Shipping Company from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland 0552803439 | Car Shipping, Furniture and Parcels by Sea and Air

Home Safe is a shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland that moves furniture, cars, parcels and goods from every city in the Kingdom to Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lausanne and Lugano. Switzerland has no coast, so a sea shipment is landed at a European port and then continues by rail or truck, arriving within 25 to 38 days door to door. Air freight arrives within 3 to 6 days. A car starts from SAR 2,800, part-load furniture from SAR 5,500, and air freight from SAR 23 a kilogram. To book: 0552803439.

In this guide47ShowHide

1. Who ships from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland, and what do they ship?
2. Landlocked and outside the European Union: what does that mean for your shipment?
3. Shipping methods from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland and how long each takes
4. Shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
5. Shipping to Switzerland from the cities of the Kingdom
6. Sea freight from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland: full container or shared?
7. Genoa, Rotterdam or Antwerp: which European port suits your address?
8. Multimodal transport: how is the journey from the port into Switzerland planned?
9. Shipping home and office furniture from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
10. The removal goods exemption for those moving to Switzerland (form 18.44)
11. Car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
12. Customs, inspection and registration of the car in Switzerland
13. Shipping parcels, personal effects and students’ belongings to Switzerland
14. Shipping commercial and industrial goods from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
15. Shipping sensitive devices and equipment
16. Packing before the journey to Switzerland
17. Documents and customs clearance for shipping to Switzerland
18. What cannot be shipped to Switzerland or needs a permit
19. Destinations inside Switzerland: the cities we deliver to
20. Shipping services for individuals, companies, government bodies and embassies
21. Air freight from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
22. Door to door, and temporary storage before shipping
23. Steps for shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
24. Shipment follow-up, insurance and support
25. Shipping from Switzerland to Saudi Arabia
26. Tips before shipping to Switzerland
27. How do you choose a shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?
28. Common mistakes when shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
29. Why Home Safe for shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?
30. Related articles and pages
31. Tags
32. Frequently asked questions about shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland
33. How much does shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland cost?
34. How long does shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland take?
35. Switzerland has no sea, so how does the container get there?
36. Which is the best shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland for express parcels?
37. What is the cheapest way to ship heavy goods to Switzerland?
38. How much does it cost to ship small parcels to Switzerland?
39. Does the consignee pay tax on a parcel in Switzerland?
40. Do I pay customs duty on my furniture if I move to Switzerland?
41. Can I ship my car from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?
42. What documents are needed to ship to Switzerland?
43. Do you ship dates, oud and incense to Switzerland?
44. Do you collect from any city in the Kingdom?
45. Do you insure the shipment?
46. How do I track my shipment from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?
47. Do you ship from Switzerland to Saudi Arabia?

The sea route: from your city to Jeddah Islamic Port, then the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean to Genoa, or on to Rotterdam and Antwerp in the north, then rail, truck or river barge into Switzerland · Expected time: by sea 25–38 days, by air 3–6 days.

Who ships from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland, and what do they ship?

Six groups ship on this route, and each has its own method and customs treatment. Saudi families who spend the summer in Geneva and Montreux or own a home there. Students at the hospitality schools and universities of Lausanne and Zurich. Patients and their companions on long treatment trips. Staff of the international organisations and missions in Geneva and Bern. Swiss engineers and specialists who have finished their work in the Kingdom. And traders exporting dates, perfumes and carpets.

Shipper	What they ship	Most suitable method	What matters at customs
A family moving its residence	Household furniture, appliances and the car	20ft or 40ft container	Removal goods exemption on form 18.44
Owner of a summer home	Furniture, carpets, antiques and majlis furnishings	Part load or container	8.1% tax on the value, since residence is not being moved
Student or scholarship holder	Cartons of books and clothes, and suitcases	Part load, or air before term starts	Study materials and used personal effects
Patient and companions	Luggage and personal medical devices	Air	A medical report for devices and medicines
Staff of an organisation or mission	Household effects and a car	Container, and air for urgent items	Special treatment according to status and the employer’s papers
Trader and exporter	Dates, perfumes, carpets and samples	Container or part load, samples by air	Invoice, certificate of origin and import tax

The first thing we ask about is your status: moving your residence, visiting, or trading? Swiss customs assess the status before the goods. The same container enters tax-free for someone moving residence, and pays full tax if its owner is furnishing a home he only visits in summer.

Landlocked and outside the European Union: what does that mean for your shipment?

It means two things that change the whole way of shipping. The first is that the ship does not reach Switzerland, so there has to be a port in another country and then a second journey by rail, truck or river. The second is that Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, so it has its own tariff, tax and forms, and what holds in Germany or France does not automatically hold there.

That is why the container crosses Italy, the Netherlands or Germany sealed under customs transit, so no European Union duty or tax is paid on it. It is cleared once only, at Swiss customs. The common mistake is to clear the shipment at the European port of arrival, pay the tax of the transit country and then the Swiss tax, and recovering the first is a long road. This is what a company that knows the route gets right:

• A port chosen from the address: Genoa for south of the Alps and central Switzerland, and Rotterdam and Antwerp for Basel and the north.
• Transit without double charges: a transit document opened at the port and closed at the Swiss customs office.
• A file in the Swiss customs format: a clear list of contents, and the exemption form if you qualify.
• A partner inside Switzerland: who clears, delivers and carries the furniture up to the flat.
• A time with a realistic margin: counting the port, the transit and clearance, not the sailing alone.

