Moving to Lausanne: Slopes, Stairs and Access

Moving to Lausanne is not like moving in a flat city: the capital of Vaud rises from the shores of Lake Geneva, at Ouchy, up to the heights of the city, with steep streets and plenty of stairs. Moving in Lausanne means planning ahead for lorry access, carrying distance and, often, the use of a furniture lift. On this site, you describe your move once, and professional removal companies from the region contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.

Lausanne from a removals point of view

The city is built in tiers. By the lake, there is Ouchy and its surroundings; in the centre, the Cité, the old town built around the cathedral; higher up, residential districts and areas of more recent apartment blocks. The m2 metro line, which is very steep, gives an idea of the gradients your furniture will sometimes have to tackle.

Housing types vary from one area to another. In the centre, there are many older buildings, often without a lift, with narrow stairwells and small landings. In other districts, newer buildings have a lift, but its size does not always allow a sofa or a wardrobe to fit.

Lausanne is also a university city: UNIL and EPFL are neighbours, and the city welcomes many students. This means many small moves, studios and furnished rooms, with modest volumes but concentrated dates. As the seat of the International Olympic Committee, the city also receives people arriving from abroad and looking for housing.

Access, parking and floors: what matters in Lausanne

In a city built on a slope, access needs to be prepared before moving day. Here are the points to check for each address, at both the departure and the arrival:

• The size of the lorry. In narrow or very steep streets, a large vehicle cannot always pass or park near the entrance. Mention it when you make your request: the movers will adapt the vehicle and the organisation.
• The carrying distance. If the lorry has to stop lower down or further away, boxes and furniture have to be carried over a longer distance, which lengthens the job.
• Stairs and the lift. Count the floors, note the width of the stairs and the size of the lift if there is one. An older building without a lift significantly changes the work involved.
• The furniture lift. Common in Lausanne, it lets you pass items too bulky for the stairs through a window or over a balcony. It also needs space to set up.
• Parking. It is difficult in many areas. A lorry, a furniture lift or a skip occupying the public road may require prior authorisation from the commune or the police. Check with the commune a few days, or even a few weeks, before the date. To find out more, see the guide on the parking permit for moving day.

For the old town, where access is particular, the guide on moving in an old town offers additional pointers.

Choosing the right time to move in Lausanne

Residential leases end on the date set by local custom or, failing that, at the end of a lease quarter. The notice period is three months (art. 266c of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO), unless your contract provides for longer. Customary dates vary by canton and commune: check them in your lease. Notice must be given in writing (art. 266l CO).

Around the usual dates, moving requests pile up and slots become scarce. In Lausanne, the pressure is even greater at the start of the university year, which concentrates student arrivals and departures. If your date is flexible, avoid busy ends of the month and ask for a quote early.

As for the seasons, Lausanne is generally less exposed to snow than the villages of the Vaud Alps, but a wet or icy sloping road makes carrying and manoeuvring a lorry harder. In very hot weather, bring water and plan breaks for those carrying. If time is short, an urgent move can also be considered. To better understand this calendar, the guide on moving dates explains the principle.

Formalities in Lausanne: lease, residents’ registration, address

A few formalities come up with every move:

• Terminating the lease. In writing. For the family home, a tenant who is married or in a registered partnership needs the express consent of their spouse or partner (art. 266m and 266n CO). If you leave before the end date, you can be released by presenting a solvent replacement tenant, willing to take over the lease on the same terms (art. 264 CO).
• Residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants). Every move must be reported: departure in the old 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).
• Change of address. Remember to inform your employer, health insurer, bank, subscriptions and the post office.
• Move-out inspection (état des lieux) and handover. Plan for an empty, clean home on the day the keys are handed back.
• Rental deposit. For a home, it cannot exceed three months’ rent (art. 257e CO) and it is paid into a blocked account in your name.

If you are arriving from abroad, or leaving for France, customs and residence permit formalities may also apply: check with the relevant authorities before departure.

Useful services for a move in Lausanne

Residential moving

A third-floor flat without a lift, a student studio or a house in the upper part of the city: residential moving covers it all. Describe the access precisely so that the quote takes the carrying into account.

Furniture lift

In Lausanne, the furniture lift is often the solution for upper floors, narrow stairwells or bulky furniture. It requires a space and, depending on the case, a permit to occupy the public road.

Packing and unpacking

Packing and unpacking save time, especially when stairs multiply the trips back and forth. Sturdy, well-filled boxes are easier to carry.

Furniture assembly and disassembly

A dismantled bed or wardrobe passes more easily through a narrow staircase. Furniture assembly and disassembly can be arranged at the same time as the move.

Storage

Between two homes, or for a student leaving on a placement or abroad, storage lets you keep your belongings for as long as needed.

End-of-lease cleaning

To hand the home back properly, end-of-lease cleaning prepares the move-out inspection.

Request a quote

1. You describe your move online: departure and arrival addresses, volume, floors, lift, access and preferred date.
2. Professional removal companies from the region contact you, possibly for a site visit, which is useful when access is complicated.
3. You compare the free quotes and remain free to choose, or not.

Ready to start? You can request a quote in a few minutes.

Around Lausanne

If you are moving within the urban area, also see our pages on Pully, Prilly and Renens. For the regional context, see the page on moving in the canton of Vaud, or browse all communes.

Frequently asked questions