The road south from Switzerland into Italy is one of the busiest short-haul corridors in the Alps, and it is a route we cover almost every week for buyers and sellers on both sides of the border. A typical booking from our price table: a Volkswagen Tiguan collected in Zurich and delivered to Milan, 280 km and about 3h 15m behind the wheel if you drove it yourself. Book a spot on a multi-car transporter instead, hand over the keys, and meet the car at the other end.
Who books this route: online car buyers picking up a bargain in German-speaking Switzerland, expats relocating to Lombardy or Piedmont, company fleets refreshing their vehicles, and classic owners who would rather not add Alpine kilometres to the odometer. It is the same door-to-door service as our wider car transport service, and if you are moving the other way we also run car transport from Italy to Switzerland.
How much does car transport from Switzerland to Italy cost?
A real example from our price table: moving a Volkswagen Tiguan from Zurich to Milan, a 280 km trip, costs 310 to 390 euros without VAT on an open transporter. That is the full door-to-door price for a standard, running car sharing space with others on the same load.
What moves the price: how far the pickup and delivery points sit from the main route, the size and weight of the vehicle, whether it runs (a non-runner needs a winch), and whether you want an enclosed trailer for a classic or high-value car. A flexible collection window almost always brings the price down. Note: Switzerland is not in the EU customs union, so a vehicle moving between Switzerland and Italy crosses a customs border and needs the right paperwork. We handle this for you, but it is only fair to mention it up front. Request a free quote and you will have your exact price in minutes.
How long does car transport from Switzerland to Italy take?
The drive itself is short: roughly 280 km from Zurich to Milan and about 3h 15m at the wheel, either through the Gotthard tunnel or over the San Bernardino pass, then down through the Chiasso and Como border. On a transporter, door-to-door timing depends less on raw distance and more on the pickup window and how the truck fills, because the driver collects and delivers several cars on the same run. Turin and Milan are our main Italian delivery hubs, so runs into the north of the country tend to move fastest, and most Switzerland to Italy moves are completed within a few days of collection. If your delivery point sits further south, or you are combining this leg with another, browse our full list of car transport routes for more corridors.
Why book a transporter instead of driving?
Practical tip: the Gotthard tunnel can back up badly on summer weekends and around Italian public holidays, so a mid-week collection often means a smoother, cheaper run for your car.
Good to know
How does car transport from Switzerland to Italy work?
You book, we match your car to a vetted carrier already running the Switzerland to Italy corridor, and the driver collects from your address (typically around Zurich, Basel or Geneva) and delivers to yours in Italy, often via the Gotthard and the Chiasso and Como crossing. The car is inspected and photographed at pickup and again at delivery, so its condition is on record from start to finish. Nothing to pay before pickup.
Do I need to re-register a Swiss car in Italy?
Because Switzerland sits outside the EU customs union, the car clears customs when it crosses into Italy and needs the correct export and import paperwork, which we arrange as part of the move. If the car is staying in Italy for good, you will also need to re-register it with the Italian authorities and settle any duties or VAT that are due, so it is worth budgeting a little time for the registration side once the car has arrived.
How should I prepare the car for pickup?
- Wash it and take dated photos from every side.
- Leave about a quarter tank of fuel.
- Remove personal belongings and any toll tag.
- Switch off the alarm and fold in the mirrors.
- Tell the driver about leaks, weak batteries or anything unusual.
Can you move a car that does not start?
Yes. Non-runners are no problem, as long as you tell us in advance whether the car rolls, steers and brakes, since that decides whether a winch is needed at collection. Just flag it when you request your quote. If you are moving a van rather than a car, take a look at our van transport service.
Is my car insured during the transport?
Every carrier we work with carries cargo insurance that covers your vehicle during loading, transit and unloading. Personal items left inside are not covered, so please take them out before collection. To see how we vet our carriers and what is included as standard, read why choose Send Your Auto.
Ready to send your car from Switzerland to Italy?
Tell us the route and the vehicle, and get a clear price in minutes. Door to door, insured, nothing to pay before pickup.
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