Shipping methods from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland and how long each takes

There are only two methods: sea and air. There is no land freight we rely on for private belongings on this route. Sea freight is multimodal by nature, because the container swaps the ship for a train, truck or river barge before it reaches Switzerland. Air goes straight to Zurich or Geneva airport. These times are door to door:

Method	Route	Approximate time	Best for
Full container via Genoa	Jeddah → Suez → Genoa → rail or truck across the Alps	25–32 days	Ticino, Zurich, Lucerne and central Switzerland
Full container via Rotterdam or Antwerp	Jeddah → Suez → Gibraltar → North Sea → the Rhine or rail to Basel	30–38 days	Basel, Bern and the north, and loads that are not urgent
Part load in a shared container	The same route, with consolidation in Jeddah and sorting in Europe	32–45 days	Cartons, a few pieces of furniture and students’ belongings
A car in a container or by RoRo	To a European port, then a transporter or train into Switzerland	28–40 days	Private, luxury and classic cars
Air freight	Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam airport → Zurich or Geneva	3–6 days	Parcels, suitcases, samples and valuable devices

The days are not all spent at sea. About half the time falls before and after the ship, and this is how it divides for a full container routed through Genoa:

Stage	What happens	Usual time
Collection and packing	Dismantling, packing and a numbered inventory at your home	One to two days
Haulage to Jeddah port	A closed truck from your city to the quay	Hours from the western cities, one to two days from others
Export and waiting for the ship	Exit formalities and loading	3–5 days
Sailing to Genoa	The Red Sea, then the Suez Canal, then the Mediterranean	8–12 days
The European port	Unloading the container and opening the transit document	2–4 days
Transit to Switzerland	Rail or truck across the Alps	One to three days
Swiss clearance	Declaration, then review of the exemption form or payment of the tax	One to three days
Delivery	To the address, with unloading and assembly	One to two days

What makes it take longer?

• Transhipment in the Mediterranean: some lines change ship at an intermediate port before Genoa or Rotterdam.
• The level of the Rhine: in dry seasons the water drops, barges carry less, and containers are switched to rail.
• Truck restrictions in Switzerland: the rule in force bans heavy trucks from driving at night and on Sundays and public holidays.
• Part-load consolidation: a shared container waits in Jeddah until it is full, and is then sorted in Europe.
• The exemption file: an incomplete form or a vague list of contents delays release by days.

For sea against air in general, see the shipping methods comparison page; for how long other countries take, the transit times page.

Shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

The price on this route has four parts, not three: haulage from your city to the port, the sea or air fare, the transit from the European port into Switzerland, and then clearance and delivery inside it. The third part is the one people forget when comparing prices, and it is what makes shipping to a landlocked country different from shipping to Hamburg or Marseille. These are our starting prices:

What you ship	Method	Price starts from
Saloon car	RoRo to the European port	SAR 2,800
A car inside a closed container all the way to Switzerland	Dedicated 20ft container	Set on request according to the canton
Furniture and belongings	Part load in a shared container	SAR 5,500
A whole home of furniture	Full 20ft or 40ft container	SAR 11,000
Students’ cartons	Part load by the cubic metre	Set on request by the number of cartons
Parcels, luggage and samples	Air freight	SAR 23 a kilogram
Documents	Express	SAR 83
Commercial goods in a container	Full container from Jeddah port	Set on request on the day of booking
Industrial equipment and precision devices	Sea or air with special packing	Set on request by dimensions and weight

The prices quoted in the market for the Switzerland route are mostly higher than that. A kilogram of air freight for small parcels is offered at between SAR 40 and SAR 95, which puts a parcel of up to two kilograms at SAR 80 to 190, a 5-kilogram parcel at SAR 200 to 475, and a 10-kilogram parcel at SAR 400 to 950. Parcels of 5 to 25 kilograms by express courier are priced at between SAR 1,200 and SAR 3,000. The sea fare alone for a 20ft container is quoted at between 450 and 650 dollars, which covers neither inland haulage, nor the transit into Switzerland, nor clearance. The insurance premium runs between 1% and 3% of the value. We found no one publishing an all-in price to the door in Switzerland, which is why we give you your price itemised on the day you ask.

What sets the price	Its effect
Method	Part load for a small volume, a container for a large one, and air the fastest and highest
Volume or weight	By the cubic metre at sea and by the chargeable kilogram in the air. Work it out with the CBM calculator
The European port	Genoa is the shorter sailing, and Rotterdam is nearer Basel by river
Canton and address	Lugano is close to Genoa, Geneva is in the far west, and mountain villages need special arrangements
Collection city in the Kingdom	The farther it is from Jeddah port, the larger the inland haulage item
Service in the building	The floor, the lift, and a parking permit for the truck outside the block
Added services	Dismantling, packing, assembly, storage and insurance

How do you bring the cost down?

• Ship as a part load if your volume is under 15 cubic metres, and compare with a container if it is more.
• Choose the port from your Swiss address, not from the lowest sailing fare.
• Prepare the removal exemption file before shipping, as it saves a whole tax.
• Do not ship new appliances in their boxes with removal goods, since they fall outside the exemption.
• Book three weeks ahead of summer and of the start of the academic year.

The items are explained on the pricing factors page.

