Car Shipping Company from Qatar to Switzerland 0552803439 | RoRo & Sealed Containers from Hamad Port, Air to Geneva & Zurich

Home Safe is a car shipping company from Qatar to Switzerland that coordinates your car’s journey from the door of your home in Doha to your address in Geneva, Zurich or Lugano. The route is by sea from Hamad Port to a European port and then on a car carrier into Switzerland, taking 30 to 45 days, or by air from Hamad International Airport in 3 to 6 days. The price on this route is set on request once the car and the method are known; for comparison, RoRo on our line from Jeddah port to European ports starts from SAR 2,800. To book: 0552803439.

In this guide45ShowHide

1. Who ships a car from Qatar to Switzerland?
2. What does a car shipping company from Qatar to Switzerland handle?
3. Car shipping by sea from Hamad Port in Qatar to Switzerland
4. Transit time for shipping a car from Qatar to Switzerland
5. The price of shipping a car from Qatar to Switzerland
6. What sets car shipping from Qatar apart?
7. RoRo or container: which is for your car?
8. Shipping supercars from Qatar to Switzerland in an enclosed container
9. The vehicles we ship from Qatar to Switzerland
10. Preparing the car before loading in Doha
11. A summer trip on Qatari plates, or permanent export?
12. Procedures for taking a car out of Qatar and exporting it
13. Customs, inspection and registration of the car in Switzerland
14. Documents for shipping the car, and what is not accepted
15. Insuring the car from Doha until delivery
16. Delivering cars from Qatar in Geneva, Zurich and Lugano
17. Car shipping for individuals, companies, embassies and government bodies
18. Is there a land route from Qatar to Switzerland?
19. Air freight for cars from Qatar to Switzerland
20. Collecting cars from Doha and the cities of Qatar
21. Steps for shipping a car from Qatar to Switzerland
22. Tracking the car and follow-up, even after delivery
23. Car shipping from Switzerland to Qatar
24. Home Safe’s advice before shipping your car from Qatar to Switzerland
25. How do you choose a car shipping company from Qatar to Switzerland?
26. Common mistakes when shipping cars from Qatar to Switzerland
27. Why Home Safe for shipping your car from Qatar to Switzerland?
28. Related articles and pages
29. Tags
30. Frequently asked questions about car shipping from Qatar to Switzerland
31. Which is the best car shipping company from Qatar to Switzerland?
32. What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Qatar to Switzerland?
33. How much does it cost to ship a car from Qatar to Switzerland by sea and by air?
34. How many days does a car need to get from Doha to Geneva or Zurich?
35. Do I need to export my car if I am only spending the summer in Switzerland?
36. How do I obtain the vehicle export certificate in Qatar?
37. Does my car pay customs on entering Switzerland?
38. Can a Gulf-specification car be registered in Switzerland?
39. RoRo or container: which suits better from Hamad Port?
40. Can the car be shipped by air from Hamad International Airport?
41. Can I leave belongings or suitcases inside the car?
42. My car has a bank loan in Qatar. Can it be shipped?
43. How do I follow my car during the journey?
44. Do you bring the car back from Switzerland to Qatar after the summer?
45. When should I book if I want the car in Geneva at the start of the summer?

Sea route: Doha → Hamad Port → the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean → a European port → car carrier or train → Switzerland · Expected time: 30–45 days by sea, 3–6 days by air.

Who ships a car from Qatar to Switzerland?

This route has its familiar customers. Most are Qatari families who spend the summer on Lake Geneva and want their own car there rather than hiring one for two months. After them come European residents who have finished their contracts in Doha and gone home with their cars, then collectors of rare cars who buy and sell with collectors in Switzerland. Each group has a different shipping method and different paperwork:

The owner	What they ship	The method that suits	Their papers in Qatar
A family summering in Geneva or Montreux	The family car or a sports car	Air, or a container sent weeks before travel	A temporary exit permit, plates unchanged
A resident returning to Switzerland	The car they used in Doha	A private container, or a 40ft container with their furniture	An export certificate and export plates
A collector of rare cars	A supercar or a classic	An enclosed container for one car, or air	Depends on the sale: permanent export or temporary exit
An embassy or company	Official cars or a small fleet	Containers under one booking	The body’s letters and the route that fits its status

What does a car shipping company from Qatar to Switzerland handle?

