Long-Distance Move Berlin – Bern: Route Customs, Duration

Since Switzerland is not part of the EU, your belongings are declared at customs on entry. What counts is form 18.44 "Customs assessment of removal goods": household goods remain 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. This includes a complete inventory list, which we go through with you during the survey, and proof of the change of residence. EU citizens do not need an assurance of a residence permit for this.

The car counts as removal goods if you have used it for at least six months; you need Swiss number plates after one year at the latest. For dogs and cats from the EU, the BLV requires a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a pet passport. Who handles clearance at the border is set out in our quote, so that there is no delay there.

From Stromstraße in Moabit it is around 959 km: west on the A9 and A4, on the A5 through the Rhine valley to Basel and then via the Swiss A2 and A1 to Bern. The lorry needs about 14.5 hours including breaks. In Switzerland, lorries over 3.5 t are subject to a night-time and Sunday driving ban and to the LSVA heavy vehicle charge; we therefore plan with two drivers or an overnight stop and a border crossing on a working day.

The costs depend on volume, floor, access and additional services such as a furniture lift, packing or assembly; on top of that come the route, the LSVA and border clearance. After a free survey – at your front door in Berlin or by video – we give you a fixed price in which these items are listed individually. At the destination we unload and, on request, reassemble the furniture. More under private move.

• 1 room: from €339 – ideal for students and singles
• 2 rooms: from €589 – for couples and small households
• 3 rooms: from €889 – for families
• 4 rooms: from €1,329 – for larger households
• House/villa: individual quote as required
• Long-distance move: from €4.15/km for longer distances

We are happy to discuss the details during a free survey.

From the amount of belongings (volume) and the distance (from €4.15/km) to the floor with or without a lift – all of this affects the final price. A parking restriction zone also helps make moving day efficient. Further services such as furniture assembly or a shared load round off the offer.

We plan moves from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21). Places with their own pages can be found in our locations overview, and long routes such as the one to Bern under long-distance moves. We also plan the return trip to Berlin.

For the duty-free import of belongings to Bern, according to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), form 18.44 ("Customs assessment of removal goods") is what counts. You present it to the customs office of entry, and assessment takes place during the opening hours of the customs offices for commercial goods.

The prerequisite is moving your residence to Switzerland. The items must have been used by you personally for at least six months and continue to be used after import. According to the BAZG, people moving in from the EU and EFTA states do not need an assurance of a residence permit. You prove the change of residence, for example, with an employment contract, tenancy agreement or deregistration certificate from the country of departure.

For the car: customs clearance takes place at the vehicle's first border crossing into Switzerland at a staffed office, also with form 18.44. For registration with the road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt), customs issues test report 13.20 A. If the conditions for removal goods are not met, a customs permit (form 15.30) allows the vehicle to be used for a maximum of two years without clearance; Swiss number plates must then be applied for after one year at the latest.

Open questions are answered by the information centre on +41 58 467 15 15. For the rest of the process, read our guide to customs and formalities for Switzerland.

According to the city of Bern, for parking on moving day you "may" need an access and parking permit for moves; the application is available as a PDF download. A parking space can be marked as a no-parking area with signs. The page does not state fees, so ask about them in advance. General information on closing off spaces can be found under parking restriction zone.

In the Lower Old Town, different parking rules apply to visitors, residents and businesses depending on the user group. Bundesplatz, Bärenplatz, Waisenhausplatz, Aarbergergasse, Neuengasse, Rathausgasse, Brunngasse, Kramgasse, Münstergasse and Herrengasse currently have no parking spaces. Queries are answered by the traffic planning department on +41 31 321 70 70.

You must register at the residents' services, Predigergasse 5, within 14 days. The city asks you to use the eUmzugCH portal or the post where possible. For people moving in from another Swiss canton, it requires the following from EU and EFTA nationals:

• a copy of the foreign national identity card,
• a copy of the valid travel document,
• the deregistration certificate from the last municipality of residence.

For people moving in from abroad, the city offers web forms for EU/EFTA employees and students. You book appointments online, and the contact centre can be reached on +41 31 321 53 00. An overview of districts and costs is given in the Bern moving guide.