Shipping to Switzerland from the cities of the Kingdom

We collect from every city in the Kingdom, and a sea shipment sails from Jeddah Islamic Port whichever city you are in. The reason is that Jeddah is on the Red Sea, and a ship from it enters the Suez Canal directly. Dammam port is on the Arabian Gulf, and a ship from it sails round the Arabian Peninsula, adding about a week to the voyage. The prices in the table above carry a sea fare from Jeddah port, and inland haulage is added according to distance:

Collection city	Port of departure and distance to it	Air freight airport	Door-to-door time by sea	More
Jeddah	Jeddah Islamic Port, inside the city	King Abdulaziz International	25–38 days	International shipping companies in Jeddah
Makkah	Jeddah port, about 80 km	Jeddah airport	25–38 days	Served from Jeddah the same day
Taif	Jeddah port, about 170 km	Jeddah airport	25–38 days	Served from Jeddah
Madinah	Jeddah port, about 420 km	Madinah airport, or via Jeddah	26–39 days	Closed truck to Jeddah
Riyadh	Jeddah port, about 950 km	King Khalid International	27–40 days	International shipping company in Riyadh
Qassim: Buraydah and Unaizah	Jeddah port, about 900 km	Riyadh or Qassim airport	27–40 days	Joined to the Riyadh or Madinah runs
Dammam, Khobar and Jubail	Jeddah port, about 1,350 km, or Dammam port on a longer voyage	King Fahd International	28–42 days	International shipping company in Dammam
Tabuk	Jeddah port, about 1,000 km	Tabuk airport, or via Jeddah	27–40 days	Closed truck to Jeddah
Abha, Khamis Mushait and Jazan	Jeddah port, about 700 km from Abha	Abha airport, or via Jeddah	27–40 days	Closed truck to Jeddah

Riyadh has no seaport, so its containers are loaded at the house and then trucked to Jeddah in time for the ship. The Eastern Province has two choices: the road to Jeddah, or sailing from Dammam when the load is heavy and not urgent. In Makkah and Madinah large trucks enter the central area at regulated hours that tighten in Ramadan and Hajj, so we confirm the hours in force before loading day. Air freight leaves from the nearest international airport, and its price per kilogram changes with the city only by the collection charge. The cities we serve are on the cities page.

Sea freight from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland: full container or shared?

Sea freight is the road for every large shipment to Switzerland: a home of furniture, a car, or commercial goods. The ship carries the container from Jeddah to a European port, and there the same container is moved unopened onto a train, truck or river barge. It comes in two systems, and they differ in price, time and the number of times the goods are handled:

Comparison	Full container	Shared container (part load)
You pay for	The whole container	The cubic metres you occupy
Time	25–38 days	32–45 days
Handling	Sealed at your home and opened at your Swiss home	Consolidated in Jeddah, sorted in a European warehouse, then trucked on
Clearance	One file in your name	Your file among the container’s files
Best for	A whole home, furniture with a car, or wholesale goods	A room or two, cartons, and a student’s belongings
Price starts from	SAR 11,000 for a whole home of furniture	SAR 5,500 for furniture and belongings

A 20ft container holds about 28 cubic metres, which is enough for a flat of two or three rooms. A 40ft container holds about 58 cubic metres, so it takes a whole house, or furniture with a car. Swiss flats are usually smaller than homes in the Kingdom, so many families ship only half their furniture and manage with a 20ft container. Measure the rooms of your new home before deciding what to ship. Dimensions are on the container sizes page, and the service on the sea freight page.

Genoa, Rotterdam or Antwerp: which European port suits your address?

The port is chosen from the delivery address in Switzerland, not from the lowest sailing fare. Genoa in Italy is the nearest to the Suez Canal, and from it the road climbs north to the Chiasso crossing and then the Gotthard tunnel. Rotterdam and Antwerp are about a week farther by sea, but from them a regular river and rail line runs to the Basel ports on the Rhine, which are Switzerland’s only gateway by water.

Port	Sailing time from Jeddah	How the container continues	Suits
Genoa, Italy	8–12 days	Rail or truck across the Alps, about 200 km to Lugano and 420 km to Zurich	Ticino, Zurich and Lucerne, and anyone wanting the shortest time
Rotterdam, the Netherlands	15–21 days	A Rhine barge or a train to Basel within 3–5 days	Basel, Bern and the north, and heavy goods that are not urgent
Antwerp, Belgium	14–20 days	Train or barge to Basel	Basel and western Switzerland, and RoRo cars through nearby Zeebrugge
Hamburg and Bremerhaven, Germany	16–22 days	Rail across Germany to Basel	When the available shipping line to them has the earlier date

Geneva and Lausanne need their own sums: they lie in the far west near the French border, so a shipment reaches them from Genoa by the Italian road, or from Basel by truck over about 250 km. We compare the two routes for you by time and price and name the port before booking. The ports we work from are on the ports and gateways page.

Multimodal transport: how is the journey from the port into Switzerland planned?

Every sea shipment to Switzerland is a multimodal journey: a truck in the Kingdom, then a ship, then a train, barge or truck in Europe, then a distribution truck inside Switzerland. Good planning settles all the modes on the first day and books them on one bill of lading, so the container does not sit at the transit port while someone looks for a train.