The journey passes through at least three countries: Qatar, the country of the European port, and Switzerland. Each has its customs and its document. The company’s job is to join these links so that the owner is not left between an agent in Doha, a broker in Genoa and a haulier in Switzerland who do not know one another. This is what we take on:

• Collection in Qatar: an enclosed or open flatbed takes the car from the house, tower or showroom to the loading yard.
• Reviewing the papers: we settle with you whether you need an exit permit or an export certificate, and check fines and liens before booking.
• Loading and securing: the car is tied by its tyres inside the container, and the container is sealed with a number recorded on the bill of lading.
• Transit through Europe: a transit declaration from the port to the border, so the taxes of the port country are not paid.
• Swiss customs: presenting the file, and paying the two taxes, claiming the relief or establishing temporary admission.
• Delivery: setting the car down at the address, an inspection with the recipient, and handing over the key and documents.

Anyone shipping furniture or parcels with the car will find what concerns them in the shipping to Switzerland article, and the general service is described on the car shipping page.

Car shipping by sea from Hamad Port in Qatar to Switzerland

Hamad Port is Qatar’s main commercial port. It lies south of Doha near Mesaieed and has container terminals and a dedicated vehicle terminal. The ship leaves it southwards in the Arabian Gulf, passes the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea, then the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean. Some lines move the container to another vessel at a hub port on the way before it continues to Europe. Switzerland has no sea coast, so the car lands at a European port and covers the rest by road or rail.

Stage	What happens	Approximate time
From your address in Qatar to the loading yard	Collection, photographs and a condition report	One day
Securing in the container and entry to Hamad Port	Lashing, sealing and the Qatari export declaration	2–4 days
Sailing to Genoa in Italy	Direct or with a change at an intermediate port	About 18–26 days
Or sailing to Rotterdam and Antwerp	A longer distance round western Europe	About 24–34 days
From the European port to the Swiss border	Car carrier, train or Rhine barge to Basel	2–5 days
Swiss customs, then delivery	Clearance, then a flatbed to the address	2–4 days

The card on the image reads “a European port, then a car carrier”, and this is the part overlooked by anyone comparing prices. Genoa is the nearest port to the Suez Canal, and from it the distance is about 200 km to Lugano and 420 km to Zurich across the Alps. Rotterdam and Antwerp are a longer sail, but from them a regular river and rail link runs to Basel. The times in the table are approximate and change with the routing the shipping lines follow at the time of booking, so we confirm them against the actual vessel schedule. The ports we work through are on the ports and gateways page.

Transit time for shipping a car from Qatar to Switzerland

The time varies with the method more than with the city. A private container moves as soon as the car is ready. A shared container waits for a second car bound for the same port. RoRo is tied to vessel dates that are fewer than container sailings in this direction, and its car may pass through a Gulf collection port before sailing for Europe.

Method	Door-to-door time	When it moves
Private 20ft container via Genoa	30–38 days	On the first ship after the papers are ready
Private container via Rotterdam or Antwerp	36–45 days	On the first ship after the papers are ready
Container shared with another car	35–45 days, sometimes more	When the container is complete
RoRo to a European port, then a carrier	35–45 days	According to the RoRo schedule
Air freight to Zurich or Geneva	3–6 days	Once the space on the aircraft is confirmed

What lengthens the time?

• An export certificate that expires before the car enters the port, so it is started again.
• A traffic fine or bank lien that surfaces when the permit is requested in Qatar.
• The carrier reaching the Swiss border on the eve of a holiday, as heavy lorries do not run there at night or on Sundays.

Times for the other routes are on the transit times page.

The price of shipping a car from Qatar to Switzerland

We write you a price once we know four things: the model and dimensions of the car, the method, the Swiss city, and whether it is travelling temporarily or being exported. We do not publish a fixed figure for this route, because the container rate from Hamad Port to Europe moves from month to month, and any published number is out of date before you read it. The price we send breaks down the items: collection in Qatar, securing, sea or air freight, transport inside Europe, and clearance. Swiss taxes are paid at their actual amount on a separate line. The Swiss city changes the last leg alone: the sea rate is the same, and the difference is the distance the carrier covers after the port.

