How long do european removals take?

If you're moving from the UK to mainland Europe and are taking your furniture and personal effects with you it's likely you'll use a European removal company to get your belongings there. But how long will transport take?

The answer isn't as simple as you might think. Door to door transit time depends on:

1. Method of transport
2. Origin and destination

You also need to allow time at origin and destination for packing, collection, customs clearance and delivery. 

Your European removals company should be able to provide you with a guideline timescale for your move based on your individual circumstances. 

The method of transport:

• Exclusive use vehicles are typically the quickest for road removals as the crew can collect your items and then travel directly to your new home abroad to unload, with a quick stop to clear customs at the nearest facility. 
• Dedicated date services aren't far behind. Some additional time may be required to allow the loading of other customers' consignments if they are sharing your vehicle but your removal company will plan these around the dates you've chosen. 
• Part load/economy services are slower as you need to wait for your removal company to collect and load all the other shipments travelling with yours. 

Find out more about transport options for European household goods moves.

Your origin and destination. 

Obviously, the location will determine how long it takes for the truck to travel door to door. Some locations in mainland Europe add additional challenges that may impact delivery time too - for example, if access is restricted and your move requires transshipping, or if HGV vehicles aren't allowed to travel on certain days. 

Other factors to take into account

Whilst your shipment might theoretically take only a few weeks to travel, don't forget your own situation and circumstances could have an effect on how long international removals take. 

Many countries have customs requirements for you to have a visa in place or for you to be in the country before household goods can arrive, and immigration processes can take some time. 

Ready to learn more about international moving? Check out our International Removals Guide