THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR MOVING OVERSEAS
Everything You’ll Need To Know Before Moving Overseas.

Our resident Moving Doctor, Mark Nash is in the house! Mark has been in the moving business for 33 years, originally from England; he has moved 5 times internationally and has worked in England, mainland Europe, The Middle East and for the past 19 years in the USA. If he doesn’t know the answer to the question, he has enough friends in this industry to find out for you.
He currently sits on the board of the International Shippers Association and the Commercial Affairs committee at the International Association of Movers.
Mark will always do his best to provide an answer honestly, professionally and treat this forum as a place where everyone can learn about moving overseas.
Ion
Posted at 17:56h, 29 JanuaryI am looking for the best way to ship my 6,4 ft. piano from Charlotte NC to Heraklion Crete Greece. I would also like to ship 25 boxes with books & clothes. Could you advise & let me know on what prices am I looking for? Thank you!
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 22:00h, 29 JanuaryHello Lon, I’ll get Chris in our Charleston office to contact you and quote you on this one, cheers The Moving Doc
Melissa Bennett
Posted at 05:15h, 29 JanuaryWe are moving from Melbourne to Christchurch in June 2014 and were wanting an estimate of the shipping cost for a 20ft container incl insurance?
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 22:03h, 29 JanuaryHello Melissa, I am going to pass you over to an old friend Tony Ryan of John Ryan Removals in Melbourne. He will take good care of you and give you a competitive quote and great service. I have emailed him so he will be in touch, cheers The Moving Doctor
A
Posted at 01:55h, 29 JanuaryHello. can you please let me know how much is to ship 20f container from Peterborough UK to Winnipeg Canada.
Thank you
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 22:05h, 29 JanuaryHello, I’m passing this over to Chris in our London office to contact you and quote, cheers The Moving Doc
laurieo
Posted at 18:54h, 28 JanuaryI’m looking for a price guide for shipping a small amount of furniture and goods (studio apartment) from Seattle to Johannesburg. Not sure what info you need and how specific to be. Thanks!
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 17:38h, 21 JanuaryHi Christine, thank you for the question, I have forwarded your contact information to Chris in our UK office who can assist you with this service, cheers
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 17:36h, 21 JanuaryHello Mojan, thank you for the question, Pete will be in contact via email with some options for your move, it sounds like you need full service packing service for the furniture, thanks – Moving Dr
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 17:28h, 21 JanuaryHello Geralee, have sent you an email to see where you are moving from and to, and will gladly work on a rate for your move! -cheers
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 17:07h, 21 JanuaryHello Jan, thank you for the request, I’ve passed your information onto Stephanie in our office who will be glad to assist – Move Dr
Hannah
Posted at 07:12h, 21 JanuaryI am moving back to the UK (Oxford) from Auckland NZ. I am wanting to get a large box (30kg, clothes, shoes etc) and a road bike in a standard road box back home. I am not worried about how long it will take, I just want to get it there as cheaply as possible. Any help would be much appreciated.
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 16:20h, 27 JanuaryHi Hannah, I’ll get Chris in our UK office to contact and quote you on this, thanks The Moving Doc
Donna
Posted at 17:48h, 19 JanuaryDo you offer any storage options for our U-Crate shipment? We will be moving to Italy from Florida around mid-July. After we bring our boxes to a terminal to pack the crate, we will be traveling for about 2 months, and would need our boxes delivered around mid-September.
Thanks!
Deanna Smith
Posted at 16:07h, 19 JanuaryHello,
I am interested in a quote for a shipment of furniture and household goods currently packed in a 10′ x 10′ x 9′ storage room a storage facility near South Street Seaport in New York, New York to a residence in London, England. I do not need the items quickly — in several months would be fine.
