Planning Berlin–Zug: 875 km one customs stop and 14 days to register

Anyone moving from the EU to Switzerland imports their household goods duty-free as removal goods – provided the residence is actually moved to Zug and the items have been used personally for at least six months. At the border you present the signed Form 18.44 and an inventory list, with furniture and valuables listed individually and boxes by category of goods. According to the BAZG, no advance notification is required.

We draw up the list together with you while packing and plan the arrival at the border so that the customs office is open. Additional rules from other federal agencies apply to pets, plants or weapons; you declare a car the first time you cross the border after moving your residence.

Zug is the capital of the canton of the same name and lies on the north-eastern shore of Lake Zug, at the foot of the Zugerberg. From Berlin the route follows the A9 to Nuremberg, the A6 to the Feuchtwangen/Crailsheim interchange, the A7 to Memmingen and the A96 to Lindau; beyond the Pfänder Tunnel it enters the Rhine Valley, follows the Swiss A13 to Sargans and the A3 along Lake Walen and Lake Zürich to Wädenswil. Over the Hirzel and the A14 the lorry reaches Zug – around 875 km, about 13 hours including breaks.

In Germany, lorries over 3.5 t drive at a maximum of 80 km/h; in Austria they pay motorway tolls and in Switzerland the heavy vehicle fee (LSVA). After arrival you register: according to the City of Zug, Swiss nationals have 14 days, while foreign nationals register with the cantonal migration office (Amt für Migration). You take out basic health insurance no later than three months after taking up residence.

Enquire without obligation: free survey.

The level of costs depends above all on the volume of your goods and the number of kilometres (from €4.10/km). The floor, whether there is a lift and any required parking restriction zone also have an effect. Optional services such as a part load can lower the price.

Every move is unique – we offer suitable solutions for every requirement.

1. House clearance: House clearance
2. Private move: Private move
3. Move with assembly: Move with assembly
4. Furniture transport: Furniture transport
5. Company move: Company move
6. Part load: Part load

We are based in Berlin-Moabit and drive within Germany and abroad, including from Zug back to Berlin. The page Moving Berlin – Zug gives an overview of kilometres and route, and the locations overview shows further destinations.

Switzerland is not part of the EU, so your goods are declared to customs when moving from Berlin to Zug. The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) describes the duty-free import of removal goods for household effects, collections, animals and the car when you move your residence to Switzerland. The items must have been used by you for at least six months and continue to be used by you.

• The declaration is made on entry at a competent customs office during its opening hours; according to the BAZG, no advance notification is required.
• You must present the signed Form 18.44 and the inventory list of your household goods, which may be drawn up on ordinary paper.
• Later shipments must already be declared on a separate list at the first import; a period of two years is considered unproblematic.
• For vehicles: up to 3.5 tonnes the vignette is required, heavier vehicles pay the LSVA. Above 3.5 tonnes, night and Sunday driving bans apply.

For animals, plants or weapons, the BAZG also refers to the regulations of other federal agencies. The BAZG information centre can be reached on +41 58 467 15 15. An overview of our services for long routes can be found under long-distance move; on customs topics, also read our guide to moving to Switzerland.

In the canton of Zug, the municipality of residence is responsible. The following information comes from the City of Zug; if your new address is in another municipality, its offices apply. According to the City of Zug, Swiss nationals have 14 days to report their arrival, online via eUmzug.swiss, using an online form or in person at the residents' office (Einwohnerkontrolle) in the Stadthaus (Gubelstrasse 22, 6301 Zug). According to the city, registration is free of charge, both for Swiss nationals and for foreigners.

• Official ID documents for everyone moving in and proof of health insurance under the KVG (Health Insurance Act) are required.
• Foreign nationals moving from another canton or from abroad register with the cantonal migration office; the city receives the registration automatically.
• If unmarried persons move in with minor children, a custody order or divorce decree must be brought along.

Loading and unloading may require access to zones with a driving ban. The City of Zug issues an access permit for this: it applies to entering a driving ban, is intended for owners or tenants of adjoining properties and, according to the city, is issued free of charge. The easiest way to apply is via the "Parking cards and permits" portal; the Security and Traffic department in the Stadthaus is responsible. The page does not state whether moves are explicitly covered, so ask in advance. Long-distance moving details: long-distance move to Switzerland.