• The river barge: the cheapest for heavy containers, and it berths at Basel’s three ports: Kleinhüningen, Birsfelden and Muttenz.
• The train: the fastest and the most reliable on dates, unaffected by the river level or by the Sunday truck ban.
• The truck: for the last leg from the terminal to the door, and for the run from Genoa when the address is in Ticino.
• Sea with air: the furniture in the container, and two or three suitcases by air to cover the first weeks until the container arrives.
• Regular shipping for companies: a fixed monthly schedule on the same route, at a price agreed in advance.

And if something changes on the way, such as a low Rhine or a congested port, we switch the mode and tell you the new date before you ask.

Shipping home and office furniture from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

A whole home of furniture ships in a dedicated container from SAR 11,000, and a few pieces as a part load from SAR 5,500. Furniture on this route passes through three climates: the heat of Jeddah, the damp of the sea, and the cold of the Alps in winter. So the packing is planned for all three, and solid wood and leather are what suffer most from the change in temperature. These are the stages of the service:

• Survey: by photos or a visit, to estimate the cubic metres and choose the container.
• Dismantling: bedrooms, wardrobes and desks are taken apart, and the screws of each piece are kept in a bag bearing its number.
• Packing: blankets for wood, corrugated board for glass and mirrors, and wooden crates for chandeliers and antiques.
• Inventory: a numbered list in English that is attached to the Swiss customs form.
• Stowing and securing: straps and battens inside the container, so nothing moves at sea or on the train.
• In Switzerland: unloading and carrying into the flat, assembling what was dismantled, and removing the packing materials.

For offices and companies we move desks, cabinets, archives and computers with an inventory for each department, and load at the weekend so that work does not stop. Two points are particular to Switzerland. The first is that the mains supply is 230 volts at 50 hertz with a special Swiss socket of three round pins, so your appliances need a plug adaptor, and some motor-driven appliances are affected by the difference in frequency. The second is that many buildings have small lifts and narrow stairs, so a large wardrobe or a corner sofa may not go in. Details are on the furniture shipping page.

The removal goods exemption for those moving to Switzerland (form 18.44)

Anyone moving their residence to Switzerland brings in furniture, belongings and a car free of duty and tax, provided they have used them for at least six months and go on using them after entry. This is the practice at Swiss customs, and it is requested on a form called 18.44, submitted with the list of contents when the shipment enters. The conditions are reviewed before shipping, not after:

Item	Detail
The basic condition	Actually moving your place of residence to Switzerland, not a visit or a summer home
Period of use	At least six months before the move, then continued use after it
Proof of the move	The Swiss residence permit or proof it has been applied for, and the tenancy agreement or employment contract
The form	18.44 with a detailed list of contents, naming any later consignments
Preliminary review	The file is sent to the customs office at least two working days before arrival, which speeds up release
Office hours	Working days from Monday to Friday, so removal goods are not cleared at the weekend
Outside the exemption	New items, alcohol and tobacco above the allowance, and anything shipped for another person
Students	Bring in their study materials and used personal effects without moving their residence

Someone furnishing a home they own in Switzerland but do not live in is treated differently, and tax may be due. The details of these rules are amended, so we confirm what is in force with Swiss customs before your container is sealed, and write the list of contents in the format the form asks for.

Car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

A car is shipped to Switzerland in two ways: inside a closed container that stays sealed until Swiss customs, or by RoRo to a European port and then on a car transporter. RoRo starts from SAR 2,800 for a saloon as far as the port. We favour the closed container on this route, because after the sea the car covers hundreds of kilometres inside Europe, and the container protects it on both legs.

Method	How it works	Suits	What you need to know
Dedicated closed container	The car is secured by its wheels with straps and chocks inside a 20ft container, sealed with a number, and continues by rail or truck	Luxury, new and classic cars, and anyone shipping belongings with it	The chassis number is matched against the documents before sealing and on opening
40ft container with furniture	The car at the front of the container behind a wooden partition, and the furniture in the rest	A family moving its residence	One file for the belongings and the car on the exemption form
RoRo, then a transporter	The car is driven onto the ship, comes off at Zeebrugge or Bremerhaven, and is then carried on a car transporter to the Swiss border	Ordinary running cars	It must be empty of belongings, and haulage inside Europe is a separate item

Before loading we record the car in photos and video, note the odometer reading, and match the chassis number against the registration and the export certificate character by character. A single differing digit stops the car at Swiss customs. Leave a quarter of a tank or less, and disconnect the alarms. The two methods are compared on the container car shipping and RoRo car shipping pages.

Customs, inspection and registration of the car in Switzerland

Review the import conditions before you ship, because the real cost of the car begins after it arrives. Under the rules in force, Switzerland today levies no customs duty on the car itself, but it collects a 4% automobile tax and then 8.1% VAT. A car belonging to someone moving residence is exempt from both if it was used for six months before the move. Then comes the technical inspection, which is the hardest stage for a car built to Gulf specifications.

Item	Detail
Papers for leaving the Kingdom	The registration, the export certificate from the traffic department after the plates are surrendered, and the owner’s ID
Taxes on entry	4% automobile tax and 8.1% VAT on the value of the car and its freight, unless the exemption applies
Exemption for those moving	A car used for six months enters with the removal goods on form 18.44
Customs inspection report	Customs issue form 13.20 A, which is a condition of registration, so keep the original
Technical inspection	At the road traffic office of the canton. A car without a European certificate of conformity goes through an individual inspection
Possible modifications	Lighting, the rear fog lamp, and emissions and noise measurement
Plates and insurance	Swiss third-party insurance before the plates, and the registration deadline runs from your date of entry

Before shipping, send us the model, the year of manufacture and the country of specification. We tell you whether you qualify for the exemption, roughly what the two taxes come to if you do not, and whether the inspection body is likely to ask for modifications. Some cars cost more to bring into conformity than the difference in their price, so it is better to know that while the car is still in Jeddah. Rates and forms are amended, so we confirm what is in force before loading. The general explanation is on the car shipping guide page and in the article on car shipping from Saudi Arabia.