The car and how it is shipped	Price	Note
A saloon on a RoRo vessel to the European port	Set on request	According to the RoRo schedule available from Hamad Port
A car in a private 20ft container	Set on request	A sealed container for one car
A car in a shared 40ft container	Set on request	The charge is split with a second car
Transport from the European port to the Swiss address	Set on request	According to the port and the city
Air freight for the car	Set on request	By weight, dimensions and fuel type
For comparison: RoRo for a saloon from Jeddah port to a European port	Starts from SAR 2,800	The price of our line from Saudi Arabia; a reference for the sea leg, not a price for this route

Prices circulating in the market: little is published about this particular route. For shipping a small car by sea from Doha to Switzerland, between QAR 3,200 and 3,500 is quoted, and for air freight figures between QAR 5,500 and 6,000 are mentioned, which in reality do not cover the weight of a whole car on a freighter aircraft. International guides mention USD 800 to 3,200 for intercontinental RoRo, USD 1,800 to 6,500 for a container, and about USD 2,500 for a place in a shared container to Switzerland. All of these are figures to the port or without clearance, so always ask where the price ends.

Factor	Its effect on the price
The method	Air is several times sea, and a private container is dearer than RoRo and a shared one
The dimensions of the car	RoRo is charged by the cubic metre, and a tall or long car pays more
The European port	The sea rate to Genoa differs from that to the north, and so does the carrier charge after it
The Swiss city	Lugano is nearer to Genoa, and Basel nearer to the northern ports
The season	Before summer, demand from the Gulf to Europe rises by sea and air
One way or out and back	Booking both directions together lowers the price of each

How do you bring the cost down?

• Choose sea and send the car early if your travel date is known two months ahead.
• Share a 40ft container with a relative or friend sending a car to the same city.
• Ask for the port nearest your address rather than the cheapest sailing, then compare the totals.

The pricing items are explained on the pricing factors page.

What sets car shipping from Qatar apart?

Qatar is a small peninsula, and every address in it is less than two hours from Hamad Port and Hamad International Airport. So the collection leg is short, and all the complexity lies in the papers and the sea voyage. We say plainly how we serve this route: Home Safe is a Saudi establishment based in Jeddah, and we have no yard in Qatar. We work there through shipping and clearing agents in Doha within our Gulf network; they take in the car and enter it into the port, while we coordinate the booking, the documents and the Swiss partner, and you keep one number to call. These points are specific to the Qatari origin:

• Towers and gated compounds: parking at The Pearl, West Bay and Lusail is underground, so the car is brought out to a point the flatbed can reach, with the building management’s permission.
• The one-year rule for new cars: under a circular in force from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a new car is not exported before a year has passed since its local registration. The circular is addressed to dealerships and showrooms, and we check whether it touches your car before booking.
• No route through the Kingdom: we do not offer to take a Qatari car by road to a Saudi port for shipping from there; crossing an extra border on export papers saves neither time nor money.

Anyone who wants a car brought to Qatar from the Kingdom will find its road route in the car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Qatar article.

RoRo or container: which is for your car?

A RoRo vessel is a floating multi-storey car park. A port driver drives the car inside up a ramp, it stands lashed on an enclosed deck, and it is driven onto the quay on arrival. A container is a steel box that the car enters in Doha and is locked into, opened only in front of customs in Switzerland or at our agent there. The difference between the two grows on this route, because a long overland leg follows the sea.

Point of comparison	RoRo	Private 20ft container	Shared 40ft container
How the car is loaded	Driven onto the ship uncovered	Secured, and the container sealed on it	Secured with a second car
After the European port	An open car carrier to the border	The same container on a lorry or train	Unloaded at the port or continues sealed
Belongings with the car	Not allowed	Possible with a list and a declaration	Limited
Cost	The lowest to the port	The highest	In between
Suits	An ordinary running family car	Luxury, sports and classic cars	Someone who has found a partner for the same destination

We favour the private container for most cars on this route, and we offer RoRo when its schedule from Hamad Port fits and your car is of the kind it does no harm to. The two methods are detailed on the RoRo car shipping and container car shipping pages.

Shipping supercars from Qatar to Switzerland in an enclosed container

With a supercar the difficulty is the entry, not the voyage. Its nose sits a few centimetres off the ground, the sill of the container is higher than that, and a short ramp scrapes the underside of the bumper before the wheel climbs. So it is loaded over long aluminium ramps that make the angle of approach gentle, or raised on a level platform to the height of the container floor and then pushed inside. The container is given over to one car, so nothing that can move is loaded with it.

• The straps: soft and wide, wrapped round the tyres alone and tightened to rings in the container floor, so no hook touches a rim or a suspension arm.
• The battery: disconnected, or the transport mode specified by the maker is switched on, as the journey is longer than a month.
• Moisture: absorbent bags are hung in the container, as the gap between Gulf heat and Alpine cold condenses water on metal.
• The record: video filming before the door is closed, and the seal number sent to you at that moment.

