Long-distance move Berlin – Geneva: route customs & schedule
From Berlin to Geneva
Long-distance move to Geneva: 1,116 km, one customs border, one plan
Route, customs, deadlines
A move to Geneva is more than an ordinary change of address: Switzerland is not part of the EU, so your household goods are declared at the border. They remain duty-free as household effects (Übersiedlungsgut) if you transfer your place of residence and have used the items yourself for at least six months; for this you present Form 18.44 and an inventory list. From Berlin it is around 1,116 road kilometres – more than one day's driving time for a lorry. Read more about the route and process under Long-distance moves.
We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and take care of packing, transport and assembly in your new home. You fill in the form and inventory list yourself; during the survey we go through the list together so that box numbers and details match. We then give you a fixed price that includes a second driver or an overnight stop and the heavy vehicle fee. This makes your move to Switzerland predictable.
Request a fixed price for your move to Geneva
Survey in Berlin, fixed price all the way to Lake Geneva
Request a non-binding fixed-price quote for your move to Geneva – by phone on 01625978461 or online. We calculate distance, furniture volume, access at the destination and the effort for the border crossing and LSVA, so that you know in advance what your long-distance move will cost. We are liable for damage under § 451e HGB.
Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.
What we handle on your move to Geneva
Transport from Berlin, paperwork with you
We have no branch in Switzerland; instead we drive the lorry from Berlin-Moabit. We take care of packing, carrying, transport and assembly; we time the border crossing to the customs office's opening hours and observe the night-time and Sunday driving bans for lorries. Form 18.44, the inventory list and the notification to the OCPM are your documents – we tell you what is due when. We are liable for your belongings under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre; additional insurance is available. Places with their own pages can be found under Locations.
Packing service
Office move
Senior moves
Furniture transport
Well planned across the border
For the duty-free import of your household effects, Swiss customs requires an inventory list; collective entries such as "boxes of books" are permitted, while furniture and appliances are listed individually. We number the boxes to match the list so that the inspection is quick.
Loading day and arrival
Access checked in advance
Parking space secured
Deadlines in view
Store instead of rush
Beds ready by evening
Move affordably with a part load
For smaller volumes, a part load (Beiladung) to Geneva can be cheaper: your household goods travel with other consignments towards Switzerland, and the costs of the long route are shared. You still need Form 18.44 and your own inventory list; the delivery day depends on the tour.
From
the inventory list to the OCPM
When moving abroad to Geneva, several steps work together: Form 18.44 and the inventory list for customs, the notification to the cantonal population office OCPM within 14 days and Swiss health insurance within three months. Then there are your car and pets. This guide arranges the steps according to the long-distance move process; a checklist can be found in the article Emigrating to Switzerland.
Planning safely and calmly
Furniture, boxes, carrying routes
Costs, timing and special cases
Common questions
Customs and formalities when moving to Switzerland
Switzerland is not an EU member, so when moving to Geneva your household effects are declared to customs – usually without duties. The condition is that you transfer your place of residence to Switzerland; you must have used the items yourself abroad for at least six months and continue to use them. You present the completed and signed Form 18.44, an inventory list and proof such as a tenancy or employment contract.
Newly bought items that do not meet the six-month rule are listed under "goods subject to duty". You must register a car in Switzerland no later than one year after transferring your residence. Clearance takes place during the opening hours of a customs office for commercial goods – we plan the border crossing accordingly so that your long-distance move to Geneva is not left waiting at the border.
Route and life in Geneva
From Berlin, the route runs via the A9 and A4 to Thuringia, on the A5 through Hesse and Baden to Basel, and in Switzerland via the A2 and A1 past Bern and Lausanne to Geneva – around 1,116 km. By lorry this takes about 17 hours including breaks, so two drivers or an overnight stop. In Switzerland the removal lorry pays the performance-related heavy vehicle fee and may not drive at night or on Sundays.
Geneva is the capital of the canton, and the official language is French. Newcomers register with the OCPM within 14 days and take out basic health insurance under the KVG within three months. The housing market is tight – searching early with a debt enforcement extract (Betreibungsauszug) and proof of income helps. We plan the private move to fit the start of your tenancy.
Moving costs in detail
In detail: a move of a 1-room flat costs from €349, a 2-room flat from €579. For 3 rooms prices start from €894, for 4 rooms from €1,309. A house or villa always requires an individual quote. Long-distance moves are charged from €3.90/km. You will find out the details during a free survey.
In brief: price factors for a move
Volume, distance (from €3.90/km), floor and lift largely determine the price. A parking restriction zone may also be necessary. Additional services such as furniture assembly or a part load round off the offer.
Our range of services for your move
We know the challenges of a move and offer suitable solutions for every need.
- House clearance: Old furniture and junk? We take care of disposal.
- Move with assembly: Wardrobes and beds are assembled at your home.
- Part load: Save costs through clever load sharing.
- Furniture transport: We also transport single pieces of furniture safely.
- Business move: We ensure a seamless office relocation.
- Private move: Personal, reliable, on schedule.
Long-distance move Berlin – Geneva and back
We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), including to Switzerland and from there back to Berlin. Places with their own pages can be found in the locations overview. Read more about long routes under Long-distance moves; fixed price after a survey.
Geneva: importing household effects duty-free – Form 18.44 and inventory list
Switzerland is not part of the EU, so household goods moving to Geneva must also be declared at the border crossing. According to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), transferring your residence to Switzerland is the most important condition for duty-free import. You must also have used the items yourself for at least six months and continue to use them after the move.
For the declaration:
- Form 18.44 (declaration for household effects) is completed, signed and presented on import. It can be filled in online.
- As proof of the move for EU and EFTA nationals, the BAZG lists, for example, an employment contract, a tenancy agreement or the deregistration certificate from your previous place of residence.
- The inventory list may be on plain paper and contain collective entries such as "boxes of books". Furniture, valuables and larger appliances are listed individually.
- Clearance takes place during the opening hours of a customs office for commercial goods. The BAZG lists addresses and times at dst.bazg.admin.ch.
The BAZG does not specify a fixed deadline; according to its FAQ, a period of two years is considered unproblematic. Further customs information can be found in our guide to customs and formalities when moving to Switzerland, and a general overview of the service on the page International move.
Geneva: registration, residents' office and the city's bulky item service
After arriving in Geneva, which office handles your registration depends on your passport. According to the Ville de Genève, Swiss nationals register with their municipality of residence – in the city of Geneva at the civil registry office (état civil), which can be reached from 8.30 to 11.45 am and from 1.00 to 4.00 pm. Foreign nationals, as well as families in which not all members are Swiss, contact the Office cantonal de la population et des migrations (OCPM). The city does not give a list of documents on this page; according to the State Secretariat for Migration, the deadline for EU and EFTA citizens is 14 days after arrival.
The city's bulky item service is handy. According to the city, anyone living in the Ville de Genève can have items collected free of charge, but only in limited quantities:
- no more than seven medium-sized items per appointment, one appointment every seven days
- no electrical or electronic appliances and no complete clearances of flats, cellars or attics
- items put out no earlier than 8 pm the evening before and no later than 6.30 am on the morning of collection
- appointments online or by phone on 0800 22 42 22, Monday to Friday from 7 am to 12 noon
Larger volumes are not covered by this; here our house clearance can help. Read more about costs and districts in the Geneva guide.
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