There’re two things that you absolutely need. No, it’s not the six-pack of beer and the huge pizza for your moving helpers after the successful move. It’s the removal van the the parking permit. Just imagine squeezing all the moving boxes into a small VW Polo… that wouldn’t work. And if the new apartment is in an area with almost no parking spaces you won’t be able to move at all. In order to avoid a nightmare on your moving day, we’re going to give you some tips on organizing a moving van and parking permits.
Which moving van suits best?
As is often the case in life, there is no general answer to this question. The size of the removal vehicle depends on several factors. Therefore, consider the following points before renting a van.
How big is the transport goods?
First and foremost, the size of the goods to be transported plays a role. Get an overview before renting a van. Do you have many large, bulky pieces of furniture that cannot be disassembled? Then it makes sense to rent a truck with a lifting platform. The lifting platform minimizes the risk of breaking something. There are no disruptive wheel arches in the truck itself, and the interior is perfectly designed to secure the load. Do you mainly have moving boxes and the pieces of furniture can be dismantled into individual parts easily? Then it might be enough to just rent a van. To be absolutely sure, you can use one of the many cubic calculators that you can find online. There you can calculate how much loading space your moving goods will need.
How far away is the new apartment?
Next, the question of distance arises. If the new place of residence is quite far away from the current one, it doesn’t make sense to go back and forth several times. You better make sure to get a big truck to transport everything in one go. Make sure that you borrow the removal van from a nationwide provider. At the destination you can simply drop off the van and save the return journey.
If the old and new apartments are not far apart, it is worthwhile to rent a smaller van. It is a little more manoeuvrable and often cheaper. It’s better to go back and forth a few times. In addition, it is often surprising what fits into a van and one gets by with fewer journeys than first thought.
Which driving license do you have?
Before you get behind the wheel, take a look at your driver’s license. What kind of cars are you allowed to drive? With the standard class B driving license, you may only drive transporters that do not exceed a maximum weight of 3.5 tons. Driving license class C1 is required for trucks up to 7.5 tons. So you can’t just drive every vehicle like that. In addition, a test drive can also be useful, as vans are usually larger and wider than conventional vehicles.
And which provider do I use?
First of all, don’t rely on Last Minute. Moving vans are often fully booked, especially on weekends, holidays and official moving dates. So, make sure to book in time.
A first look at search engines shows that there are various providers where you can get a suitable removal van. We at MOVU are on the safe side with Hertz as our partner. You can benefit from 10% discount for Hertz vans here.
It is best to get several offers and compare which one suits you best. Where is it most practical for you to get the vehicle? What are the insurance conditions in case of an accident? It is always a good idea to have a second person with you and to register them as an authorized driver. Especially for longer distances it is important to change drivers. And when manoeuvring, you’ll need someone to give you helpful instructions.
Tip: If there is any damage to the transporter, such as scratches or similar damage, it’s important to write it down, just to be on the safe side.
Here I come: Setting up a no-parking zone
Everything just fit in the van like that. You turn into the new street and are looking forward to fill the new apartment with the moving boxes. But… No parking space available. Not in front of the house or anywhere near it. And blocking the whole street is not possible. Clever, if you already organized a parking permit in advance. It is possible to set up a temporary no-parking zone for the move. Unfortunately, there is no uniform regulation for this in Switzerland. The procedures and regulations vary from canton to canton and even from city to city.
In Zurich, notification must be given five days in advance for blue zones and one day in advance for white zones. Here, the city police will take care of the parking permit. In Berne, on the other hand, the cantonal police are responsible for that. You have to apply for the no-parking zone two days in advance. The costs will amount to approximately CHF 100 per day. In Basel-Stadt on the other hand, it will only cost CHF 5 per sign and per day. As you can see, you have to do some individual research here.
Tip: There are removal companies that take care of the organization of the no-parking zone. However, this usually depends on the company and should be checked beforehand.
