Moving to Amsterdam: Costs Process & Districts
Amsterdam guide
Moving to Amsterdam: canal house, new build or Noord?
Neighbourhoods, costs, access
A move to Amsterdam is above all a question of the last few metres. In the canal houses of the centre, for example in the Jordaan, stairs are often steep and narrow; large furniture traditionally comes in via the hijsbalk (hoisting beam) on the gable or, today, usually through the window with a furniture lift. In new builds in Noord or Nieuw-West it is easier, but the lift and loading zone count instead. We clarify before the date whether a furniture lift can be set up outside your building. What we handle with a home removal is set out on the service page.
For the long-distance move from Berlin-Moabit it is around 658 km via the A2, A30 and A1; there are no customs within the EU. In the city, lorries are subject to a low-emission zone (milieuzone) and, inside the S100, a zero-emission zone; you reserve parking spaces for the removal van via a TVM. We come from Berlin and plan the furniture lift, parking and vehicle with you in advance. More on long routes under Long-distance moves; interim storage in Berlin is possible. We are liable under § 451e HGB.
Fixed-price offer for your move to Amsterdam
Price after a survey, including furniture lift planning
For your move to Amsterdam you receive a fixed-price quote after the survey. We take into account volume, floor, stairwell, furniture lift and parking so that there are no surprises on moving day. Call us on 01625978461. We carry out the survey in Berlin or by video; we then give you the fixed price in writing.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
What we take on for your move to Amsterdam
Transport, lift, reassembly
We drive the lorry from Berlin-Moabit to Amsterdam, pack, carry and reassemble. For steep stairs we plan a furniture lift; we clarify with you in good time whether space outside your door needs to be reserved via a TVM. Registration with the municipality (gemeente) and health insurance you handle yourself. We give you the fixed price after the survey, and for damage we are liable under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre of load. Additional insurance for art or a piano is possible. We bring packing material and furniture blankets from Berlin.
Packing Service
Office Move
Senior Move
Furniture Transport
What we pay attention to in Amsterdam
If you move into furnished accommodation at first, a shared load is often enough instead of your own lorry. Whether this is worthwhile for your move to Amsterdam we can tell after the survey, and we then give you a fixed price.
Date to match the TVM
Care in the stairwell
One point of contact
Vehicle to match the zone
Changes possible
Assembly included
Move affordably with a part load
For a furnished room with a few of your own pieces of furniture or boxes that follow after moving in, a shared load to Amsterdam can be cheaper. Your belongings travel with other consignments to the Netherlands; the delivery day is more flexible in return. From Berlin it is 658 km.
Everything
around moving in to Amsterdam
In Amsterdam the individual building often determines the effort: stairs, gable, street. Besides transport, a move to Amsterdam raises practical questions: will the sofa make it up the stairs or does it need a lift? Do parking spaces have to be reserved via a TVM? May the lorry enter the zone? And what does registration with the municipality involve? The city's rules are below; the route and driving time are described in the article Long-distance move to Amsterdam.
Planning safe and relaxed
Furniture, boxes, transport routes
Costs, timing and special cases
Frequently asked questions about moving to Amsterdam
Amsterdam's city districts at a glance
Amsterdam is divided into city districts: Centrum with the old town, Central Station, the Jordaan and the canal ring, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010; Zuid with De Pijp and the Albert Cuyp Market; plus West, Oost, Nieuw-West and Zuidoost. Since the merger, Weesp has also been part of the city, while Westpoort is mainly a port and industrial area.
Noord lies across the IJ, with ferries connecting it to Central Station; this is where the former NDSM shipyard site is. For your move this means: in Centrum and the old districts, stairs, hoisting beam and parking count; in new-build areas, it is more about the lift and loading zone.
Housing market and everyday life in Amsterdam
Amsterdam's housing market is one of the most sought-after in the Netherlands. For social housing, the Dutch points system (woningwaarderingsstelsel) limits what rent is permitted; private-sector rental flats are considerably more expensive and quickly taken. We do not give specific rents because they change constantly – start looking early and do not let yourself be pressured into payments before a viewing.
