Long-Distance Move Berlin – Aarau: Route Customs, Duration
From Berlin to Aarau
Moving to Aarau: customs, registration and the old town under control
Guide
A move to Aarau takes you out of the EU: Switzerland is not part of the EU customs union, so your household goods are declared at the border as removal goods. They are duty-free if you move your residence to Switzerland and have used the items yourself for at least six months and continue to use them. For this you need form 18.44, an inventory list and proof such as an employment or tenancy contract. Newly bought furniture, alcohol and tobacco are subject to their own rules and must be listed separately. More about our cross-border moves can be found under International move.
We come from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and drive around 844 km via the A9, A6 and A81 to the High Rhine and on into Aargau. With the lorry, that is about 13 hours including breaks – more than one day's driving time, so with two drivers or an overnight stop. We go through the inventory list with you during the survey and then give you a fixed price. The route in detail is described under Moving Berlin – Aarau.
Request a fixed price for your move to Aarau
Survey, inventory list, fixed price
Call us on 01625978461 and arrange a survey for your long-distance move to Aarau. We record the volume, go through the inventory list for customs with you and give you a fixed price including the Swiss heavy vehicle charge (LSVA) and a second driver.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
What we take on for a move to Aarau
Transport from Berlin, formalities together
We do not have a branch in Switzerland; we drive with the lorry from Berlin-Moabit to Aarau. We take care of packing, transport and reassembly and plan the border crossing during the opening hours of the customs office for commercial goods. You sign form 18.44 yourself; we put together the inventory list with you during the survey. For your goods, we are liable under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre; additional insurance is possible. Places with their own pages can be found under Locations.
Packing Service
Office Move
Senior Move
Furniture Transport
What should be done before the border
For customs clearance into Switzerland, you need an inventory list of your goods and the signed form 18.44. Both form the basis for duty-free import – together with proof that you are actually moving your residence to Aarau.
Inventory list
Six months of use
Proof of residence
Deregistering in Berlin
Registration within 14 days
Health insurance within three months
Move affordably with a part load
A shared load splits the transport costs on the long route to Aarau, because your goods travel with other consignments. For customs, you still need your own inventory list and form 18.44; a time window applies to the delivery date.
Everything
for your move
This guide covers what distinguishes a move to Aarau from a move within Germany: customs with form 18.44, registration with the municipality, residence permit and health insurance. It also covers delivery times in the traffic-free old town and the disposal of bulky items. The route itself is described on our page about long-distance moves; private moves within Berlin can be found under Private move.
Deadlines around the border crossing
Inventory list and packing
Costs across the border
Frequent questions
Customs and formalities when moving to Switzerland
As Switzerland is not part of the EU, the household goods are declared at the border for a move to Aarau. They remain duty-free as removal goods if you move your residence to Switzerland and have used the items yourself for at least six months. You present the completed form 18.44 and an inventory list; as proof of residence, an employment contract, tenancy agreement or the deregistration confirmation from Berlin is sufficient, for example.
As an EU citizen, you do not have to apply for a residence permit in advance: you register with the municipality within 14 days of arrival and before starting work, and the permit follows afterwards. For a job of at least one year or an open-ended one, this is usually residence permit B.
Aarau as a destination: capital of Aargau on the Aare
Aarau is the capital of the canton of Aargau and lies on the Aare, on the edge of the Swiss Plateau towards the Jura. The old town is known for its painted gables and is largely traffic-free; the removal van may only enter at certain delivery times. There is also the large Telli housing estate in the north-east and, since 2010, the district of Rohr.
Besides customs, health insurance is the main difference: anyone living in Switzerland must take out basic insurance under the KVG within three months. Also clarify early how your income will be taxed in future – ideally with a tax adviser who knows both countries.
Fair prices, clear figures
We rely on fairness and clarity: we move a 1-room flat from €369, a 2-room flat from €609. With 3 rooms, costs start from €879, with 4 rooms from €1,309. For a house or villa, there is an individual quote tailored to your situation. We charge long-distance moves from €3.95/km. The easiest way to clarify everything else is a free survey.
How your moving price is composed
The deciding factors are above all the volume of your household goods and the distance between the old and new address, which is charged at €3.95/km. On top of that come the floor, lift and a possible parking restriction zone. If you also book furniture assembly or a shared load, you should factor this into the calculation.
All-round service for your move
You can book these services for your move to Aarau individually or together.
- House clearance (House clearance): We create space wherever needed.
- Private move (Private move): For a stress-free change of home.
- Office move (Office move): Professional for your business.
- Moving with assembly (Moving with assembly): A complete service including assembly.
- Furniture transport (Furniture transport): Safe and fast.
- Shared load (Shared load): The affordable alternative.
More routes from Berlin
We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), including to Switzerland. Via the locations overview you will find places with their own pages; for longer routes, read more under Long-distance moves. We plan the return journey from Aargau to Berlin in the same way, with an export inventory list.
Route Berlin – Aarau: customs with form 18.44 and vehicle rules
Aarau lies in Switzerland, and therefore outside the EU. According to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS, BAZG), household goods, collections, pets and the car can only be imported duty-free if you move your residence to Switzerland. You must also have personally used the items for at least 6 months and continue to use them after import.
At the border customs office, you present the completed form 18.44. According to the FOCBS, an employment contract, a tenancy agreement or a deregistration confirmation from your previous place of residence is sufficient proof of residence for EU citizens, for example. Clearance takes place during the opening hours of the customs offices for commercial goods. The FOCBS only offers an optional advance check of the dossier (at least 2 working days before the border crossing) at the Mendrisiotto (Stabio-Confine), Vedeggio and Chiasso-Strada customs offices; you must then cross the border there.
You clear your car at the first border crossing after changing residence at a staffed customs office. For registration, customs issues form 13.20 A, which you present at the cantonal road traffic office. The customs information service can be reached on +41 58 467 15 15 (Monday to Friday, 8 to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 to 5 p.m.).
On the EU section of the route, Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 applies: a maximum of 9 hours of driving per day, and a break of at least 45 minutes after 4.5 hours. More on this in our guide to customs and formalities when moving to Switzerland.
Aarau on site: old town access, registration and bulky items
Aarau's old town is traffic-free; a ban applies to motor vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds, with the exception of the public bus, taxis on order and journeys approved by the police. According to the city, deliveries and goods handling are permitted Monday to Friday from 6 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 6 to 11 a.m. If you want to move outside these times, you can obtain a day permit from the Aarau city police.
For registration: if you are moving from another municipality in Aargau, the city asks you to deregister and register online via e-Umzug (eumzug.swiss). Foreign nationals need a passport or identity card, foreign national permit, tenancy agreement, birth certificate, marriage certificate if applicable and the deregistration confirmation for the counter appointment. The city office can be reached on 062 843 45 72 or by email at [email protected]. Dog owners also register their dog at the online counter; according to the city, the dog tax is CHF 120 per year.
When clearing out: bulky single items need a fee sticker costing CHF 6.50, available at the reception of the city office. The item may measure no more than 200 x 50 x 50 cm and weigh about 25 kg.
Further information on neighbourhoods and everyday life can be found in our guide to Aarau and in the guide to moving to Aarau.
Related Articles