Shipping parcels, personal effects and students’ belongings to Switzerland

An urgent parcel goes by air from SAR 23 a kilogram, and cartons that are not urgent go by sea in a shared container by the cubic metre. What is asked for most on this route: gifts for family, dates, coffee and spices for a student abroad, winter clothes for a travelling family, and suitcases over the airline allowance at the end of summer.

• Collection from the door: from any city, with repacking if the carton will not stand the journey.
• Chargeable weight: the higher of actual and volumetric, so compress the clothes and fill the empty space in the carton.
• Declaration: a description of each item and its value in English, because Swiss customs read what is written and charge on it.
• Address: the name as in the passport, the street, building number, postcode and town, and a Swiss phone number.
• Students: we gather several students’ cartons in one container before term starts, which lowers the cost for each of them.
• Food: meat and dairy from outside Europe are not admitted in personal parcels, so leave them out.

The tax on a parcel is paid by the consignee. Under the rules in force, VAT is 8.1% on most goods and 2.6% on food, books and medicines, and an amount of no more than 5 francs is not collected. So a parcel worth no more than about 62 francs usually passes without tax. A gift from one private person to another is exempt up to 100 francs unless it is tobacco or alcohol. Details are on the parcel shipping page.

Shipping commercial and industrial goods from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

Commercial goods ship in a full or shared container by sea, and their samples and urgent parts by air. Switzerland is a market small in size and high in value, and its buyer checks the paperwork as closely as the goods. Under the rules in force, customs duties on industrial products have been abolished in Switzerland, while they remain on agricultural and food products and are mostly charged by weight. VAT, however, is paid on every import.

Goods	Shipping method	What they need
Dates and date products	Dry or refrigerated container, and cartons by air for shops	Invoice, certificate of origin and a label in the language of the canton
Perfumes, oud and incense	Sea for quantities, and alcohol-based perfumes are restricted by air	A safety data sheet for perfumes, and a certificate for oud in commercial quantities
Carpets and textiles	Rolls wrapped against damp, as a part load	An invoice stating the material and country of manufacture
Petrochemicals and plastics	Full containers to Basel along the Rhine	Safety data and the hazard classification, if any
Machinery and industrial equipment	Standard or flat-rack container according to dimensions	A drawing of dimensions, weight and lifting points
Samples and exhibition materials	Air, with temporary admission for exhibits	A temporary admission document, or a samples invoice of no commercial value

We give the trader full or part loads according to the size of the order, gather purchases from more than one Saudi supplier in a single container, and prepare the invoice, packing list and certificate of origin before the goods leave their warehouse. A regular exporter gets a fixed schedule and an agreed price. Details are on the commercial shipping page, and large equipment is on the heavy equipment shipping page.

Shipping sensitive devices and equipment

Precision devices mostly travel by air, in padded wooden crates built to the size of the device. That means medical and laboratory devices, measuring instruments, servers, watches and jewellery, and works of art. Switzerland is a centre of these industries, so much of what is shipped there is equipment going back to its maker for servicing or calibration and then returning to the Kingdom.

• A made-to-measure crate: heat-treated wood bearing the treatment stamp, and foam lining that holds the device on every side.
• Shock and tilt indicators: labels on the crate that change colour if it is tipped over or dropped.
• Protection from heat and damp: insulating bags and desiccants, and a refrigerated container for what needs one.
• Repair and return: a device sent for servicing is declared under temporary admission, so tax is not paid on its full value.
• Insurance at value: a policy covering the declared value from door to door.
• The heavy and the large: ship by sea, fixed to the container floor with battens and straps.

Packing before the journey to Switzerland

Packing here is designed for at least four handlings: loading in the Kingdom, the port crane in Jeddah, the crane at the European port onto the train, and then unloading in Switzerland. Each handling means vibration and tilt. In winter the shipment goes from temperatures above thirty to below zero, and vapour condenses inside the container if that has not been allowed for.

• Against damp and condensation: tight wrapping, desiccants inside cartons and absorbent bags hung in the container.
• Against shock: double-wall cartons, corner protectors, bubble wrap for glass, and a wooden crate for anything costly.
• For a car: a fabric cover inside the container to protect the paint, and straps on the wheels, not the body.
• For electronics: the original box if there is one, otherwise a padded carton made to size.
• Numbering: a number on every piece matching its line in the list of contents submitted to customs.

Our packing guide shows the materials piece by piece, while the packing and lashing page covers how a load is tied down for a sea-and-rail trip.