The vehicles we ship from Qatar to Switzerland

Any registered vehicle can be shipped; the question is whether it is worth the trip. An old car of little value may pay more in the Swiss inspection and its modifications than it is worth. That is why we ask for the model, the year of manufacture and the country of specification before suggesting a method.

Vehicle	The method that suits	What we watch for
Saloons and mid-size family cars	RoRo or a shared container	Whether it merits the cost of conformity in Switzerland
Large 4x4s	A private container	Height with the roof rack, as the container door is limited
Supercars	A one-car container or air	Ground clearance and width with the mirrors
Classics	A private container	Oil leaks, and their status at Swiss registration
Electric or hybrid cars	Usually by sea	The battery conditions of the shipping line and the airline
Motorcycles	A wooden crate by sea or air	Draining the fuel and disconnecting the battery

Preparing the car before loading in Doha

What you do to the car before the flatbed arrives shows a month later in another city. Swiss customs look at cleanliness more closely than most, and the technical inspection office turns away a car carrying mud or visible oil. The car will stand locked for weeks, so whatever is forgotten in it stays there.

• Wash it outside and underneath, and clean the cabin and the boot.
• Take out every personal item, parking cards, private tracking devices and any food or perfume.
• Leave a quarter of a tank or less, and make sure the coolant suits Alpine cold.
• Photograph it from every side, with the rims, the roof, the interior and the odometer.
• Switch off the alarm, and hand over one key together with the locking wheel-nut key if there is one.

A fuller explanation is in the car shipping guide.

A summer trip on Qatari plates, or permanent export?

This is the first question we ask, and all the paperwork is built on it. A car that will return to Doha after two months is neither exported nor imported. It leaves Qatar on a temporary permit, enters Switzerland on its own plates and registration, and returns to its record as it left. A car that has been sold, or whose owner has moved, has its plates surrendered in Qatar and is treated in Switzerland like any imported car.

Point of comparison	Temporary exit and return	Permanent export
Plates	Qatari, as they are	Removed, and export plates fitted
The Qatari document	A vehicle exit permit	A vehicle export certificate
Time allowed outside Qatar	The rule in force is six months, extendable with permission	No return
In Switzerland	Private use for up to six months a year for a non-resident	Two taxes, then inspection and registration
Swiss taxes	Not paid as long as the car will leave	4% and 8.1%, or the relocation relief
Insurance	Cover valid for Switzerland throughout the stay	A Swiss policy before the plates

With temporary admission two things are arranged before shipping. The first is insurance: a Qatari policy does not normally cover Switzerland, so temporary frontier insurance or an international policy is bought. The second is how temporary admission is established for a car that arrived as cargo rather than driven, and that is decided by the Swiss customs office to which it is presented, which may require a permit on form 15.30 if the stay is long. A carnet de passages is not a condition of entering Switzerland, but it may ease passage through a European port on Gulf plates; it is explained on the triptik page.

Procedures for taking a car out of Qatar and exporting it

The competent body is the General Directorate of Traffic at the Ministry of Interior. Some of its transactions are done online through the Metrash app and the ministry’s website, and the rest by visiting the traffic section or a service centre. What is available online changes, so the table shows the practice in force, and we confirm the current method on the day of your request.

Step	For temporary exit	For permanent export
Clearing fines	All are paid before the permit is requested	All are paid before the certificate is requested
Liens and finance	A no-objection letter from the bank	Release of the lien from the vehicle record
The application	A vehicle exit permit in the name of the owner or their delegate	A vehicle export certificate from the traffic certificates services
The plates	Stay on the car	The originals are removed and export plates fitted
Insurance	A policy covering the destination country	Short-term insurance required with the export plates
Validity	Return within the permitted period	A matter of days, so it is requested once the sailing date is firm

After the traffic department comes the Qatari customs declaration at the port or airport, lodged by our agent in Doha. Switzerland asks for proof of the date of first registration, so keep the original registration or a certified copy of it even after the plates are surrendered.

Customs, inspection and registration of the car in Switzerland

Switzerland is outside the European Union and has customs separate from those of the port where the car landed. The car crosses Italy or Germany on a transit declaration and is presented to Swiss customs at the border or at an inland office. The rule in force is that customs duty on cars was abolished along with the duties on industrial goods, and two taxes remain. Then comes the technical inspection, the stage that takes patience for a car of Gulf specification.