Deanna
Nicola
Posted at 06:53h, 19 JanuaryI will be moving from New York City to Brisbane. I am thinking about moving my bed, two tables, and several boxes/suitcases. Do you have any idea what the cost might be or would have recommendations as to how to go about researching what is entailed with a move overseas like this?
david schwartz
Posted at 06:09h, 19 Januaryi have this heavy wooden crate that measures 93 x 33 x 33,
if i ship it overseas i was told the volume weight is close to 400 pounds,
the floor lamp measures the 93″ but the total weight is less than 80 pounds,
i thought if I sent it in a cardboard crate and was charged actual weight it might be cheaper….
I thought of breaking it down into three pieces, the pole, the round foot and round heavy base
and sent it in three smaller boxes.
Allan Mann
Posted at 02:54h, 19 JanuaryLooking to ship one (1) antique glass display cabinet (74 x 74 x 202 cms) from UK to Ballarat Victoria Australia.
What’s the best cost effect method?
Martin Hoerbe
Posted at 17:20h, 18 JanuaryDear U Pack We Ship Doc ;o)
do you ship cars as well from the USA to Germany?
Martin
Johannes
Posted at 18:36h, 13 JanuaryHey there Mark,
Looking to move an array ~14 already packed boxes 36*50*36 – 56*48*48 in size from Andalucia in Spain to Cologne, Germany. Have been looking around the the possibilites I have and not fully decided on the best approach. Would be awesome if you could give me some input on how to best transport the stuff!
All the best
Johannes
Jason Watson
Posted at 11:21h, 12 JanuaryWe have storage in Winlaw, BC, Canada we’d like to put into a metal shipping container and have delivered to our home in Fällanden, Switzerland. I would load at the p/u site & unload at the drop site myself… I would like a quote for this service.
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 17:10h, 21 JanuaryHi Jason, great money saving idea to self load the container, will pass your info to Pete who handles our Canada desk for assistance – Move Doctor
Jennette
Posted at 02:05h, 11 JanuaryA little over a week ago I sent an email with details of what I need moved, asking some general questions and for a quote for an upcoming move from Sydney, Australia to Texas, USA. I still have not received a reply.
Information on my move was in my email. I can resend my original email if need be. I just need for someone to reply asap as my move is about a month away.
Thank you.
Iritana Bristowe
Posted at 00:19h, 10 JanuaryHi there,
my family and I are relocating to the Netherlands (from New Zealand) and I would like some help to quote to move a container over. We werent originally going to take anything across, but if it isnt going to break the bank too much, perhaps we could take over some things, or a lot of things.
Would just like some advice and prices.
Thanks
Mira
Posted at 16:35h, 09 JanuaryI am moving to Nuremberg, Germany from Huntsville, Alabama and I think I will have between 20 – 30 boxes to ship. What would be the cheapest way for me to do that?
Thanks for your help!
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 17:40h, 21 JanuaryHi Mira, you’ve come to the right place, the cheapest way would be to pack the boxes yourself and I’ll send you an email with our all inclusive rates to your home in Germany. you can drop your packed boxes off at our nearest terminal to save some money as well. Look forward to working with you!
R. Stanley
Posted at 14:50h, 09 JanuaryHow much would it cost to have my belongings shipped in a 40 foot container from Toronto, Ontario, to Berlin, Germany?
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 17:42h, 21 JanuaryHello, Pete runs our Canada desk I will forward your request to him and he’ll get you a price, thanks – The Moving Dr
Mirella
Posted at 14:23h, 07 JanuaryI got 8 boxes and 1 bag to move from Lucern CH to Dusseldorf DE. The boxes contain books, kitchen things (Glasses, plates) and Camping things (tent, sleeping bag).Everything is already packed. What would be the most cost efficient way to do that move?
Becky
Posted at 02:32h, 07 JanuaryHi. I inherited some furniture from my grandparents and I need to get it from the Sacramento, Ca area to Auckland New Zealand. I will need it picked up at the residence, but am open to picking it up at the destination. Which is the most cost effective method for shipping? I am more concerned about cost than speed. Thanks!