Documents and customs clearance for shipping to Switzerland

Clearance takes place once, in Switzerland, at a border customs office such as Basel or Chiasso, or at an inland office near your address. The declaration is lodged electronically, with proof of value, origin and the importer’s status attached. We review the file while it is still in the Kingdom, because correcting a paper after the container has arrived costs days of waiting charges. These are the documents by type of shipment:

Type of shipment	Documents	Note
Belongings of someone moving residence	Form 18.44, a list of contents, passport, and a residence permit, tenancy agreement or employment contract	No duty and no tax if the conditions are met
Furniture for a home the owner does not live in	A list of contents with the value of each piece, passport and bill of lading	Usually taxed on the value
Commercial goods	Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading	The Swiss importer needs a tax number for regular imports
Car	The registration, export certificate, purchase invoice and bill of lading	Form 13.20 A is issued from it for registration
Parcels	A declaration of contents and value, and the consignee’s details	Tax falls on the consignee above the exemption limit

We estimate the expected tax for the consignee before shipping, so that it does not come as a surprise at the door. The clearance fees collected by the carrier or broker in Switzerland differ from one firm to another, so we list them among the items of the price. Documents are explained on the shipping documents page, and the procedure on the customs clearance page.

What cannot be shipped to Switzerland or needs a permit

Switzerland is strict in three areas: protection of trade marks, animal and plant health, and endangered species. What passes in shipping to the Gulf may be confiscated here. The rule is to ask about any item you doubt before packing it, as this list gathers what is in force and we confirm the current position before shipping:

Item	Ruling
Narcotics and psychotropic substances	Prohibited
Weapons, ammunition and their parts	With a prior licence from the competent Swiss authority
Counterfeit goods: watches, bags and clothing	Seized and destroyed, even a single piece for personal use
Meat, dairy and their products	Not admitted from outside Europe in personal shipments
Ivory, skins and woods of endangered species, oud among them	With a certificate under the international convention on endangered species
Plants, seeds and soil	With a plant health certificate
Medicines	Within a personal need of about a month, with the prescription
Alcohol and tobacco	Outside the exemption and subject to special taxes
Radar detectors	Prohibited
Batteries, perfumes and pressurised containers	Restricted in air freight

The general list is on the prohibited items page.

Destinations inside Switzerland: the cities we deliver to

We deliver to every canton, and delivery in Zurich, Geneva and Basel is the most requested. After clearance the shipment leaves on a distribution truck for the address, and the crew carries it up to the flat. Switzerland is small in area, with about 85 km between Basel and Zurich and about 280 km between Zurich and Geneva, but mountains, tunnels and truck restrictions make timing a matter of planning.

City	Region and language	How the shipment reaches it
Zurich	North, German	The largest city and the air freight hub. By sea via Genoa or Basel
Geneva	Far west, French	Geneva airport for air, and by sea via Genoa or Basel and then by truck
Basel	North-west on the Rhine, German	The Rhine ports and the container terminal, the first stop for containers from the north
Bern	Centre, German	The capital and seat of the embassies, about 100 km from Basel
Lausanne and Montreux	Lake Geneva, French	Hospitality schools and clinics, served together with Geneva
Lugano and the canton of Ticino	South, Italian	The nearest to Genoa, so a shipment reaches it before the others
Lucerne and Zug	Centre, German	On the Gotthard axis between the south and Zurich
St Gallen and Winterthur	East, German	Served from Zurich
Mountain resorts	The Alps	Some are car-free, such as Zermatt, so the shipment is handed over at the valley station and then to a local carrier

Three things make delivery day easier. Reserve the truck’s parking space outside the block from the municipality or the building management before the date. Tell us the floor, the size of the lift and whether there is a narrow staircase. And avoid a delivery falling on a Sunday or public holiday, when trucks do not run. The old towns of Bern, Geneva and Lucerne have narrow streets and timed vehicle access, so we send a small vehicle to them.

Shipping services for individuals, companies, government bodies and embassies

Each group of customers has a service cut to fit it, because a student’s need is not a company’s need, nor a diplomatic mission’s. Geneva is the seat of dozens of international organisations and Bern the seat of the embassies, so shipments for official bodies are a steady part of the work on this route.

• Individuals and families: a door-to-door package covering packing, shipping, clearance and assembly, at an itemised price.
• Students and scholarship holders: cartons and suitcases as a part load or by air, timed to arrive before term starts.
• Companies and factories: a regular shipping contract at a fixed price, a report on every shipment, and one person responsible for the account.
• Multinational companies: moving the belongings of seconded staff between the office in the Kingdom and the office in Switzerland.
• Government bodies: shipping documents, equipment, printed matter and exhibition stand materials with privacy and documented procedures.
• Embassies, consulates and missions: a diplomat’s belongings on transfer, with the papers his employer and the Swiss foreign ministry require.

Large projects have a single shipment manager who coordinates all the modes and sends a report after delivery, showing the actual time, the condition of the pieces and what can be improved on the next shipment.

Air freight from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

Air freight arrives within 3 to 6 days including clearance, and starts from SAR 23 a kilogram. It is the route for valuable and urgent parcels: precision devices, watches, commercial samples, documents and a traveller’s suitcases. The shipment leaves from Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam airport and reaches Zurich or Geneva airport directly or through a transit hub, according to the flight schedule in force.

