Turnhout for newcomers: Kempen town with a béguinage the R13 ring road and ten parking zones
Newcomer's Guide to Turnhout
Turnhout: a fresh start in the Belgian Kempen
The first few weeks
Turnhout lies in the Kempen, a region between northern Belgium and the south of the Netherlands, and belongs to the province of Antwerp. The town of just over 45,000 inhabitants calls itself the "Speelkaartenstad" (Playing Card City), because Cartamundi, one of the world's leading playing card manufacturers, is based here. The historic centre is home to the Sint-Pieterskerk, the Castle of the Dukes of Brabant – now a courthouse – and the 13th-century béguinage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Turnhout is conveniently located on the E34 between Antwerp and the Ruhr area.
A move to Turnhout from Germany is a change within the EU: household goods do not need customs papers, but you do need to register with the town. We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and handle packing, transport and furniture assembly at a fixed price after a survey; your belongings are covered under the HGB. Suitable services can be found under home removal and international move. That way you can start your new life in the Kempen relaxed.
A no-obligation fixed-price quote for your move to Turnhout
Transparent, covered under the HGB
Call us on 01625978461: after the survey you receive an individual fixed-price quote with no later surcharges. Your belongings are covered under the HGB, and additional insurance is available. An overview of destinations with their own page can be found under Locations.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
How we prepare your move
Permit, access, date
We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and accompany your move to Turnhout, whether within Belgium or as a long-distance move from Germany. According to the town, a removal van on public land needs a permit for the use of public space – we give you the vehicle length and time window for this. We give you the fixed price after the survey, and your belongings are covered under the HGB. There are no customs papers within the EU; you take care of registering with the town yourself, and we schedule the delivery day to match. More under long-distance moves.
Packing Service
Permit
Senior Move
Furniture assembly
Your Turnhout list
From registering with the town to the residents' card: these points belong on your list after moving to Turnhout. We calculate the transport after the survey with a fixed price, and your belongings are covered under the HGB.
Register
Put your name on the door
Book an eID appointment
Residents' card
Childcare
Discover the city
Shared load to the Kempen
What
newcomers should settle early
If you move to Turnhout, you register with the town and think early about a Belgian health insurance fund (ziekenfonds/mutualiteit). The online notification includes a compulsory section on waste bins (DIFTAR). Since January 2026, residents in new paid or blue zones have needed a residents' card. It is best to arrange internet and electricity contracts before your moving date. We support you with your home removal from the first plan to the last box – more under home removal.
Choosing a quarter
Organising moving day
Businesses and special cases
Questions about living in Turnhout
Centre, wijken and villages in Turnhout
The centre of Turnhout around the Grote Markt has historic buildings, cafés and short distances; from the 1950s the R13 ring road was built, its last section being completed in 1990. According to the town, the town centre is divided into ten residents' zones from A to J. The town also includes neighbourhoods (wijken) and villages such as the Parkwijk, Zevendonk, Schorvoort and Baarle-Heide. The Stadskantoor (town office) is located on the Campus Blairon, the former Majoor Blairon barracks.
We deliberately do not give reliable current rent figures here; compare offers yourself. According to Dutch Wikipedia, Turnhout is the third-largest town in the province of Antwerp; around 1,450 of its residents are Dutch nationals – the border is close. For your move, find out early whether your street is in a paid or blue zone. The town's web pages are in Dutch – plan your forms accordingly.
Working and leisure in Turnhout
Turnhout is a centre of the graphics industry and home to the Flemish Innovation Centre for the Graphic Industry. Playing cards have been produced here since 1826, today mainly by Cartamundi. Then there is paper processing, the metal and electrical industries, food processing and logistics; the sealant manufacturer Soudal has its headquarters and main production here. Turnhout is also a regional centre with several educational institutions.
Leisure and culture are provided by the 13th-century béguinage, the Gothic Sint-Pieterskerk, the Castle of the Dukes of Brabant, Art Nouveau houses and the water tower from 1904. By car, the town lies on the E34, which since 1973 has linked Antwerp via Eindhoven with the Ruhr area; the station is a neo-Gothic building. The surrounding Kempen landscape invites you to go cycling. The town made history in 1597, when Maurice of Orange defeated the Spanish here.
Guide prices for moving to Turnhout
- Compact move (1 room): from €339
- Standard move (2 rooms): from €584
- Family move (3 rooms): from €905
- Large move (4 rooms): from €1,289
- Premium move (house/villa): individual quote
- Long-distance move nationwide: from €4.25/km
Get no-obligation advice – arrange a free survey now.
What determines the price for Turnhout
- Moving volume: number of boxes and pieces of furniture
- Distance: from €4.25/km
- Floor and lift
- Parking restriction zone on site
Further services such as furniture assembly and a shared load can be added to the price.
Services for your move to Belgium
Our range of services
We cover all areas around the move professionally.
- Clearance: We clear up, you start fresh. Clearance
- Move with assembly: Everything from a single source. Move with assembly
- Furniture transport: Safe and gentle. Furniture transport
- Part load: Cheap and flexible. Part load
- Home move: Personal and reliable. Home move
- Business move: Efficient and plannable. Business move
From Berlin to the Kempen
We come from Berlin-Moabit and handle moves within Germany and abroad. Take a look at the locations overview, and for longer distances we recommend our long-distance moves.
Registering your residence in Turnhout: deadline, form and wijkagent
According to the Town of Turnhout, a move to Turnhout must be reported within 8 working days. You can report it online, but only after you have actually moved in. One adult can submit it for the whole household; you need a valid ID card with a national register number (Rijksregisternummer). The form asks, among other things, for your previous and new address, whether you are an owner or tenant, and for everyone in the household. It also contains a compulsory section on waste bins (DIFTAR).
Afterwards, a neighbourhood police officer (wijkagent) or an official checks that you really live there; in the form you state when you are usually at home. The officer may come at a different time. Notes such as holidays or a broken doorbell go in the comments field. Only after the check do you make an appointment with Burgerzaken in the Stadskantoor to change the address on your eID. Only cards issued before 1 January 2022 need the PIN code. You no longer have to change your vehicle documents.
- Burgerzaken works by appointment only: Campus Blairon 200, 014 44 33 65, [email protected].
- The town does not state a fee for the change of address.
- The town's web pages are in Dutch.
The route is described in our long-distance moving guide for Turnhout, and costs and districts in the Turnhout guide.
Centre, parking and everyday life in Turnhout
According to the town, Turnhout's town centre has ten residents' zones from A to J. With the residents' card you park free of charge in all streets of your zone. The station car parks are in zones A and E, zone F has no parking spaces, and its card holders park in A to D. Some entries in I and J apply "binnen de ring", i.e. inside the ring road. In the fee-paying zones, you pay from 9.00 to 20.00, except on Sundays and public holidays.
A new parking scheme has applied since 1 January 2026: streets now in a paid or blue zone require a residents' card. The first card is free, one per house number, and the second costs €125 per year. The card is digitally linked to your number plate and renewed annually. It is issued by the Parkeerwinkel Moovia, P.J. Brepolsplein 20 (Parking Turnova, level -1), or via the E-Loket.
- Visitor cards: 100 per address per year, free of charge, each valid for one hour in your zone.
- Moving day: a removal van on public land needs a permit for the use of public space.
- Neighbourhood: neighbourhood coaches (buurtcoaches) and local associations help you settle in.
For comparison, see Living in Tilburg and Living in Ostend.
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