Piano transport in French-speaking Switzerland: the specialist guide
The piano is one of the most difficult items to move: heavy (200 to 500 kg), fragile (precision mechanism with over 10,000 parts), bulky and of high value. Piano transport cannot be improvised and requires specific skills, specialist equipment and appropriate insurance.
Every year, many pianos are transported during moves, purchases/sales or loans between individuals and institutions. This site passes your request on to professional movers in your area, who contact you and prepare a free, no-obligation quote.
What piano transport includes
A professional piano transport service in French-speaking Switzerland typically includes:
- Preliminary assessment: piano type, weight, dimensions, accessibility (floor, lift, staircase, door widths)
- Specialist team: several people trained in piano transport depending on the type of instrument
- Dedicated equipment: piano dolly, dorsal carrying straps, ramps, padded blankets, fitted covers
- Instrument protection: locking the lid, wrapping in special blankets
- Disassembly if necessary: removal of legs for a grand piano, lyre and music rest
- Transport in a suitable truck (tail lift, flat floor, ideally air suspension)
- Use of a furniture lift or crane if access requires it
- Placement at the final position in the new property
- Transport insurance covering the instrument’s value
- Tuner recommendation for post-transport tuning
Piano types and their transport specifics
Upright piano (vertical)
The most common type in Swiss homes:
- Weight: 150 to 300 kg depending on size and age
- Dimensions: 140-155 cm wide, 50-65 cm deep, 110-130 cm tall
- Transport: upright, on a special dolly with straps
- Handling: minimum 2 to 3 people
- Difficulty: moderate to high depending on access
Grand piano
The prestigious instrument, more complex to transport:
- Weight: 250 to 500 kg (a concert Steinway can exceed 500 kg)
- Dimensions: 150 to 275 cm long depending on the model
- Transport: on its side after removal of the legs, on a special dolly
- Handling: 3 to 5 specialist people
- Difficulty: high (leg removal, laying flat, protecting the lid and lyre)
Digital piano / synthesiser
The simplest to transport:
- Weight: 10 to 80 kg depending on the model
- Transport: in the original packaging or a suitable box
- Handling: 1 to 2 people
- Difficulty: low (but beware of sensitive electronics)
Concert grand piano
The most demanding transport:
- Weight: 400 to 600 kg
- Dimensions: up to 275 cm long
- Transport: climate-controlled truck with air suspension
- Handling: 4 to 6 specialist people + foreman
- Difficulty: very high (often requires a furniture lift or crane)
What affects the price of piano transport
The cost of moving a piano depends on your situation. The free quote from professional movers in your area sets the exact price for your instrument.
- Type and weight of the piano: the main factor (digital, upright, grand or concert grand)
- Accessibility: floor, lift, door and staircase widths
- Distance: local, intercantonal or international
- Need for a furniture lift or crane
- Packing: reinforced packing for long distances
- Insurance: instrument value
- Date: peak season, weekends and public holidays
- Added services: post-transport tuning, temporary storage
Step-by-step process
Before transport
- Lock the keyboard lid
- Do not attempt to move the piano yourself (risk of injury and damage)
- Inform the carrier of the exact type, weight and access details
- Photograph the instrument from all angles (for insurance)
- Check door, staircase and lift widths
- Arrange tuning after transport (moving always puts an acoustic piano out of tune)
During transport
- An upright piano must remain in a vertical position (never lay it on its side)
- A grand piano is transported on its side (soundboard side up) after removal of the legs
- Professional straps with felt protection to prevent marks
- Special dolly with 4 wheels, brake and anti-vibration coating
- Stable temperature: avoid sudden changes (risk of veneer detachment and soundboard cracking)
- Nothing placed on or against the piano during transport
After transport
- Leave the piano to settle for a couple of days before tuning
- Position the piano in its final spot (away from radiators, windows and exterior walls)
- Have it tuned by a professional tuner (post-transport tuning is virtually standard practice)
- Check the overall condition: keys, pedals, mechanism, exterior finish
- Report any damage to the carrier promptly, within the period set out in their terms
When to use this service
Specialist piano transport is needed in the following cases:
- Moving: you are moving and your piano must follow (see our residential moving page)
- Purchase or sale: you are buying or selling a piano from/to an individual or dealer
- Donation: you are donating a piano to a music school, church or individual
- Loan: you are lending your piano for a concert, event or recording
- Repair or restoration: your piano needs to go to a piano maker
- Storage: you need to store your piano in a storage facility (climate-controlled preferred)
- Internal move: you want to move your piano to a different room or floor
Specialist piano transport equipment
Piano transport specialists have dedicated equipment:
- Piano dollies: wheeled platforms with protective coating
- Dorsal carrying straps: distribute weight across the carriers’ shoulders
- Ramps: for crossing steps and thresholds without impact
- Padded blankets specific to pianos (thicker than standard blankets)
- Fitted covers: protection against dust and scratches
- Truck with tail lift and flat floor, ideally with air suspension
- Furniture lift: see our furniture lift page for upper floors
Piano transport insurance
Why specific insurance?
