Moving in Fribourg is unlike any other move in the canton: the city is built on a rocky spur above the Sarine, and its medieval old town brings slopes, cobbled lanes and staircases. Moving to Fribourg means planning access to your home as much as the volume to be transported. To find a removal company in Fribourg suited to these constraints, describe your project online: professionals from the region will get back to you with a free, no-obligation quote.
Fribourg, a bilingual city on the Sarine
Fribourg is a bilingual city whose centre sits on a spur overlooking the Sarine. Its extensive medieval old town is organised around the Bourg, Auge and Neuveville districts, all within the loop of the river. Each area has its own terrain and access: the Bourg stands high up, the Auge lies by the water, and getting from one to the other means slopes and stairs.
Housing is varied. The old town has mostly older buildings, often narrow and without a lift. Outside the historic centre, the housing stock includes more recent apartment blocks, houses and villas. The university attracts many students, so moves involving small flats, furnished or not, are very common. The funicular is part of the city’s landscape, but it is no substitute for a removal vehicle: it carries people, not furniture.
Access, parking and floors in Fribourg’s old town
In the old town, cobbled lanes, steep slopes and bridges with limited access determine everything else. A large lorry cannot get everywhere: depending on the address, the vehicle may have to stop some distance from the entrance, and boxes and furniture will be carried by hand over a shorter or longer distance. Mention this in your request from the start, because it changes the number of people needed, the working time and therefore the quote.
Older buildings without a lift add the question of stairs: the higher the floor and the narrower the staircase, the more demanding the carrying. For a bulky piece of furniture, a piano or a sofa that will not fit up the stairwell, a furniture lift may be the solution, provided the street allows it to be set up. Measure doors, landings and stairwells before moving day.
Occupying the public road with a lorry, a furniture lift or a skip may require prior permission from the commune or the police. In a historic centre with narrow streets, check with the commune a few days, or even a few weeks, before the date. Our guide on the parking permit for moving day explains the procedure. Moving within an old town is also covered in the guide to moving in an old town.
Choosing the right time to move to Fribourg
A tenant can terminate a lease by giving three months’ notice for the date set by local custom or, failing that, for the end of a three-month lease period (art. 266c of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO), unless the contract provides for a longer period. Customary dates vary by canton and commune: check them in your lease and with your letting agency (régie) or landlord. Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO).
The periods around the customary dates are the busiest: removal companies are in great demand, and it is best to request a quote early. In Fribourg, the start of the university year adds pressure on small flats and on the lanes of the old town, where several moves may coincide. If your date is flexible, a quieter period makes organisation and finding a space for the lorry easier. In winter, bear in mind that sloping streets can become slippery in frost or snow.
Formalities to plan for when moving to Fribourg
Every move must be reported to the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants): departure in the former commune, arrival in the new one, within the period set by the canton. In many communes, the notification can be made online via eMoving (eUmzugCH). Also remember to give your new address to your employer, insurers, bank and everyday service providers.
On the housing side, the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and the return of the keys should be prepared in advance. If you leave before the end of the notice period, you can be released from the lease by presenting a solvent replacement tenant willing to take over the lease on the same terms (art. 264 CO). For the family home, termination by a married tenant or one in a registered partnership requires the express consent of the spouse or partner (art. 266m and 266n CO). The rental deposit may not exceed three months’ rent for a dwelling (art. 257e CO) and is paid into a blocked account in the tenant’s name. Our guide on terminating a lease can help.
If you are arriving from abroad, or leaving Switzerland for France, further formalities apply, notably the residence permit and customs rules: check with the relevant authorities before transport.
Useful services for moving in Fribourg
Residential moving
Student studio, family flat or house: residential moving adapts to the volume and the access. Describe the floors, whether there is a lift and the carrying distance, so that removal companies in the region can price accurately.
Furniture lift
In older buildings with narrow staircases, the furniture lift avoids having to turn a piece of furniture in a stairwell. Setting it up depends on the street and may require permission from the commune: plan for this in advance.
Packing and unpacking
With journeys on foot, stairs and cobblestones, well-packed boxes reduce breakage. The packing and unpacking service can be entrusted to professionals, in whole or in part.
Furniture assembly and disassembly
Dismantled wardrobes and beds pass more easily up narrow stairs. Furniture assembly and disassembly simplifies carrying and reassembly in the new home.
Storage
Between two leases, or if the new home is smaller, storage lets you keep part of your belongings for as long as necessary.
End-of-lease cleaning
To hand the home back in good condition, end-of-lease cleaning avoids remarks during the move-out inspection (état des lieux).
Requesting a quote
- You describe your move online: departure and arrival addresses, approximate volume, floors, access and preferred date.
- Professional removal companies from the region get back to you, possibly for a visit to the premises, which is useful in an old town.
- You compare the free quotes and remain free to choose, or not.
Ready to start? Request a quote in a few minutes.
Around Fribourg
If your new home is in the urban area, see our pages on Marly, Villars-sur-Glâne and Givisiez. For an overview, see moving in the canton of Fribourg or browse all communes. Whether you are preparing a move within Fribourg or a departure to another commune, requesting a quote is always free and without obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions: moving to Fribourg
It depends on the address. Cobbled lanes, the slope and some limited access points can prevent a large vehicle from getting close. Give your exact address in the request, so that the removal companies plan for the right vehicle and the carrying required.
Occupying the public road with a lorry, a furniture lift or a skip may require permission from the commune or the police. Check with the commune a few days or weeks before the date, especially in a district with narrow streets.
The periods around lease dates are the most in demand. Notice is generally three months for the local customary date or the end of a three-month lease period, to be checked in your lease. Outside these periods, it is often easier to find an available removal company.
Report your departure and arrival to the residents' registration office (contrôle des habitants), within the period set by the canton. This can often be done online via eMoving. Also plan for the move-out inspection (état des lieux) and the change of address with your contacts.
It can be if the staircase is narrow or a bulky item will not fit. Its installation depends on the street and the space available. Mention it in your quote request and the removal companies will advise you.