Moving to Emmen (Lucerne): costs process and districts
From Berlin to Emmen
Moving to Emmen – your new home on the outskirts of Lucerne
Step by step
This guide applies to Emmen in the canton of Lucerne, not to Emmen in the Netherlands. The municipality borders the city of Lucerne and was long the canton's most important industrial municipality; Emmen military airfield is one of the large employers, and since 2019 the Viscosistadt has been home to the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Design & Art. The municipality includes Emmenbrücke, Gerliswil, Emmen-Dorf and localities such as Rüeggisingen and Waldibrücke on the Reuss. If you are coming from Germany, you also need to plan for customs, registration and health insurance – this guide explains the steps and the drive from Berlin.
We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and drive around 906 km via the A9, A7 and A96 to Lake Constance, through the Rhine valley and via Zurich to Emmen; by lorry that takes about thirteen and a half hours including breaks, so with two drivers or an overnight stop. At the Swiss border your household goods are declared as household removal goods (Übersiedlungsgut) with form 18.44; on top of this come the heavy vehicle charge (LSVA) and the Sunday and night driving ban for lorries. We quote the fixed price after the survey. More on this: Customs when moving to Switzerland.
Book a fixed-price move to Emmen
Fixed price after a survey, customs list prepared together
Call us on 01625978461 and arrange a survey for your move to Emmen. We plan moving day including the customs office, stopping space, packing materials and furniture transport, and then give you a fixed price including the LSVA and a second driver. 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 Emmen
From Berlin to the banks of the Reuss
We have no branch in Switzerland; we come by lorry from Berlin-Moabit. That is why we ask about access, floor and staircase in advance – whether a flat in Emmenbrücke, an older building without a lift in Gerliswil or a house in Rüeggisingen. We put together the inventory for customs with you during the survey; you sign form 18.44 yourself. We are liable for your belongings under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre, and additional insurance is available.
Packing service
Office move
Senior moves
Furniture transport
Our services at a glance
For your move to Emmen we plan loading time, access, parking space and schedule in advance – whether a flat in Emmenbrücke or a house in Gerliswil.
Loading time and arrival planned
Address checked in advance
Parking zone in good time
Schedule from moving in
Storage to bridge a gap
First night sorted
Not much to move? Part load!
From
planning to assembly
A move from Berlin to Emmen involves a few topics: customs with form 18.44 and an inventory, registering with the Einwohnerkontrolle within 14 days, Swiss health insurance within three months and registering your car within one year. On top of this come a stopping space in narrow residential streets and a furniture lift for flats without a lift. We tell you what is due and when, and plan the drive, customs office and assembly so that you can sleep in your new home on arrival day. Parts of your household goods that follow later must be declared according to the rules of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG).
Planning safely and calmly
Furniture, boxes, carrying routes
Costs, timing and special cases
Frequently asked questions about moving to Emmen
Emmen's districts at a glance
Emmenbrücke is the urban centre of the municipality, with shops, restaurants and good public transport links, and is therefore particularly popular with newcomers. Quieter residential areas can be found in Rüeggisingen, Erlen and Waldibrücke, which are particularly suitable for families with children.
Gerliswil and the historic village centre of Emmen, by contrast, offer a more village-like character with older buildings and shorter distances to the Reuss. Depending on their lifestyle, newcomers to Emmen can therefore find both urban and rural residential areas in close proximity to each other.
Employers and quality of life in Emmen
Emmen benefits from its proximity to the city of Lucerne and its employers, universities and cultural institutions, but is itself also home to major companies and Emmen airfield with adjacent technology firms. The combination of good infrastructure, recreation areas on the Reuss and moderate rents makes the municipality particularly attractive to commuters.
If you work in Lucerne but want to live more cheaply and more quietly, Emmen offers a balanced alternative. The short commute and the growing range of leisure and shopping facilities in Emmenbrücke also contribute to the high quality of life.
What your move costs
- House/villa: individual quote
- 4-room flat: from €1,344
- 3-room flat: from €884
- 2-room flat: from €615
- 1-room flat: from €365
We also handle long-distance moves – from €3.85/km. For an exact quote, we recommend a free survey on site.
What does a move cost? The main price factors
The moving price depends mainly on the volume of your household goods and the distance between your old and new home – the route is charged from €3.85/km. The floor, whether there is a lift and any parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) required also affect the price. Additional services such as furniture assembly or a part load can also influence the final price.
Moving made easy - our services
Moving made easy - our services
To make your move as easy as possible, we offer you the following services.
- Furniture transport: from antiques to new furniture - we are flexible.
- Move with assembly: from dismantling to complete assembly - all included.
- Private move: your move to your new home - stress-free and reliable.
- Company relocation: offices, practices and shops move smoothly with us.
- House clearance: we take care of the complete clearance, however extensive.
- Part load: travel along cheaply and in an environmentally friendly way with our part-load option.
More routes from Berlin
Our moves start in Berlin-Moabit, Stromstraße 21. The services that go with a long route – packing, transport, assembly, storage – are set out under long-distance moving. Cities with their own page are listed in the locations overview.
Moving to Emmen (Lucerne): customs, household goods and driving bans
A move from Berlin to Emmen means crossing the border from Germany into Switzerland. According to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), the main requirement for duty-free household removal goods is moving your residence to Switzerland. The items must also have been in your personal use for at least six months and must continue to be used afterwards.
The BAZG describes the procedure in its FAQ as follows:
- Form 18.44 is presented on entry to the customs office responsible for commercial goods. It can be filled in online.
- The inventory can be drawn up on ordinary paper. General descriptions such as "xx boxes of books" are sufficient; furniture, valuables, larger appliances and restricted goods such as alcohol must be listed in more detail.
- Clearance is possible on working days during the customs office's opening hours, and the lorry uses the lorry lane.
According to the Federal Roads Office (ASTRA), a Sunday and night driving ban (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) applies in Switzerland to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight. For journeys from abroad, special permits are issued by the canton in which you enter. The BAZG also names the vignette, the heavy vehicle charge and load weight as points to watch for vehicles. We set the travel day and route accordingly. Details on moves abroad can be found under International moving and in the long-distance moving guide for Emmen.
Registering in Emmen: Einwohnerkontrolle, deadline and documents
After moving in, you must register in Emmen within 14 days. According to the municipality of Emmen, you first deregister at your previous place of residence. Registration then takes place either online via eUmzug or in person at the counter of the residents' registration office (Einwohnerkontrolle), Rüeggisingerstrasse 22, 6021 Emmenbrücke. You can reach the Einwohnerkontrolle by phone on 041 268 02 30. According to the municipality, the fee is 40 francs.
For foreign nationals, including people moving from Germany, the municipality lists these documents, among others:
- passport or identity card and foreign national ID card
- health insurance policy
- tenancy agreement, certificate of residence or confirmation from the owner or letting agent
- family record book and, if applicable, marriage certificate
- assurance from the Office for Migration and an employment contract when moving from abroad
It is best to bring all your papers to the counter within the first few days after arrival, so the deadline does not get tight. If you want to register online, you can complete the notification via eUmzug from your new home, provided your previous place of residence takes part. Plan your health insurance early too, as the policy is one of the required documents. We coordinate the arrival of the removal van with your key handover. Further tips on settling in can be found in the guide Living in Emmen.
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