarify it directly with the residents' office.
Important for newcomers from abroad is compulsory health insurance. According to the City of Lausanne, everyone resident in Switzerland must be insured within three months of taking up residence. If you come from abroad, you receive a letter from the Agence d'assurances sociales asking for proof of insurance. For people from EU and EFTA states the obligation depends on the place of employment, and for some neighbouring countries there is a right to choose. You can reach the agency in Lausanne on +41 21 315 71 00.
- You can apply for a certificate of residence (“attestation de domicile”) at the residents' office; for spouses or minor children, present both IDs.
- Deregistration when moving away is possible no earlier than 30 days before the departure date.
The route from Germany and the costs are explained in our long-distance moving guide to Lausanne.
Everyday Life in Lausanne: Advice in Your Language, Nursery Places and Bulky Waste
The Bureau lausannois pour les immigrés (BLI), Place de la Riponne 10, offers an information point in several languages. According to the city, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese are available without an appointment; other languages, including German, only by appointment with an interpreter. Opening hours are Mondays from 5 to 7 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 12 noon. There is also the multilingual brochure “Vivre à Lausanne”.
Réseau-L is responsible for childcare. Nursery care covers children aged 0 to 4. At least one parent must have their main residence in Lausanne. You can register from the fourth month of pregnancy until one year before the desired start of care, and when moving to Lausanne also up to six months before the move.
- Send the form by email to [email protected] or hand it in at the Guichet info familles, Place Chauderon 9.
- According to the city, confirmation arrives within 10 to 15 days; being entered on the central waiting list does not guarantee a place.
- The fee depends on household composition and income.
The Macadam service collects bulky waste from your home by appointment (for a contribution), or alternatively you use the déchèteries with a free personal access card. More information on the neighbourhoods is in our Lausanne moving guide.
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