Elizabeth Phillips
Posted at 19:54h, 06 JanuaryI’m looking to ship boxes and rubbermaid totes to England from the United States. My husband and I currently reside in Cambridge, England. However, I have some personal goods currently stored at my folks house that I would like to get to our home in England. To ship via USPS would get to be expensive box by box. Some of the items are heavy such as books, an outdoor wall clock and Christmas decorations. I’m unsure but I think it would be less than 1,000 pounds, and would not fill up a shipping crate. I’m trying to figure out the best way to get my belongings to England and find out a price quote. I look forward to your reply.
Many thanks,
Elizabeth
Judith Chernenkoff
Posted at 19:04h, 06 JanuaryHi Mark, I have a Jade / Quartz boulder I would like to ship to Hong Kong from Vancouver BC, Canada. The boulder weights 1700 pounds and is teardrop shaped. Are you able to give me an approximate cost of this move? I am assuming there will be other fees related to the export and would appreciate knowing anything you can tell me. Thanks so much, Judith
Nicola Hodson-Aubrey
Posted at 16:23h, 06 JanuaryHi there,
My husband and I are moving with our two children to Brisbane in August. We do not have a lot of precious belongings but want to work out whether it is cheaper to sell everything and buy when we arrive or to ship things over with us. Currently we are looking at taking 4 bikes and a computer, possibly some tools, kitchen items and maybe beds and a few personal items. Would you be able to tell me the size of container/ palet needed and roughly how much this might cost?
Many thanks, Niki
Ron
Posted at 14:36h, 06 JanuaryIn May 2014, my family of 3 will be going from NYC to Staffordshire, England for 9 months for school.
I can fit all the clothes we need in suitcases and we’re getting a furished apartment but I’d like to ship a few boxes or a barrel containing household items I may need. I dont want to have to buy small appliances and pots and pans etc. Also I have a baby so I’ll need to send his high chair, play pen etc.
Can you please advise the most affordable way to do this. The time it takes is not an issue. I can send it weeks in advance if necessary.
Thanks
Ashleigh
Posted at 11:35h, 06 JanuaryHey,
I’m moving back to England from australlia I want to take a few things from my home back with me nothing and the large scale things like books photo albums ornaments and clothes what would be the best option to get it there, I’m in no rush for it to get there and don’t want to spend loads of money due to there not worth money just sentimental.
Thank you
James Gilbert
Posted at 19:48h, 23 DecemberGretings from Davidsonville, MD! USA!
My wife and I are planing to move from Davidsonville MD 21035 USA to Brisbin, Australia. We have pre packed and crated everything to fit into a 30 Foot long X 8 Foot Tall X 8 Foot wide space and want to know the cheapest, safest way to get it there? Also, we were told that March would be cheaper month then others to ship it, does the month matter and is there a way to ship it slower for less?
Thanks So much in Advance
James and Linda
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 22:38h, 23 DecemberHi James and Linda, thanks for the question! Glad you are all packed up! It sounds like our Self Load Container Service would be a great match for your needs! We would spot a 40 foot sea container at your home which you would load, and then your things would be shipped to Australia, cleared through customs and quarantine, and delivered to your new home! The container arrives on truck chassis, about 4 feet off the ground, so we recommend you rent or build a ramp to ease loading.
The prices don’t change much and we get plenty of notice before any changes. Summertime is the busiest season for moving, so during the slower season a moving company may offer cheaper prices for the packing part of a move, but the shipping rates don’t change that often.
Stephanie in our office handles all the self load containers, I have passed your info to her and she’ll be in contact with a price!
Ana
Posted at 19:09h, 22 DecemberHello Mark,
I want to move my furniture from Australia to Athens, Greece in the new year, and was wondering what the best way, and rough price would be.
The contents are both large and small boxes:
1 dissasembled king size wooden bed
1 wooden wardrobe
1 bookshelf about 5 foot high
an upright piano
boxes with books and boxes with various fragile items
I’m nervous about sending the fragile items and the piano, so I’d prefer as little handling as possible and a reliable company/method for transportation.