Item	The rule in force	What we do before shipping
Automobile tax	4% of the value	We work out an approximate amount with you
Value added tax	8.1% on the value, the freight and the tax	It goes into the same calculation
Relief for those moving their residence	A car its owner has used for at least six months enters with their effects on form 18.44	We check the registration date and the proof of relocation
The customs inspection report	Form 13.20 A, a condition of registration	Its original is handed to the owner with the car
The emissions penalty	May be charged on a car with a recent first registration	We ask for the date of first registration
The technical inspection	An individual inspection at the cantonal road traffic office for a car with no European certificate of conformity	We tell you the modifications to expect
The registration deadline	Counted in months from the owner’s entry for residence	We confirm the deadline in force in the canton

The modifications most often required for a Gulf car are headlights to the European standard, a rear fog lamp, evidence of emissions and noise measurements, and removal of tinting from the windscreen and front windows. The steering wheel is on the left in both Qatar and Switzerland and the speedometer is in kilometres, so neither is changed. The rates and forms are revised from time to time, so we confirm what applies before loading. Clearance is explained on the customs clearance page.

Documents for shipping the car, and what is not accepted

The file is assembled in Doha and read in Switzerland, so every Arabic-only paper is accompanied by an English translation. We ask for the copies first and review them, then the originals travel by courier or with the owner, not inside the car.

Document	Who issues it	Required at
The car’s registration	The Qatari traffic department	Booking, and customs on both sides
The exit permit or export certificate	The General Directorate of Traffic	Hamad Port or Hamad airport
The Qatari ID card and passport	The owner	Every stage
The purchase invoice or a valuation	The seller or an expert	Swiss customs and the insurance
The Swiss residence permit and tenancy contract	The person moving residence	The relief application on form 18.44
The bank’s letter	The lender	The Qatari traffic department, for a financed car
The bill of lading or air waybill	The shipping line or airline	Collecting the car on arrival

And these are cases in which the car is not loaded, or is loaded once they are dealt with:

The case	The ruling
Unpaid fines or a standing lien	It does not leave Qatar until they are cleared
A new car at a showroom that has not completed a year of registration	The export rule is checked first
A visible oil or fuel leak	Repaired first, as the shipping line refuses it
Weapons, fireworks and radar detectors	Prohibited, and radar detectors are banned in Switzerland
Soil, plants or food in the cabin	Removed, as they are subject to health controls on entry

The general lists are on the shipping documents and prohibited items pages.

Insuring the car from Doha until delivery

The car’s Qatari policy stops at the limits written in it and does not cover a car inside a container on the open sea. The shipping line’s liability is capped at a small sum per consignment, whatever its value. So it is marine or air cargo insurance that really protects the value of the car, and it is written door to door.

• What it covers: accidents, fire, theft and loading and unloading damage, and the car’s share in general average if it is declared on the ship.
• For what value: the agreed value of the car plus the freight, and for a rare car an expert valuation.
• What it rests on: the signed condition report and the photographs and video taken on loading day.
• On delivery: any remark is written on the delivery report before signing, as it is the basis of a claim.

The types of cover are on the cargo insurance page.

Delivering cars from Qatar in Geneva, Zurich and Lugano

After clearance the car is carried on an enclosed or open flatbed to the address. Geneva is the most requested destination on this route, then Zurich, then Lugano in the Italian-speaking south. Delivery is made in front of the villa, at the hotel entrance or at the building’s garage, and the recipient inspects the car with the driver before signing and taking the key.

City	Where it is	How the car reaches it	Delivery note
Geneva	The far west, on the lake	From Genoa by the Italian road, or by air to its airport	Hotels and flats on the lakefront need an appointment with the garage management
Zurich	The north	From Genoa via the Gotthard, from Basel, or by air	In the city centre delivery is made outside peak hours
Lugano	The south, canton of Ticino	From Genoa via Chiasso	The nearest city to the port and the quickest to reach
Basel	The north-west, on the Rhine	From Rotterdam or Antwerp by river or rail	Containers from the north are cleared here
Bern	The centre	From Basel or from Zurich	Seat of the embassies; delivery by prior arrangement
Lausanne and Montreux	Lake Geneva	With the Geneva cars	Sloping streets, so the car is set down at the nearest level spot

Three things concern a car arriving from the Gulf on delivery day. Motorways require their annual sticker before the first journey. A car arriving in the cold season on summer tyres should not climb a mountain road before they are changed. And a car exported for good arrives with no valid plates, so it is delivered on the flatbed at the address or straight to the inspection office. The delivery-to-address service is on the door to door page.

