Moving to Katowice: costs process & districts

Since 1997 Katowice has consisted of five city districts with 22 neighbourhoods. The city centre district includes Śródmieście, Koszutka, Bogucice and Osiedle Paderewskiego-Muchowiec; in the north lie Załęże, Osiedle Tysiąclecia and Dąb, among others, in the east Janów-Nikiszowiec, Giszowiec and Szopienice-Burowiec, and in the south Murcki, Piotrowice-Ochojec, Kostuchna and Podlesie.

In the centre and in large housing estates such as Osiedle Tysiąclecia, multi-storey blocks of flats are typical; on the southern outskirts there are more detached houses. For the move, therefore, the specific address is what counts: we clarify floor, lift and parking space during the survey. What to do after arrival is set out in our checklist for Poland.

Katowice now has more than 20 higher education institutions; the largest is the University of Silesia, with sites in several towns in the region. The city is the seat of a Catholic archbishop and of a bishop of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession. Economically, the weight is shifting from mining and heavy industry to services, the electrical industry and information technology. We do not give specific rents – they depend heavily on location and condition.

The Spodek event arena and the Rawa Blues Festival are well known. For newcomers from Germany: within the EU there is no customs duty on household goods; according to gov.pl you must register no later than the 30th day after moving in. Long distances from Berlin can be found under Long-distance moves.

Moving costs do not have to be complicated. Our prices are clearly tiered: one-room flat from €365, two-room flat from €579, three-room flat from €909 and four-room flat from €1,344. If you live in a house or villa, you receive an individual quote. For long-distance moves a price per kilometre from €4.10/km applies. It is best to get advice during a free survey.

How high the costs of your move are depends on the volume, the distance (from €4.10/km), the floor and whether there is a lift. If there is no parking directly in front of the door, we recommend a parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone). We are also happy to advise you on furniture assembly and a part load.

For your move to Katowice you put together the services you need.

1. Part load – ideal for small transports
2. House clearance – for flats of any size
3. Furniture transport – single items too
4. Private move – tailored to your wishes
5. Move with assembly – furniture assembly included
6. Company relocation – for offices and practices

We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) for private and business customers – including to other EU countries such as Poland. What matters for moves across the border is explained under International move; long distances can be found under Long-distance moves. We also plan the way back from Katowice to Berlin with you.

For a long-distance move from Berlin-Moabit to Katowice (Kattowitz), we plan the route, breaks and loading and unloading times together with you. In Poland the electronic toll system e-TOLL applies to heavy vehicles: according to the official portal, users register online, create a customer account, activate an approved tracking device and choose a payment method. We check whether our vehicle is affected before departure.

New parking zones have applied in the city since 1 December 2023. According to the City of Katowice, the Śródmiejska Strefa Płatnego Parkowania (city-centre paid parking zone) is chargeable Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 5 pm, and the remaining zone Monday to Friday from 7 am to 5 pm. Payment is made immediately when parking, via an app or at the machine; anyone who enters the wrong number plate or zone risks an additional charge.

In addition, since 29 June 2026 the Strefa Czystego Transportu (clean transport zone) has applied in parts of the city centre, restricting the oldest and most polluting vehicles. The city's page says nothing about lorries, so we clarify this before your date.

See also the guide Long-distance move to Poland, the overview of customs and formalities and our service International move.

From our base in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) it is around 528 km via the A15, A18 and A4; the exact driving time depends on loading, breaks and the border crossing. During the survey we also clarify where in Katowice the vehicle should stop and which parking zone applies there.

Anyone living in Katowice is subject to an obligation to register in Poland. According to gov.pl, EU citizens register no later than the 30th day after moving in at the municipal office of their place of residence – for stays of more than three months, for temporary or permanent residence. Anyone staying no longer than 30 days does not have to register. Registration itself is free of charge; the certificate of temporary residence costs 17 złoty, but is not needed in the case of automatic registration.

• Valid passport or ID card
• Proof of the right to use the flat; the owner confirms that you live there
• Possible online via “Zamelduj się” with a Profil Zaufany (trusted profile) or a qualified electronic signature

In Katowice, registrations are handled by the Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich (civil affairs department) of the city administration: ul. Młyńska 4, room 101, tel. (32) 2593 272, [email protected]. According to the city's bulletin, its tasks include accepting registrations and entering people in the PESEL register. Bring the documents in the original and allow time for the visit to the authorities.

An overview of paperwork and costs can be found in our checklist for moving to Poland and in the guide Moving to Poland: costs and planning.

Plan your registration in good time after arrival and, if necessary, have documents that are not in Polish checked in advance. We coordinate the arrival of the vehicle with your key handover so that you are on site and can then deal with the authorities at your leisure.