Many thanks, Ana
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 19:09h, 23 DecemberHello Ana, thanks for the request, I have sent you an email with some options, best regards – Moving Doc
Shannon Maher
Posted at 06:10h, 22 DecemberMy wife and I will be moving to London from Seattle. I’ll move in late Feb/March; she will visit, but join me next Sept. My current plan is to rent a small furnished flat until she arrives fulltime. I hope to pick up a lot of furniture, electronics, etc. from sales by expats moving back to the US after the school year, so I’m mostly planning on moving clothes, kitchen things, and personal items. I suspect I could do fine with, I dunno, 50-100 cu ft…? I have no problem packing it myself, and can (possibly) pack and ship it prior to my departure so I don’t have to wait too long for it. Also, I expect to have immediate needs covered by the suitcases I travel with.
first, any comment on the general plan? Second, can you tell me how to plan to move (like) 100 cu ft, door to door, Seattle to London?
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 19:07h, 23 DecemberHi Shannon and husband! The plan sounds good, and you are giving yourself some time to prepare which is great! Packing yourself will save you lots of money and I have sent you an email with some prices for our services. We offer a set price for 51-100 cubic feet of packed boxes in our Shared Container service which could be a great fit for your needs, or perhaps 1 or 2 UBoxes! Cheers, Moving Doctor
Jim Lawless
Posted at 04:35h, 22 DecemberI have two daughters currently living in Dublin Ireland who will be relocating back home to Brisbane Australia early in the new year. They have quite a lot personal items that need to be moved. Maybe two to three cu meters. What is the most cost effective way of doing this.
Thanks
Jim
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 16:17h, 23 DecemberHello Jim, thanks for contacting us, I have passed your info to Chris in our UK office he will be happy to give you some options for the shipment! If your daughters can pack their own boxes they’d definitely save some money. – Cheers, Move Doc
Dion Williams
Posted at 02:28h, 22 Decemberhello i have approximately 40 boxs to ship to fallbrook california from calgary alberta canada and am wondering what the cost would be? boxes contain books/cloths/glassware and knick knacks thanks
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 16:13h, 23 DecemberHello Dion, Pete from our Canada desk will be in contact and can help with the move, cheers -Moving Doctor
marike
Posted at 23:28h, 21 Decemberhello! I am currently living in Pittsburgh but soon I will move to Italy and I’d love to know what my options are. I checked with usps/courier services and are all very expensive. As I am not worried about waiting for my stuff a little bit longer (I need to send clothes, game consolles, books, etc) what are my options? Thank you in advance for your advice!
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 16:04h, 23 DecemberHello Marike, We offer several great service options for your move to Italy, depending on the size of your shipment. I’ll send our rates and services over to your email address, any questions about them I’d love to help – Cheers Move Doc
Sarah
Posted at 17:23h, 21 DecemberHi,
I’m planning on moving from Ottawa to Brisbane. I was wondering if you could recommend some companies and the size of pallet that would be needed for the contents of a 1bdrm apartment.
Thanks!
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 15:57h, 23 DecemberHi Sarah, thanks for contacting us, I have passed your information on to Pete who can help you with a price for the move. A pallet is usually a standard size of 48 x 42 inches and they can be stacked around 84 inches tall, depending on what’s being stacked! Pete will send some options to you, Cheers -The Moving Doctor
Jeff Thomas
Posted at 16:05h, 21 DecemberI need to send 3 or 4 boxes total weight about 80 kg from Swansea, South Wales to Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Any idea how much per kg?