Car shipping for individuals, companies, embassies and government bodies

An individual ships one car and cares about its date. A company or an embassy ships more than one and cares about the file, the invoice and the correct customs route. The service is the same at its core and differs in the papers and the form of contract:

• For individuals: a plan built on your travel date, and one person who follows up with you from Doha to delivery.
• For companies and showrooms: a contract and tax invoice, a schedule of chassis numbers, and a condition report for each car.
• For embassies, consulates and missions: coordination by official notes, with diplomatic relief requested from the competent Swiss body before shipping.
• For government bodies: commitment to written dates, and documented correspondence at every stage.

Is there a land route from Qatar to Switzerland?

We do not offer one. The theoretical road crosses Saudi Arabia and Jordan or Iraq, then Turkey and the Balkans; it is thousands of kilometres and many borders, and car carriers do not run it regularly. Anyone driving their own car on such a trip needs a carnet, visas and insurance for each country. So sea from Hamad Port and air from Hamad International Airport remain the two practical routes. The shipping methods are compared on the shipping methods comparison page.

Air freight for cars from Qatar to Switzerland

Air is the route for someone who wants the car in Geneva within a week, not within a month and a half. The car is handed over at the cargo area of Hamad International Airport, secured on a metal pallet with straps on the tyres, and loaded onto a freighter aircraft or into the hold of a wide-body aircraft if its height allows. It arrives at Zurich or Geneva airport, is cleared at airport customs, and is then carried on an enclosed flatbed to the address. The time from collection to delivery is 3 to 6 days.

• For whom: luxury and sports cars, show cars, and anyone whose arrival date is fixed and who cannot bear a ship’s delay.
• Classification: airlines class a car as dangerous goods on account of the fuel in its tank and its battery, and a certified specialist draws up the declaration that goes with it.
• Fuel and battery: the rule in force is no more than a quarter of a tank, with the battery secured, and electric and hybrid cars have conditions set by the air carrier.
• Dimensions: a low car finds a place more easily than a tall 4×4, because the aircraft that can take it is settled by how high and how wide the car is.
• The papers: the same as for sea: an exit permit or export certificate, with an air waybill instead of the bill of lading.
• The price: set on request by weight and dimensions; it is several times sea, and the outward and return trips are booked together for summer visitors.

There are regular flights between Doha and both Zurich and Geneva, but acceptance of a car on a particular flight depends on the aircraft type and the space available, so we confirm the booking before the car leaves the house. Air services for goods other than cars are on the air freight page.

Collecting cars from Doha and the cities of Qatar

Our agent in Doha sets the collection time to the hour, and the driver calls before he arrives. The car is inspected at your door and its condition report written, then it is taken to the loading yard and from there to Hamad Port or Hamad International Airport. All the distances are short, so collection from any Qatari city is done the same day.

Area	Districts and towns	Collection note
North Doha	West Bay, The Pearl, Lusail, Al Qutaifiya	Tower parking; the building management’s permission is needed
Central Doha	Al Sadd, Bin Mahmoud, Al Mansoura, Old Airport	Busy streets; collection in the morning
West Doha and Al Rayyan	Al Waab, Al Aziziya, Al Rayyan, Al Gharrafa, Muaither	Villas with wide entrances
South of Doha	Al Wakrah, Al Wukair, Mesaieed	The nearest to Hamad Port
The north	Umm Salal, Al Khor, Al Thakhira, Madinat ash Shamal	A time arranged a day ahead

Steps for shipping a car from Qatar to Switzerland

Eight steps from the first message to handing over the key. The first and third are yours; the rest we handle and report to you.

1. You send the model, the year of manufacture, a photo of the registration, the Swiss city and your travel date to 0552803439.
2. We settle with you: temporary exit or export, sea or air, and send the itemised price and the time.
3. Fines are paid, the bank’s letter is prepared if needed, and the permit or certificate is requested from the traffic department.
4. The agent collects the car from your address, and the condition report is written and photographs taken.
5. It is secured in the container and sealed, or handed to the RoRo or air cargo terminal, and the Qatari declaration is lodged.
6. The ship sails or the aircraft takes off, and you receive the tracking number and a copy of the bill of lading.
7. The car is moved from the European port or the airport to Swiss customs and cleared.
8. The flatbed reaches your address, you inspect the car, sign, and receive the key and the customs form.