Airport of departure	Serves	Usual airport of arrival
King Khalid International, Riyadh	Riyadh, Qassim and the central region	Zurich or Geneva
King Abdulaziz International, Jeddah	Jeddah, Makkah and Taif, and Madinah when there is no suitable flight from its own airport	Geneva or Zurich
King Fahd International, Dammam	Dammam, Khobar, Jubail and Al-Ahsa	Zurich, and Basel for some commercial shipments

• Economy or express: economy consolidates your shipment with others on a scheduled flight and arrives in 4 to 6 days. Express leaves on the first flight and arrives in about 3 days at a higher price.
• Calculation: on the higher of actual and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight equals length by width by height in centimetres divided by 6000, or use the volumetric weight calculator.
• Special packing: a wooden crate for the valuable and fragile, a double-wall carton for the rest, and a seal that shows any opening.
• Insurance: at the declared value, and we advise it for every parcel that is not easily replaced.
• Delivery to the address: we clear at the Swiss airport and deliver to the consignee’s door, or he collects from the airport if he prefers.
• What it does not suit: whole homes of furniture, cars and heavy goods, which cost several times the sea rate by air.

Details are on the air freight page, and our office is covered in the article on the air freight office in Jeddah.

Door to door, and temporary storage before shipping

In a door-to-door service one party runs five links: collection, export, international carriage, the European transit, and clearance and delivery in Switzerland. You deal with one number and one itemised price. This suits the Switzerland route in particular, because it has more links than any direct sea route, and every link left without someone in charge turns into two days of waiting.

Temporary storage solves the timing problem. Your tenancy in Jeddah ends before you take over your flat in Zurich, or your residence permit has not yet been issued, or your goods are coming together from more than one supplier. So we keep the shipment in a closed warehouse monitored by cameras, inventoried and numbered, for a short or a long period. We also repack it or split it across more than one destination if you ask. Details are on the door-to-door shipping and storage pages.

Steps for shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

1. Contact: you send photos of the shipment, your city, the Swiss delivery address and your status there.
2. Plan and price: we settle the method and the European port, and you receive the price in its four parts.
3. Customs file: we check entitlement to the exemption and prepare the form and the list of contents.
4. Collection and packing: at your address, with a numbered inventory and photos of every piece.
5. Export and loading: formalities at Jeddah port or the airport, then the bill of lading.
6. The journey and tracking: the container or bill of lading number, and an update at every stage.
7. Transit and clearance: from the European port under a transit document to the Swiss customs office.
8. Delivery: to the door, with unloading, assembly and checking against the list.

Shipment follow-up, insurance and support

A shipment to Switzerland changes between three or four modes, and each carrier has its own tracking system. So we bring them together for you in one place: one reference number from us, and a message at every handover. You know when the ship sailed, when the container came off at Genoa or Rotterdam, when it was loaded on the train, when it entered Switzerland, and when release was issued.

• Self-tracking: the container number on the shipping line’s site, and the air waybill number on the airline’s site. It is explained on the track your shipment page.
• Notifications: WhatsApp messages or email at every stage, and advance notice of the delivery date.
• Support: a member of staff who knows your file answers you from 7 am to 11 pm and explains any delay and its cause.
• Insurance: optional, at a percentage of the declared value, covering loss, damage, breakage and theft. The terms are on the cargo insurance page.
• After delivery: a report on the condition of the pieces and the actual time, with any remark noted before signing.

Shipping from Switzerland to Saudi Arabia

The service also runs in the opposite direction. Our partners in Switzerland collect from your address and pack, and the container leaves through Genoa or Rotterdam for Jeddah Islamic Port, or by air from Zurich and Geneva to the Kingdom’s airports. What is shipped most in this direction is the belongings of a student who has finished his studies, the furniture of a returning family, purchases of watches and devices, and cars. With a Saudi returning with used personal effects we review the exemption conditions in force in the Kingdom before shipping, whereas commercial goods bear Saudi duties and VAT according to their type.

Tips before shipping to Switzerland

• Check the weight and volume of the shipment before booking, as a wrong estimate changes the price and the container.
• Settle your customs status first: moving residence, owner of a home, or sender of a gift.
• Write the list of contents in English with an approximate value for each piece.
• Choose between sea and air by your date, not by habit, and combining them may work.
• Measure the door and lift of your Swiss flat before you ship large pieces.
• Call us at least two weeks before shipping so the plan comes out in writing, item by item.
• Insure what is hard to replace, and keep your own photos of the shipment before packing.

How do you choose a shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?

A company fit for this route is known by its questions before its prices. If it asks about your status in Switzerland, the canton and the size of the lift, it knows what awaits the shipment. If it gives you a figure before asking, the figure is incomplete. These are the signs that tell the two apart:

What you ask about	Reassuring sign	Warning sign
Registration and premises	A commercial registration and an office you can visit	A mobile number and a social media account only
Knowledge of the route	Names the European port and the mode of transit into Switzerland	“We deliver to the port of Switzerland”
Customs	Asks about residence and mentions the exemption form	“Everything is exempt” or “customs are the same as Germany”
Price	Items from collection to the Swiss door	A price to the European port presented as all-in
Delivery	A partner inside Switzerland who unloads and assembles	Its role ends at the quay in Genoa or Rotterdam
The car	Matches the chassis number and explains the technical inspection	“It is registered at once with no modification”

Common mistakes when shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

• Clearing the container at the European port and paying the transit country’s tax before the Swiss tax.
• Shipping removal goods before obtaining proof of residence or the tenancy agreement.
• Putting new appliances in their boxes among used belongings for which an exemption is requested.
• Shipping a Gulf-specification car without asking what its inspection and conformity will cost.
• Setting the delivery date on a Sunday or public holiday when trucks do not run.
• Sending a counterfeit watch or bag in a personal parcel, so it is seized and the whole parcel is delayed.
• Comparing a “to the port” price with a “to the door” price for a country that has no seaport.

