European moving guide · 10 min read
Packing and access for European moves
European packing is not UK packing with more tape. Loads spend one to three days under constant vibration, so every carton must be filled to the top, double-walled on the bottom layer, and packed so nothing can shift. Access at the far end is the other half: German cities need a Halteverbot bay signed three to four working days ahead, Amsterdam canal houses need a hoist, and Italian historic centres need a ZTL pass or a shuttle.
Part 1
Why a European load is packed differently
A local move is thirty minutes of gentle driving. A European move is up to three days of motorway vibration, ferry movement, temperature swings and repeated stops. Cartons that were fine on the A406 collapse on the A10 because they were half-filled and the layer above sank into them.
The rule we work to is simple: every carton full to the top, weight at the bottom of the stack, nothing loose inside anything. Where a box cannot be filled with contents it is filled with paper. It looks wasteful and it is the difference between glassware arriving and glassware arriving in pieces.
- Double-wall cartons for books, crockery and anything on the bottom layer
- Wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes — they double as soft padding between hard items
- Plates on edge, never flat; glassware individually wrapped, never nested
- Every carton labelled with room, contents and inventory number
- Screws and fittings bagged and taped to the item they came off
Part 2
What travels badly, and what to do about it
Flat-pack furniture assembled more than once rarely survives a long run — chipboard dowel holes give up under vibration. We dismantle it, or we tell you honestly that it is worth less than the crew hours it takes to move it.
Marble and glass tops travel vertically in purpose-made crates, never flat. Televisions travel in their original box where you still have it, and in a fitted TV carton where you do not. Plants are refused entry by several countries and wilt in an unheated lorry regardless — rehome them before the day.
Part 3
Access at the far end: the four situations that catch people out
Germany: Most German cities require a Halteverbotszone — a temporary no-parking bay signed 3–4 working days ahead. Without it there is no legal space outside the door. We arrange it through a local partner and itemise the cost, usually €90–€140.
Netherlands: Amsterdam canal houses have staircases too narrow for wardrobes and sofas, which is why the city runs on furniture hoists. We book the verhuislift and the bridge-side loading permit together; without both, a canal-house delivery simply cannot happen.
Italy: Italian historic centres are ZTL zones — camera-enforced, with fines per entry. Deliveries into central Milan, Florence or Rome need a permesso ZTL applied for against our plate, or a shuttle from outside the ring. We plan for one or the other before the lorry leaves.
Portugal: Lisbon's Alfama and Bairro Alto streets are too steep and narrow for anything bigger than a 3.5t van, and residents' bays are enforced. We split the load at a legal transfer point and shuttle up, which is slower but the only method that works.
Part 4
The survey questions that prevent a bad day
We ask these at booking because each one changes the vehicle, the crew size or the equipment. Answer them accurately and the price we quote is the price you pay.
- How wide is the street, and can a 7.5-tonne lorry stand legally outside the door?
- Which floor, and is there a lift? If so, what are its internal dimensions?
- Is there a courtyard, a height barrier or a gated entrance with a code?
- Does the building require a booked lift slot or a concierge's permission?
- Is the address inside a low-emission or restricted-traffic zone?
Part 5
What to keep with you, not on the lorry
Passports, residence paperwork, the signed inventory, medication, chargers, one change of clothes per person and anything irreplaceable travel with you. On a two- or three-day run the lorry may arrive a day after you do, and a sealed load cannot be opened for a forgotten prescription.
Questions
Common questions
For fragile items, yes. A carton that survives a 40-mile UK move is not the carton you want under load for three days of motorway. Export packing is a published add-on from £220 including materials and labour, and it is the single biggest factor in whether goods arrive intact.
It is a temporary no-parking bay that German cities sign three to four working days before a removal. Without one there is no legal place for the lorry, and a long carry is charged in crew hours. We arrange it through a local partner and itemise the cost, typically €90–€140.
With a furniture hoist. The staircases are too narrow for wardrobes and sofas, so items go through the window on an external lift. We book the hoist and the bridge-side loading permit together — both are needed, and neither can be arranged on the day.
Only with a permesso applied for against our registration, which we arrange in advance. Where a permit is not available, we park legally outside the zone and shuttle in with a small van — slower, but it is the method that actually delivers your furniture.
Keep reading
More European moving guides
European Moving Costs Explained: What a UK-to-Europe Move Really Costs
Why a European quote is four numbers, not one — and how to check any price you are given.
Customs and Paperwork for Moving Household Goods to Europe After Brexit
The documents each country actually asks for, who files what, and the two mistakes that strand a load at the border.