Tracking the car and follow-up, even after delivery

At sea, days pass in which nothing changes on the tracking screen, and that is normal. What matters is that you know the stages at which news is expected, and that the news reaches you without your asking.

• In Qatar: a notice that the car has entered Hamad Port, with the container and seal numbers, then a notice that the ship has sailed.
• In Europe: a notice that the container has been discharged and has left the port for Switzerland.
• At the border: a notice of clearance, of the amount of the two taxes if any, and of the delivery appointment.
• After delivery: we stay in touch until inspection and registration are complete, or until the return trip is booked for summer visitors.

How to follow a shipment is on the shipment tracking page.

Car shipping from Switzerland to Qatar

The opposite direction has two cases. The first is the return of a Qatari car that left on a temporary permit, which goes back to its record without import if it returns within its period. The second is a car bought in Switzerland to be registered in Qatar; its Swiss plates are cancelled and an export declaration is lodged for it there, then it enters Qatar as an import. The rule in force in Qatar is a customs duty of 5% of the value, that a light vehicle be no more than five years from its year of manufacture, that it be left-hand drive, and that it pass the technical inspection before registration. A European-specification car may be queried on its suitability for Gulf heat, so we review its case before the purchase, not after. The destination page is shipping to Qatar.

Home Safe’s advice before shipping your car from Qatar to Switzerland

These are remarks specific to this route, and most of them are settled before the car moves from where it stands:

• Decide first whether the car is coming back, as changing the decision after the plates are surrendered is costly.
• Do not buy a car in Doha meaning to register it in Switzerland before you know the cost of its conformity.
• If you are moving your residence, make sure you have used the car for six months before you move, as that is the condition of the relief.
• Book the return with the outward trip if the car is a summer visitor, as end-of-summer places fill up.
• Ask about insurance for the car inside Switzerland before it arrives, not at the customs gate.

The ways of securing and wrapping a car are on the packing and lashing page.

How do you choose a car shipping company from Qatar to Switzerland?

The promises in advertisements are alike: safety, speed and tracking. The difference shows when you ask questions that only someone who has shipped to a country with no port can answer. These signs tell the two apart:

The sign	What it tells you
Asks whether the car is returning before pricing	Knows that the paperwork follows two different routes
Names the European port and the carrier after it	Its price reaches Switzerland, not the quay
Mentions the two taxes and form 13.20 A	Has really dealt with Swiss customs
Writes a condition report and offers insurance at value	Accepts being held to account for what it delivers
A visible commercial registration and a written contract	A body that can be held to answer if a dispute arises

Common mistakes when shipping cars from Qatar to Switzerland

Seven mistakes we have seen repeated, most of them made before loading:

• Surrendering the Qatari plates of a car that will return after the summer.
• Requesting the export certificate before the sailing date is firm, so it expires in the yard.
• Comparing prices to the European port and forgetting the hundreds of kilometres after it.
• Shipping an old car for registration without asking about the individual inspection and its modifications.
• Stuffing the boot with suitcases on RoRo, or without a declaration in a container.
• Relying on the Qatari insurance policy inside Switzerland.
• Booking air freight in the last week before summer and then accepting whatever price is available.

Why Home Safe for shipping your car from Qatar to Switzerland?

Because we tell you from the start how we work and where we stand, and we plan the journey from its end: we begin with what Switzerland asks of your car, then choose the port, the method and the Qatari document that lead to it.

To book: 0552803439 by call or WhatsApp, from 7 am to 11 pm. Or from the request a quote page.

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• Car shipping from Saudi Arabia
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• Shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Europe
• Sea freight
• Container sizes

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Frequently asked questions about car shipping from Qatar to Switzerland

Which is the best car shipping company from Qatar to Switzerland?

The one that answers three questions before it mentions a price: is your car travelling for a summer and coming back or leaving for good, who takes it in at Hamad Port, and who clears it at Swiss customs. Home Safe is a registered establishment that coordinates these three links through its agents in Doha and its partners in Switzerland, and gives you one file and one number to call, 0552803439.

What is the cheapest way to ship a car from Qatar to Switzerland?

Sea is cheaper than air by a wide margin. Within sea freight, RoRo and a container shared with a second car cost less than a private container. But the cheapest to the port is not always the cheapest to the house, because a car landed at a distant northern port pays for a longer carrier trip inside Europe. Ask for the price to the address in Switzerland, not to the quay.

