Moving Berlin – Chur: Route Customs, Duration

As Switzerland is not part of the EU, you declare your household goods at the border when moving to Chur. For the duty-free import of household goods there is form 18.44 from the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG). You also need an inventory list and proof of the change of residence, such as an employment or tenancy contract or the deregistration certificate. Anything you have used yourself for at least six months and will continue to use is free of duty.

Besides the customs declaration, further formalities must be observed: registration with the residents' services in Chur within 14 days, the residence permit and compulsory health insurance within three months. A car you bring with you counts as household removal goods under the same conditions, but must be inspected and registered in Switzerland. That way your long-distance move runs without a missed deadline.

Moving costs to Chur are made up of distance, volume, floor and additional services such as packing or furniture assembly; no customs duties apply to household removal goods if the conditions are met. We quote the fixed price after a survey, with additional services listed as separate items. For smaller households a part load (Beiladung) is often worthwhile.

The process: survey, inventory list and form 18.44, packing and loading in Berlin, then around 816 km via Lindau and the Rhine Valley with customs clearance during the customs office's opening hours. In Chur, delivery and furniture assembly in your new flat follow; for the old town we apply for the driving permit in advance.

For long-distance moves we charge from €3.85/km. Arrange a free survey now.

• Volume of your belongings
• Number of kilometres (from €3.85/km)
• Floor without or with a lift
• Need for a parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone)
• Furniture assembly and a part load as additional options

We think of everything – you don't have to worry about a thing.

• Move with assembly: we dismantle and reassemble your furniture professionally. Move with assembly
• Business move: professional moves for businesses and offices. Business move
• Part load: save with our part-load option. Part load
• Furniture transport: we transport your furniture gently and safely. Furniture transport
• Private move: professional help with moving home. Private move
• House clearance: we dispose of what you no longer need. House clearance

We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) for private and business customers. In the locations overview you will find places with their own pages, and details on long routes under Long-distance moves.

Chur's old town is a pedestrian zone. According to the City of Chur, vehicles may only enter for loading and unloading goods, namely Monday to Friday between 6.30 and 11.30 and on Saturday between 6.30 and 9.00. Walking pace applies, pedestrians have priority, and vehicles must enter and leave by the shortest route. Parking in the zone is generally only permitted for loading and unloading.

Anyone who needs to drive into the old town outside these times requires a special permit. For this the city names the city police counter; permits subject to a fee can also be ordered online via bewilligungen.chur.ch, with payment by credit card or Twint. Unused day permits are not refunded.

For a no-parking zone on moving day, the city's parking page does not describe a separate procedure. Information is provided by the Support and Trade Police, Kornplatz 10, telephone 081 254 54 54. Ask there early whether signage is needed for your address.

If you bring a car: vehicles that stand overnight on public roads or car parks need a permit according to the city (CHF 50 per month, available at the city police counter). More on formalities can be found in our article Moving to Switzerland: customs, formalities and process.

Registration is handled by the residents' services (Einwohnerdienste) of the City of Chur in the Stadthaus, Masanserstrasse 2. The city gives the following counter hours: Monday and Wednesday 8.30–11.30 and 14.00–16.30, Tuesday 8.30–11.30, Thursday 8.30–11.30 and 14.00–18.00, Friday until 14.00. You can reach the residents' services by telephone on 081 254 41 56 or by email at [email protected].

The residents' services page itself does not state a registration deadline; the city lists the deadline and documents under the keyword “Anmeldung” (registration) in its services. Check there before your moving date. For foreign nationals, the Office for Migration and Civil Law of Graubünden is also involved: the city refers, for example, to its application forms for converting a residence permit and for family reunification.

In practice this means: if the civil registry office reports the birth of a child of foreign parents, the residents' services apply, according to the city, to the Office for Migration and Civil Law of Graubünden for the child's residence permit. On application, the office can maintain a settlement permit for up to four years during a temporary stay abroad, but there is no legal entitlement to this. Further services are offered by the city's online counter (chur.ch/online-schalter). Plan your first visit to the authorities shortly after arrival and have your ID and tenancy agreement ready. Further tips on everyday life and quarters can be found in our guide Living in Chur.