Moving to another city or abroad: preparation, paperwork and costs
Planning, packing, paperwork and a realistic budget. We collected what clients ask most often before moving within Poland or to another country, with price ranges and a list of things to settle before moving day.
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Where to start: a plan and an inventory
What makes a move expensive is rarely the distance. It is poor preparation. Start with an inventory: what travels, what stays, what you sell or give away. That single list decides the vehicle size, the crew and the final price.
- Fix the date and check it does not fall on a weekend or in peak season (June-September), when rates rise.
- Split your belongings into three groups: you carry, the company carries. You do not take at all.
- Measure the largest furniture and check it fits through doors and stairwells. This is the most common reason for a surcharge on moving day.
- Collect the paperwork: tenancy agreement or proof of ownership, receipts for high-value equipment, insurance policy.
Packing: what goes where, and how to label it
Buy boxes with a margin. You always run out. Heavy items go in small boxes, light ones in large: the other way round ends with a torn bottom. Label the side of the box, not the lid, once stacked, the lid is invisible.
- Electronics, original boxes if you kept them, otherwise two layers of bubble wrap.
- Crockery, upright and interleaved with paper; a plate standing on edge survives far better than one lying flat.
- Documents, jewellery, medication, a separate bag that travels with you, not in the load.
- Flat-pack furniture, fixings in a bag taped to the same piece they came from.
What a move costs
The ranges below are a market guide for a full service with a crew. Your quote depends on volume, floor, lift access and the date.
| Type of move | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| Within one city, 2–3 room flat | PLN 700–1,500 |
| Route up to 200–300 km | PLN 600–1,000 |
| Intercity move over 300 km | PLN 1,200–3,000 |
| Abroad, EU destinations | quoted individually, volume and country decide |
Price is driven by volume and weight, floor and lift access, route length, packing and furniture dismantling, and the date, weekends and summer cost more. A company move follows different logic: downtime and unloading order matter, which is why business relocation is quoted separately.
What pushes the price up, and what you can avoid
- No lift. Carrying to the fourth floor easily adds a few hundred zloty. Check before the quote, not on the day.
- Nowhere to park. If the vehicle cannot reach the entrance, carrying time and the hourly rate both go up.
- Items you did not declare. A piano, a safe, an aquarium or built-in appliances change both the vehicle and the crew size.
- Next-day booking. Two weeks ahead is simply cheaper.
Moving abroad: what gets added
Inside the EU there is no customs clearance, but you still need an inventory and a transport document. Outside the EU you add a declaration of personal effects and, depending on the country, relief from duty, provided the goods were in use and you are moving them because you are changing residence.
- Check the list of prohibited and restricted items in the destination country, usually alcohol, medicines, plants and electronics in commercial quantities.
- Have your passport and residence document ready if the destination requires it.
- Pets and plants follow separate veterinary and phytosanitary procedures, start them early, not a week before.
- If part of your belongings stays in Poland in storage, agree that before loading; splitting a load on site costs time.
Destinations and formalities are covered under customs compliance, and the road leg under road freight.
How to choose a moving company
Three things worth settling before you sign, the ones clients ask about least and regret most:
- Who is liable for your goods in transit, and up to what amount. It belongs in the contract, not in a phone call.
- Whether the quote is binding or indicative. Binding means the price does not move on the day, as long as the scope has not.
- What the service actually covers: transport only, transport with carrying, or the full cycle with packing and dismantling.
Cargo LS plans the route, contracts the carrier and stays answerable for the load under a single agreement.
Frequently asked
How long does a two-room flat take?
Usually 4–6 hours including loading and unloading, given lift access and somewhere to park.
Do I need to be present at loading?
Yes, at least at the start and at delivery, someone has to confirm the condition of the goods on the transport document.
Can I move in several trips?
You can, but it usually costs more than one larger vehicle. For small volumes a cargo van often makes more sense.
How far ahead should I book?
Two to three weeks is comfortable; in summer, a month.