Many newcomers come for work or study, for example at the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) or the Vrije Universiteit. In everyday life the bicycle, tram and ferries count for more than the car. To register with the municipality you need proof of residence; so only plan the moving date once the rental contract is signed. Until then your household goods can stay in storage in Berlin. We then deliver on the agreed date.
Your move – your price
Every move is different, but rough guide values help with planning: for a 1-room flat costs start at €354, for 2 rooms at €609. If you live in 3 rooms, you pay from €899, and for 4 rooms the price starts at €1,329. Larger properties such as houses and villas always receive an individual quote. For longer routes: long-distance moves from €4.15/km. It is most accurate with a free survey.
Moving prices: the decisive criteria
Important factors are the volume, the distance (from €4.15/km), the floor and the lift. A parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) may also be required. For furniture assembly and shared load we charge separately.
Our service catalogue at a glance
Here you will find all our services around the topic of moving.
- Furniture transport – fast transport of your pieces of furniture.
- Company move – professional moving planning for businesses.
- Part load – cost-conscious and flexible.
- Home move – your flat move, well organised.
- Clearance – we create order.
- Move with assembly – complete service including furniture set-up.
Moves from Berlin – including to the Netherlands
We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), for individual pieces of furniture as well as entire households. Places with their own pages can be found in the locations overview, and routes under Long-distance moves.
Moving in Amsterdam: reserving parking spaces (TVM) and traffic exemptions (RVV)
In Amsterdam the municipality distinguishes between two instruments that matter for moves. With a TVM (tijdelijke verkeersmaatregel, temporary traffic measure) you reserve parking spaces for the removal van. According to the Gemeente Amsterdam, the application must be submitted at least 6 working days in advance. The reserved spaces may not be used by other cars; if a vehicle is parked there anyway, the municipality can have it towed. For problems on moving day, the number given is 14 020.
The RVV ontheffing, by contrast, is a traffic exemption for vehicles that need to drive or stop where this is otherwise not permitted. It too must be applied for at least 6 working days in advance. According to the city, the fee is payable even if the exemption is refused, and an RVV exemption does not allow parking. For fully electric vehicles, the city mentions a free e-RVV.
- Parking spaces (TVM) and traffic exemption (RVV) are separate applications
- According to the city, you register a furniture lift (verhuislift) at least 48 hours in advance; in the Centrum district an object permit is always required
- Gather application details such as the vehicle and the length of the space in advance
In the canal ring, with its narrow streets and bridges, every access route counts. We clarify the loading route, floor and parking during the survey. More about the process can be found in the long-distance moving guide for Amsterdam and under Parking restriction zone.
Amsterdam: low-emission zone for removal lorries and registration with the municipality
Two zones apply to lorries in Amsterdam. According to the Gemeente Amsterdam, the uitstootvrije zone (zero-emission zone) covers the area inside the S100 ring road, and the milieuzone (low-emission zone) the area between the A10 and the S100. In the low-emission zone, diesel lorries of emission class 5 or worse may not drive; in the zero-emission zone, new lorries registered from 1 January 2025 must be emission-free. Older fossil-fuel lorries need at least class 6, and from 2030 only emission-free lorries are allowed. The class of your vehicle can be checked using the RDW Kentekenchecker. The city mentions fines for lorries in the event of violations.
After moving in, you register with the municipality. According to the Netherlands' SDG page, you attend in person at the district office (stadsloket); according to the page, no appointment is needed (though it is in Weesp). Bring:
- passport or identity card
- as a tenant, the original rental contract or a signed consent from the main occupant
- birth and civil status certificates, if needed
Registration is free, and you receive the BSN immediately. More on this in Living in Amsterdam and Moving to the Netherlands: customs and formalities.
Plan your visit to the district office in the first few days after moving in. We coordinate our arrival with your key handover and recheck the zone classification before every trip, because rules can change.
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