MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW5 0TE  ·  Shipping since 1998
0800 096 38 39
🗻 & ✈ Shipping to Switzerland • UK’s Switzerland specialists • Since 1998

Shipping to Switzerland from the UK
Luggage, personal effects & household goods — by air or road

Everything you need to ship to Switzerland in one place. We collect from your door anywhere in the UK, handle the Swiss customs Form 18.44 removal-goods paperwork, and deliver to Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and beyond. Air freight in 2–4 working days, or economical road groupage in roughly 1–2 weeks. Shipping to Switzerland since 1998.

Get a quote 📞 0800 096 38 39

Switzerland is a route we know inside out — and one where the paperwork matters more than most, because Switzerland sits outside the EU customs union, so every shipment goes through a full customs clearance. The good news: if you’re genuinely moving your home, your used belongings clear duty-free on the right form. This guide brings together everything that actually matters for a UK–Switzerland move, drawn from our Heathrow-side operation and the thousands of Swiss shipments we’ve handled since 1998.

Every way we ship to Switzerland

Not sure which service you need? Start here — each links to full details, transit times and what’s included.

How shipping to Switzerland works, step by step

1
Quote & book

Tell us what you’re sending and where. We’ll give you a clear quote up front.

2
Door collection

We collect from your address anywhere in the UK. No depot or airport drop-off needed.

3
Pack & document

Goods are export-packed and we prepare your itemised inventory and the Form 18.44 removal-goods declaration.

4
Ship by air or road

Air freight from Heathrow, or consolidated road groupage across to Switzerland.

5
Swiss customs clearance

Our Swiss partner presents your Form 18.44 and inventory at the border. Clearance is on business days during customs-office hours.

6
Delivery

Your goods are delivered to your Swiss address, or ready to collect from the arrival depot.

Form 18.44 — how to ship duty-free

Switzerland isn’t in the EU customs union, so every UK shipment clears customs in full. If you’re genuinely moving your home, though, your used belongings clear free of duty and 8.1% Swiss VAT as removal goods.

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Form 18.44 (Declaration for clearance of household effects) is the official Swiss customs document, issued by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS/BAZG). It’s presented with a detailed inventory — we prepare it with you and our Swiss partner files it at the border.
The relief: used household and personal effects enter free of duty and VAT if you are transferring your main residence to Switzerland, have owned and used the goods for at least 6 months, and will keep using them (not for sale).
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Proof of the move: you’ll typically need your Swiss residence permit, municipal registration, and a tenancy agreement or employment contract, plus your passport. We’ll guide you to the right documents.
The 24-month rule: your goods must arrive within 24 months of your change of residence. Declare any goods-to-follow at your first import so later shipments clear cleanly too.
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What’s still taxed: brand-new items, anything bought for the move, goods owned under 6 months, and some high-value pieces don’t qualify — they’re assessed for duty and 8.1% VAT.

Moving-to-Switzerland shipping guide ›

What you can’t ship — and what slows shipments down

Whether by air or road, some items are prohibited and others invite a customs hold. Packing sensibly and declaring honestly keeps your clearance quick.

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Prohibited in freight: aerosols and pressurised cans (deodorants, hairspray), perfumes and aftershaves (flammable), loose batteries, and tobacco. These four are the ones we see most often — leave them out.
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Alcohol doesn’t travel duty-free with a household move and is best left behind.
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List what everything is. Swiss customs value a logical, complete, realistic inventory — vague box contents invite inspection. Number your boxes to match the list.
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When in doubt, declare it. Everything is subject to customs inspection, and declaring is free.

What we see most often — and how to avoid it

Most UK–Switzerland shipments clear without drama. The ones that don’t nearly always come down to the same short list:

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Form 18.44 not ready. It’s the one document that makes a Swiss move work. Get it and the inventory prepared before the goods travel — scrambling at the border causes delays.
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No residence proof yet. Swiss customs want your residence permit and municipal registration. Sorting these early makes clearance straightforward.
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Goods-to-follow not declared. If a second shipment is coming later, declare it at the first import — otherwise it can be treated as a fresh, dutiable import.
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Packing the banned four. Aerosols, perfumes, loose batteries and tobacco are the items most often pulled — leave them out.

What a move to Switzerland actually looks like

An illustrative example of a common scenario — your quote is always to your exact shipment.

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A professional relocating to Zurich on a work permit with a one-bed flat’s contents would typically go by road groupage, with us collecting from their UK door, export-packing, and preparing the Form 18.44 and a detailed inventory matched to their residence permit. Transit is usually 1–2 weeks, and with the paperwork clean our Swiss partner clears the goods duty-free at the border. Anything urgent — documents, a laptop, a few essentials — goes ahead by air.

Door-to-door across Switzerland

We deliver to every canton — including Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and Lausanne. Wherever you’re headed, tell us the destination and we’ll quote door-to-door, with the Form 18.44 removal-goods paperwork handled for you.

Which is right for your move?

Air freight suits a few boxes or anything urgent — 2–4 working days, priced on weight and size. Road groupage suits volume — a room or a whole home — at a fraction of the per-kilo cost, over roughly 1–2 weeks door-to-door. Many customers split the two: air for the essentials, road for the rest.

Shipping to Switzerland — your questions answered

Should I ship or pay the airline for extra bags? +
For more than a bag or two, shipping is usually cheaper than airline excess-baggage fees — and you’re not carrying the weight through the airport. We collect from your door and deliver across Switzerland.
How long does it take? +
Air freight is typically 2–4 working days, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. Road groupage is typically around 1–2 weeks door-to-door, plus Swiss customs clearance.
Will I pay duty or VAT? +
Used household and personal effects can clear free of duty and 8.1% Swiss VAT under Form 18.44 removal-goods relief, if you’re transferring your main residence, owned the goods 6+ months and will keep using them. New items are assessed for duty and VAT.
What is Form 18.44? +
It’s the official Swiss customs (FOCBS/BAZG) declaration for clearing household effects duty-free when you move to Switzerland. It goes in with a detailed inventory — we prepare it and our Swiss partner files it at the border.
What paperwork do I need? +
Form 18.44, a detailed inventory, your passport, your Swiss residence permit and municipal registration, and proof of the move (tenancy agreement or employment contract).
Can I send electrical items and furniture? +
Yes — furniture, appliances and electricals are all fine to ship. Switzerland uses 230V and the Swiss (Type J) plug, so UK items will need plug adapters.
Is my shipment insured? +
We offer transit cover — we’ll explain the options and cost when we quote, and we always recommend cover for a full relocation.
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Lak Kharod, Director
Excess Luggage Co. • overseeing UK–Switzerland shipping since 1998 • MetEx House, Hounslow, next to Heathrow

Excess Luggage Co. has shipped personal effects, luggage and household goods from the UK to Switzerland for over 28 years — through our own Heathrow-side warehouse and collection fleet, with a trusted Swiss clearance partner. We know this route and exactly what Swiss customs looks for. For a quote or advice on your Form 18.44, call us on 0800 096 38 39.

Ready to ship to Switzerland?

Tell us what you’re sending and where it’s going. We’ll come back with a quote and a realistic transit-time estimate — before you commit to anything.