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 15:54h, 23 DecemberHi Jeff, thank you for the request, I’ve passed your information on to Chris at our UK office, he should be in contact shortly to help, thank you again! -Move Doc
Samantha Haines
Posted at 11:17h, 21 DecemberI was just wondering what the expected cost of 2 dogs under 20 lbs and 2 cats around 10 lbs would be approximately
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 19:51h, 23 DecemberHi Samantha, thanks for your question, we don’t ship pets however I believe you could start by contacting the airline you are flying with and find out a price, also I do know there are companies out there who specialize in moving pets overseas, Cheers
Cobie Kortenoeven
Posted at 22:12h, 20 DecemberI have a few items that I want to have shipped from the Netherlands to Canada. I was told by the notary that it is under 1 cu metre, so it should fit in one box. It is a small table, photo albums, a mantle clock and a few small items from my late parents. Can you tell me what the best way is to get it here? Would we be able to take the table along in a plane (in the cargo compartment)? Small items would fit in suit cases only photo albums are so heavy. I hope that you can give me some advise. Thank you.
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 21:26h, 23 DecemberHi Cobie, I’ve passed your information on to our UK office, Chris should be in contact with you shortly. 1 cubic meter is about 35 cubic feet, which is about 10 or so medium boxes. If its enough to fit in a suitcase or two it’d probably be best to take the items on the plane with you and call the airline in regards to the table. Thanks! – The Moving Doctor
John Culvenor
Posted at 16:35h, 20 DecemberI’m considering buying a small lotus sports car from Vancouver Canada – in pieces. What would you estimate the cost to be? The weight would be about 1000-1200 kg – plus packing materials.
Thanks
John
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 20:43h, 20 DecemberHello John, I am sending you an email to get some more information about the shipment, and we can take it from there! thanks for contacting us Cheers – Move Doctor
Victor Boyd
Posted at 15:06h, 20 DecemberI am an American currently living in Bahrain and am looking to send small items from Texas to Bahrain. I have gone to the Post Office/Fedex/UPS and they are all very expensive. I am not so concerned with “quick” shipping, but, rather, willing to take the time necessary, but, looking for decent prices to ship things such as z new xbox, clothes, toys, these kinds of things. Thanks in advance for your advice.
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 20:39h, 20 DecemberHello, thank you for the question, I will forward your information to Chris in our office, he can work on a terminal to terminal rate for your shipment. Other option from the ones you listed is DHL as they handle a lot of international shipments. Thanks, The Moving Doctor
sunae
Posted at 03:00h, 20 DecemberHello,
I’m moving soon to munich, Germany (leaving on the 28th this month)! from wisconsin madison.
I have boxes of clothes shoes, bags. to send to Munich and I wonder what is the cheapest and safest way to ship these.
Thanks,
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 12:37h, 20 DecemberHi Sunae, thanks for your question! The cheapest way to send them would be to pack the boxes yourself, I will ask Pete in our office to send you our service options and rates to Germany. If it’s just a few boxes, or a bit more, our Baggage Box Service, Shared Container Service, or UBox would be an affordable and safe way to ship them! – Moving Doc
Rebecca
Posted at 12:00h, 19 DecemberHi,
I am moving to Australia and am looking for the cheapest method of moving all our belongings from the UK by sea.
What are reliable companies that ship goods on either containers or pallets?
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:57h, 19 DecemberHello Rebecca, well we will be one of them obviously lol 🙂 I would also suggest getting prices from Crown, Santa FE and Pickfords. I’ll pass this over to Chris Smith in our UK office to email you and offer you some service options and prices, cheers The Moving Doc
Bharat reddy bandla
Posted at 18:50h, 18 DecemberI want ti ship some used clothes and other small baby toys weighing 5 kgs. To Hyderabad, India from Davenport, US through FedEx courier. Please advise me
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:59h, 19 DecemberSounds like a good idea, suggest getting a price from UPS as well, cheers The Moving Doc
Aaron
Posted at 12:59h, 18 DecemberWe moved to England a while back. We now want to have a 40″ x 18.5″ x 16″ wooden chest (150 lbs) shipped over here from Idaho. But don’t know the best way to go about doing this? Thanks
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:13h, 18 DecemberHello Aaron, Pete in our office can advise you and give you some options and prices, cheers The Moving Doc
Mehreen
Posted at 09:03h, 18 DecemberHi there,
My partner and I will be relocating from Washington DC to Johannesburg South Africa next year and we are hoping to take our furniture and other household stuff with us. I wanted your advice on whether it would be more cost effective to ship everything to SA or sell in DC and buy new stuff in Joburg. We also have no clue how customs is in SA so in your experience is it a hassle to get things through customs in SA. Would appreciate your thoughts and some price quotes. Just to give you an idea, I will list down the items below:
1 kingsize bed + mattress
1 sofa set with coffee table
2 lounge chairs
1 bookshelf
several boxes of clothing, home linens, kitchen items such as pots, plates, cutlery, food processers etc.