Why Home Safe for shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?

Because shipping to Switzerland is a chain of sea, rail and independent customs, and its weakest link sets the arrival date. We plan the whole chain from the first call, write you the price item by item, and stay with you until the last piece is assembled in your new home.

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

Related articles and pages

• Shipping from Saudi Arabia to Europe
• Shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Austria
• Shipping from Saudi Arabia to Germany
• Shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UK
• International sea freight from Jeddah
• Car shipping

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Frequently asked questions about shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland

How much does shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland cost?

Four figures mark where our services start on this route: SAR 23 for a kilogram of air freight, SAR 2,800 to ship a saloon car by sea to the European port, SAR 5,500 for part-load furniture and belongings, and SAR 11,000 for a whole home in a container. What belongs to your own address is added to them: haulage from your city to Jeddah port, and the distance between the European port and the canton you live in. For the final price: 0552803439.

How long does shipping from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland take?

A full container takes between 25 and 38 days from your door in the Kingdom to the consignee’s door, which covers the sailing, the transit from the European port and Swiss clearance. A part load runs a week or so longer because it waits for the container to fill. Air freight takes between 3 and 6 days with clearance.

Switzerland has no sea, so how does the container get there?

The container is landed at a European port and then finishes the trip by land or river. From Genoa it climbs by rail or truck across the Alps to Ticino and Zurich. From Rotterdam or Antwerp it is loaded on a Rhine barge or a train to Basel, then distributed inside Switzerland. It stays sealed under customs transit until it is cleared in Switzerland.

Which is the best shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland for express parcels?

The best one for an urgent parcel collects it from your door the same day, works out the volumetric weight before you pay, and writes a customs declaration precise enough for Swiss customs to accept. That is what we offer at Home Safe: air freight that arrives in 3 to 6 days, from SAR 23 a kilogram, followed up until the consignee signs.

What is the cheapest way to ship heavy goods to Switzerland?

The sea, and nothing competes with it on heavy weight and large volume. Furniture, machinery and wholesale goods travel in a 20ft or 40ft container, and anything under 15 cubic metres goes as a part load so you pay for your own metres only. Air is charged by the kilogram, so for heavy cargo it costs several times the sea rate.

How much does it cost to ship small parcels to Switzerland?

Our air freight is from SAR 23 per chargeable kilogram, a small parcel has a minimum charge, and documents by express go from SAR 83. A parcel is charged on the higher of its actual and volumetric weight, so a light, bulky carton is paid for by its size.

Does the consignee pay tax on a parcel in Switzerland?

Swiss VAT is 8.1% on most goods and 2.6% on food, books and medicines. Under the rules in force, a tax amount of no more than 5 francs is not collected, and a gift from one private person to another is exempt up to a value of 100 francs, unless it is tobacco or alcohol. We confirm the current limits before shipping.

Do I pay customs duty on my furniture if I move to Switzerland?

No, if the conditions for removal goods apply to you. Under the rules in force, the items must have been used by you for at least six months, you must go on using them after entry, and you must prove your transfer of residence with a residence permit, a tenancy agreement or an employment contract. The request is made on form 18.44 with the list of contents, and we prepare it with you before the container is sealed.

Can I ship my car from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?

Yes. We ship it inside a closed container all the way to Switzerland, or by RoRo to a European port and then on a car transporter. If you have used it for six months and you are moving your residence, the practice is that it enters with your removal goods free of tax. Otherwise the 4% automobile tax and 8.1% VAT are paid, and it then passes the technical inspection before Swiss plates.

What documents are needed to ship to Switzerland?

For personal effects: a copy of the passport, a detailed list of contents, and proof of residence in Switzerland if you are asking for the exemption. For commercial goods: a commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading. For a car: the registration, the export certificate from the traffic department and the purchase invoice.

Do you ship dates, oud and incense to Switzerland?

Dates, yes, in well-sealed cartons with a statement of contents and weight, and commercially with their documents. Oud and its oil are different: the wood is listed under the convention on international trade in endangered species, and the practice is that a commercial quantity needs a certificate while a small personal quantity has an exception. So we check the quantity and the paper before packing.

Do you collect from any city in the Kingdom?

Yes. We collect from Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Dammam, Khobar, Taif, Qassim, Tabuk, Abha, Khamis Mushait and every other city. A sea shipment is hauled to Jeddah Islamic Port, and an air shipment goes to the international airport nearest your city.

Do you insure the shipment?

Yes, and the insurance is optional, covering loss, damage, breakage and theft in transit. Its premium is a percentage of the value you declare, and the market range is between 1% and 3%. We advise it for every shipment that is hard to replace: a car, a whole home of furniture, or precision equipment.

How do I track my shipment from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland?

You get a reference number on collection day. After loading you receive the container or bill of lading number for sea freight, and the air waybill number for air, and with it you can search the carrier’s site yourself. We also send you a WhatsApp update at every stage: sailing, arrival at the European port, entry into Switzerland, release, and out for delivery.

Do you ship from Switzerland to Saudi Arabia?

Yes, the service runs both ways. Our partners collect your shipment from your address in Switzerland, it leaves through Genoa or Rotterdam for Jeddah Islamic Port, or by air from Zurich and Geneva, and we then clear it and deliver it to your city in the Kingdom.