Moving from Austria to Germany
One of the easiest moves in Europe, a short drive between two German speaking neighbours with no customs and no visa, where the only real task is registering correctly at the right office. Here is the honest brief for this corridor.
This is about as easy as an international move gets. Austria and Germany are both in the European Union and its single customs union, share a language, and sit next door to each other, so there is no customs clearance, no import duty, and no visa. As an Austrian citizen you have full free movement. The goods travel by road, often two to five days, from Vienna to Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt, or Hamburg.
What little effort there is goes into German registration, which is precise and expected. Germany requires you to register your address, the Anmeldung, at the local Burgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt within about two weeks of moving in, and you receive a registration confirmation, the Meldebescheinigung. Soon after, your tax identification number, the Steueridentifikationsnummer, arrives by post, and you must join a German health insurer, a Krankenkasse, which is mandatory. Get the Anmeldung done promptly, because landlords, employers, and banks all rely on it.
What it costs to move from Austria to Germany.
What it really costs to move a household from Austria to Germany in 2026, shown as indicative ranges by home size and method. This is a short road move inside the EU, so there is no customs clearance to budget for.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in euro, before full packing, premium insurance, and any storage. A part load shares a lorry with other shipments, while a dedicated van or truck carries only your goods on a fixed date. These are not binding figures.
Four levers move the number. Volume is the biggest, since a part load is priced by the space you take, so a declutter before the survey pays off most. Distance into Germany matters, as Munich is close to the border while Berlin, Hamburg, or the Rhineland add road. Part load versus dedicated trades cost against control, with a shared lorry cheaper but tied to a consolidation schedule and a dedicated vehicle pricier but on your date. And access at both ends, from a Viennese building with no lift to a German street that needs a Halteverbot parking reservation for the truck, can add labour.
A realistic schedule, working back from the sailing.
Work back from the load date. The move is short and simple, so the planning effort is small and centred on the German registration that follows arrival.
Plan housing and admin
As an Austrian citizen you have free movement, so no visa is needed, but secure your German housing, which is competitive in the big cities, and understand the Anmeldung, Steueridentifikationsnummer, and health insurance steps that follow. Gather the documents your landlord and the Burgeramt will want.
Get binding quotes
Have movers run a video or in home survey for an accurate volume, then compare part load and dedicated quotes on a like for like basis. With no customs in play, the comparison is simply scope, date, and insurance.
Tidy the Austrian end
Deregister your Austrian address as needed, settle utilities and any tenancy, and update your details with banks and offices. There is no customs file, because this is an intra EU move.
Pack and load
The crew packs and loads the lorry, which crosses the border to Germany. There is no customs stop, so the goods travel straight through to your new address.
Register and settle
Your goods are delivered and unpacked. Book and complete your Anmeldung at the Burgeramt within about two weeks, wait for your Steueridentifikationsnummer to arrive by post, join a Krankenkasse for health insurance, and open or update a German bank account.
Clearing your goods into Germany.
There is genuinely little to do. Austria and Germany are both members of the European Union and its single customs union, so a move between them is not an import. Your household goods are in free circulation, there is no customs clearance, no import duty, and no value added tax on the move, and no transfer of residence application to file. The lorry crosses the border without a customs stop.
A few categories still carry restrictions wherever you live. Firearms need the correct German permits, large quantities of alcohol or tobacco can be treated as commercial, and protected species items are controlled. If you bring a vehicle there is no customs duty, but you register it in Germany, where you obtain German plates, arrange insurance, and meet roadworthiness and emissions requirements, including any low emission zone sticker, within the period allowed after you take up residence.
The practical effect is that your effort moves entirely to German administration after arrival. Keep your inventory for insurance, keep evidence of when you moved for any vehicle steps, and focus on the Anmeldung, the Steueridentifikationsnummer, and the Krankenkasse, which is where the small but real work of settling in Germany lives.
How the Austrians actually move to Germany.
Austrian citizens have full free movement in Germany, so there is no visa to arrange. The work is the German registration into address, tax, and health insurance. These are the steps that matter.
As an EU citizen you can live and work in Germany without a visa or permit, moving first and handling the registration afterwards rather than applying in advance.
- Basis
- EU free movement
- Visa
- None required
- Rights
- Live and work
- Then
- Register locally
The Anmeldung is the address registration you complete at the local Burgeramt within roughly two weeks of moving in. It produces the Meldebescheinigung and is the gateway to almost everything else.
- What
- Address registration
- Where
- Burgeramt
- When
- Within ~2 weeks
- Gives
- Meldebescheinigung
The Steueridentifikationsnummer, the tax identification number, is issued after your Anmeldung and arrives by post. Employers need it to pay you correctly.
- What
- Tax ID number
- After
- The Anmeldung
- Arrives
- By post
- For
- Employment
Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. You join a statutory or private Krankenkasse, which connects you to the healthcare system and is required for work and residence.
- What
- Health insurer
- Status
- Mandatory
- Type
- Statutory or private
- When
- Early
How to choose a mover for this route, with no names attached.
This site never names, ranks, or recommends a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that separates a safe international mover from a risky one. Apply it to every quote you receive.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Austria to Germany?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a 2 to 3 bedroom move runs roughly 2,400 to 3,800 euro as a part load and up to 5,000 euro for a dedicated van or truck, before packing, insurance, and any storage. The distance into Germany and access at both ends are the main drivers. There is no customs cost, since this is an intra EU move. Get a binding quote from a survey.
How long does moving from Austria to Germany take?
For most homes it is two to five days door to door. The goods travel by road across the border with no customs stop, so timing depends on whether you are heading to nearby Munich or further to Berlin or Hamburg, and whether you book a part load tied to a consolidation schedule or a dedicated van on your date.
Do I have to clear customs moving from Austria to Germany?
No. Austria and Germany are both in the European Union and its single customs union, so your household goods are in free circulation. There is no customs clearance, no import duty, and no transfer of residence paperwork. A few items such as firearms still carry restrictions wherever you move, so check those.
What is the Anmeldung and why does it matter?
It is the German address registration, completed at the local Burgeramt within about two weeks of moving in, producing the Meldebescheinigung. It is the gateway document in Germany, because your tax ID, bank account, employment, and most services all depend on having registered your address. Do it promptly.
Do Austrian citizens need a visa to live in Germany?
No. As EU citizens the Austrians have full free movement and can live and work in Germany without a visa. The work is the Anmeldung within about two weeks, then the Steueridentifikationsnummer and joining a Krankenkasse. This is not immigration advice, so confirm the current rules with the official German sources.
Can I bring my car from Austria to Germany?
Yes, with no customs duty since both are in the EU, but you register the car in Germany, get German plates, arrange insurance, and meet roadworthiness and emissions requirements, including any low emission zone sticker, within the period allowed after you take up residence. Keep proof of your moving date for the registration steps.