A piano’s value can range from very modest (old student piano) to very high (concert Steinway, Bosendorfer Imperial). The mover’s standard insurance often does not cover musical instruments at their true value.
Types of coverage
| Coverage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Carrier’s liability | Basic coverage, high excess |
| Declared value insurance | Coverage up to the estimated value |
| All-risks insurance | Breakage, scratching, mechanical damage, theft |
Recommendation: for a valuable piano, always take out all-risks insurance. For a concert or collector’s piano, have a prior appraisal carried out by a piano maker.
Tips and tricks
- Never attempt to transport a piano yourself: risk of serious injury and irreversible damage to the instrument
- Choose a specialist: a general mover does not always have the equipment or experience needed
- Plan for tuning: allow for post-transport tuning in your budget
- Avoid temperature swings: in winter, preheat the truck and minimise exposure to the cold
- Position the piano away from heat sources (radiator, fireplace) and draughts (window, front door)
- Maintain stable humidity: 40-60% relative humidity is ideal for an acoustic piano
- Photograph everything before transport for insurance purposes
- Book early: contact movers as soon as possible, especially around the moving terms
Special cases
Piano in a building without a lift
- Main solution: furniture lift through the window or balcony
- Alternative: carrying by stairs (only if the staircase is wide and straight enough)
- Limit: on upper floors, only a furniture lift or crane is feasible
Piano to move within the same room
- Precaution: use protective pads to avoid damaging the parquet
- Do not push an upright piano on its castors without floor protection
Piano to dispose of / donate
If your piano is no longer usable or is not worth the cost of transport:
- Donation: music schools, charities, churches (transport at your expense)
- Sale: classified platforms (Anibis, Tutti, Ricardo)
- Recycling: the house clearance service can handle it (note: removal can be costly for a piano)
Request a quote for piano transport
Frequently asked questions
Questions fréquentes
The main factors are the weight of the piano, the distance, the floor and access (stairs, lift, door widths), whether a furniture lift is needed, packing and the date. Professional movers in your area set the exact price in a free, no-obligation quote based on your situation.
Yes, it is strongly recommended and virtually standard practice. The movement, vibrations and change of environment (temperature, humidity) inevitably put an acoustic piano out of tune. Wait a couple of days after installation for the instrument to acclimatise to its new environment before having it tuned.
This is inadvisable. A standard moving truck does not have the right suspension, and general movers do not always have the special dollies or the experience of piano transport. The risk of damage is significantly higher. Use a specialist carrier or a mover with a dedicated piano service.
Measure the minimum width of the staircase (between walls or banister), the ceiling height at turns, and the depth of landings. A standard upright piano (155 cm wide) requires a passage of at least 80-90 cm and sufficient landings to turn. If in doubt, the carrier can carry out a preliminary technical visit or analyse your photos.
Professional carriers have liability insurance, but it is often limited. For a valuable piano, request additional insurance covering the actual value of the instrument. For high-value pianos, a prior appraisal by a piano maker is recommended.
Yes, but with extra precautions. Temperature differences between the heated interior and the cold outside can damage the wood and mechanism. The truck should ideally be preheated, and the piano should not be exposed to the cold for more than a few minutes. At destination, let the piano acclimatise gradually before having it tuned.
For a standard upright piano (200-300 kg), a minimum of 2 to 3 experienced people is needed. For a grand piano (300-500 kg), allow 3 to 5 people. For a concert grand (400-600 kg), 4 to 6 people plus a foreman. These numbers increase with stairs or difficult access. Never attempt it with untrained friends: the risk of injury is very high.