thanks,
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:17h, 18 DecemberHello Mehreen, personally my advice is sell the big furniture and just ship your personal stuff in boxes or if you are going to take a few bits of furniture you might as well ship the lot! Anything in between pro rate doesn’t really make financial sense.
Chris Corder in our office here has a lot of experience with shipping to South Africa so I’ll pass this on the Chris to answer you re Customs and some pricing, cheers The Moving Doc
Tim Barnett
Posted at 04:22h, 18 DecemberI want to move around 3 cubic metres of small personal effects from the UK to New Zealand. Not in a hurry. What’s the best option for me?
Tim B
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:19h, 18 DecemberHello Tim, we ship a lot on this route so will get Chris Smith in our UK office to email you some service options and prices, cheers The Moving Doc
Sarah
Posted at 03:04h, 18 DecemberHow much would the approximate cost be to hire a truck to move a studio apartment’ from Rahway, NJ, USA, to Niagara, Ontario, Canada? All the items would be packed and would simply need loading?
Sarah
Posted at 03:07h, 18 DecemberI forgot to add that I would not be available to supervise the move and it would be someone else who has stored my belongings in a storage unit. I would need the movers to responsibly bring all items over from NJ to Ontario.
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:23h, 18 DecemberHello Sarah, I know this is an International move but its pretty much covered by the domestic operators and not International movers. I suggest contacting some of the big names to get a quality move done like Allied, United or Atlas. You could also try 2 Men and a Truck or a self loading option with ABF, Pods or R&L carriers. Hope that helps, Cheers The Moving Doc
Tony Massa
Posted at 02:36h, 18 Decemberi need to move a mechanics snap on tool box est. 1200 lbs in weight?
i need to move it from orange county california to edmonton alberta, i am immigrating to Canada from
the USA, and need to send the tool box direct to the place i am going to work in Canada. Would a moving pod hold a one bedrooms contents and a tool box and roll carts? Thanks!
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:25h, 18 DecemberHello Tony, we don’t handle USA to Canada as its handles by the domestic movers. I suggest trying Pods, ABF, U Haul and R& L carriers for self load moving options. Yes you should get a one bed apt plus tool box in a pod, cheers The Moving Doc
Brenda Day
Posted at 01:10h, 18 DecemberHi,
I want to send a 20ft shipping container from the mid north coast, NSW Australia to Wexford, Ireland. I own the container myself. Who would be the best company to use to ship this for me? Should it be cheaper as I own the container?
Cheers 🙂
Brenda
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:30h, 18 DecemberHello Brenda, we can get you a price on this. We will need to check though with you that 1/ The shipping Container is licensed to be seaworthy for shipping otherwise shipping lines will not put it on their ships. The second thing is how easy is it to pick up loaded with a crane or unloaded in Ireland. We can arrange all this for you but will need approx. weight of container loaded and a picture of the site and measurements for how far away from the road the container will be to determine what size crane will be needed. Will get Chris to email you though, cheers The Moving Doc
Oh and by the way, shipping lines do normally charge a few hundred dollars more for shipping your own container and not their own.
David
Posted at 00:33h, 18 DecemberHi,
I need to move a 20′ shipping container from Mexico to Hobart Australia.
The contents weigh 18 tons.
What would be the best way to get this done in your opinion?
Cheers
David.
The Moving Doctor
Posted at 14:34h, 18 DecemberHello David, I’ll get my good friend Winston in Mexico to email you and advise you on this one, cheers The Moving Doc