How much does it cost to ship a car from Qatar to Switzerland by sea and by air?

We do not publish a fixed figure for this route; the price is set on request according to the car, the method and the Swiss city. What circulates for sea freight to the port is around QAR 3,200 to 3,500 for a small car. Air freight is worked out on the weight and dimensions of the car and is several times the sea price. For comparison, RoRo on our line from Jeddah port to European ports starts from SAR 2,800.

How many days does a car need to get from Doha to Geneva or Zurich?

By sea, 30 to 45 days from the day it is handed over in Doha until it comes off at your address, depending on the European port and on whether the ship sails direct or the container changes vessel at an intermediate port. By air, 3 to 6 days including clearance at both airports. We give you the time in writing on the actual booking, not on the average.

Do I need to export my car if I am only spending the summer in Switzerland?

No. A car that is coming back keeps its Qatari plates and registration. What it needs in Qatar is a vehicle exit permit from the General Directorate of Traffic, and the rule in force in Switzerland is that a person living abroad may use a foreign car for up to six months a year for private purposes. The export certificate and its plates are for a car that leaves and does not return.

How do I obtain the vehicle export certificate in Qatar?

From the General Directorate of Traffic, online through the Ministry of Interior services and the Metrash app or by visiting the traffic section, depending on what is available at the time of your request. Fines are paid first and any lien is released, then the original plates are removed, export plates are fitted and the certificate is issued. Its validity is short, so we only request it once the sailing date is firm.

Does my car pay customs on entering Switzerland?

The rule in force is that Switzerland collects no customs duty on cars, but it does collect a 4% automobile tax and 8.1% value added tax on the value of the car together with its freight. A car belonging to someone moving their residence is exempt from both if they have used it for at least six months. A car entering temporarily on its Qatari plates does not pay them as long as it leaves within its period.

Can a Gulf-specification car be registered in Switzerland?

It can, after an individual inspection at the road traffic office of the canton, because it carries no European certificate of conformity. A change to the headlights, the addition of a rear fog lamp, evidence of emissions and noise measurements, and the removal of tinting from the front glass may be required. Send the model and the year of manufacture before shipping and we will tell you what is likely to be asked for.

RoRo or container: which suits better from Hamad Port?

A sealed container suits this route better in most cases. After the sea the car covers hundreds of kilometres inside Europe, and a sealed container protects it on both legs and stays locked until Swiss customs. RoRo suits an ordinary family car that comes to no harm from being driven on and off the ship, and whose owner wants the lowest cost.

Can the car be shipped by air from Hamad International Airport?

Yes. The car is secured on an air cargo pallet and leaves Hamad International Airport for Zurich or Geneva airport, and is delivered after clearance within 3 to 6 days of collection. It is the option for a luxury car or one needed for a near date, and its price is set on request once its weight, dimensions and fuel type are known.

Can I leave belongings or suitcases inside the car?

On RoRo nothing is left, as the car is driven and opened at more than one port. In a private container personal effects can be shipped beside the car if they are written on a separate list and declared to Swiss customs. Anything tucked into the boot without a declaration stops the whole container when it is opened.

My car has a bank loan in Qatar. Can it be shipped?

It does not leave before the bank agrees. A mortgaged car shows its lien in the traffic record, so no export certificate is issued for it until the lien is released, and as a rule no temporary exit permit is issued without a no-objection letter from the lender. Start with that letter before you book a place on a ship.

How do I follow my car during the journey?

With the container number or the bill of lading number on the shipping line’s website, and with messages from us at every stage: entry to Hamad Port, the sailing of the ship, arrival at the European port, crossing the Swiss border, and the delivery appointment. By air you follow it with the air waybill number almost hour by hour.

Do you bring the car back from Switzerland to Qatar after the summer?

Yes, and the outward and return trips are usually booked together. The car is collected from your address in Switzerland and leaves by sea through a European port or by air from Zurich and Geneva to Doha. Because it left on a temporary permit it returns to its Qatari record without a fresh import, provided it comes back within the permitted period.

When should I book if I want the car in Geneva at the start of the summer?

For sea freight, book seven to eight weeks before your arrival date, since the voyage itself takes a month or more and the weeks before summer are crowded with demand for containers from the Gulf to Europe. For air freight two weeks are usually enough, and the space on the aircraft is confirmed before the car is handed over.