Destination file · germany

Buy from Switzerland,
delivered to Germany.

The shortest route we run, and the least forgiving on VAT

Germany is two days by road and duty free on almost everything of Swiss origin. What it does not forgive is VAT: the EUR 150 threshold waives duty, never Einfuhrumsatzsteuer, which lands on the first euro of every parcel. Anyone quoting you a duty-free German import without mentioning 19% has left out the larger number.

Provisional · awaiting verification

This file was reconstructed from a rendered build after the original source was lost. Rates come from the quote engine and were cross-checked against the recovered page, but the editorial detail has not been verified against primary customs sources. Treat the quote as indicative until that review is recorded here.

0%Duty on Swiss industrial goods once origin is declared
19%Einfuhrumsatzsteuer, from the first euro
EUR 150Duty-free threshold — for duty only, never VAT
1–2Working days from Crissier by road

What duty actually costs

Duty is the small number.

Switzerland and the EU have traded industrially duty free since 1972. What you actually pay crossing into Germany is import VAT, at the same 19% a German buyer pays domestically — which is the point of the tax rather than a penalty on you.

Duty on Swiss goodsReconstructed 17 August 2026 · rates from the quote engine · awaiting verification
0%3%6%2.6%19734.2%20001.8%20150%20260%
Duty you actually payMFN rate without proof of originWhat the declaration is worth
  • 1 Jan 1973Free trade agreement enters into forceIndustrial goods of Swiss origin enter the European Community duty free. The agreement predates the EU itself and has been rolled forward since.0%
  • 1 Jul 2021EU e-commerce VAT reformThe EUR 22 VAT exemption is abolished. Import VAT now applies from the first euro on every consignment, whatever its value.19%
  • OngoingEUR 150 duty thresholdBelow EUR 150 no duty is assessed. VAT still is, which is what surprises most first-time importers.—
  • Origin has to be declared, not assumed. Swiss industrial goods enter duty free under the 1972 agreement, but only against a declaration on the invoice. Import VAT is charged regardless, at 19% on goods plus freight plus any duty — so it compounds on the freight you paid rather than on the goods alone.

Sources: EEC–Switzerland Free Trade Agreement 1972 as amended; EU Regulation 2017/1939 on import VAT; German Zoll tariff schedule. Reconstructed 17 August 2026 and not yet verified line by line. Rates are re-checked on the morning of every purchase and confirmed before anything is charged.

Landed cost

What it actually costs to land in Germany.

Every figure updates live. The duty basis, tax base and de-minimis rule change with the destination — that is the whole reason this page exists.

Goods, Swiss retail1 × CHF 1'649.00 incl. VAT1'649.00
Swiss VAT refunded8.1% reclaimed on export− 123.56
Net declared valuethe customs value1'525.44
Service fee8% of net · min. CHF 20122.04
Handlinginspection and extras25.00
Air freight14.8 kg chargeable · 1–2 days80.34
Import dutyMFN rate · 0% on most industrial goods with proof of Swiss origin · 2.6% on CIF · HS 8516.7141.75
EinfuhrumsatzsteuerGerman import VAT · reduced 7% rate on food and books313.03
Total landed, DDP
Nothing owed on arrivalCHF 2'107.59≈ 2,234.05 EUR

Most requested

What people buy from Switzerland.

The shortest, cheapest route we run, which changes what is worth buying. Freight barely registers, so low-density goods that would never justify air freight to Asia make sense here.

  • ✓Jura and Swiss appliancesPriced below German retail on several lines, and 230 V at 50 Hz matches exactly. No transformer, no adapter beyond the plug.
  • ✓Swiss chocolate and confectioneryTwo days door to door means temperature-controlled packing is rarely needed outside high summer.
  • ✓Victorinox, full rangeIncluding Swiss-only editions and engraving. Blade rules are straightforward here compared with most destinations.
  • ✓Outdoor and alpine equipmentMammut, Bächli and the Swiss technical ranges, in sizes German retail skips.
  • ✓Swiss pharmacy linesLouis Widmer and the dermatological ranges, in personal quantities.

Restricted or refused

What we will not ship there.

We screen every request against this list before quoting. A refusal costs you nothing; a seizure costs you the goods.

  • ✕Anything above EUR 150 without paperworkNot a prohibition, a warning: above the threshold a full customs declaration is required and an incomplete one stalls the parcel for days. We file it properly, which is most of what you are paying us for.
  • ✕Meat and dairy from outside the EUSwitzerland is outside the EU customs union for these purposes. Personal imports of meat and milk products are prohibited, and cheese needs commercial health certification.
  • ✕Medicines and supplementsGerman import rules on Arzneimittel are strict and a courier shipment from a purchasing agent does not qualify as personal import.
  • ✕Weapons and restricted knivesGerman Waffengesetz restricts certain lock types and blade lengths. We check the model before purchase.

Transit

Geneva to your door.

All routes are tracked and insured to full replacement value. Duty and tax are prepaid by us on every service, so nothing is collected from you on arrival.

ServiceDoor to door
DHL ExpressDefault, and DHL's home market1–2 days
Swiss Post PriorityEconomy, tracked2–4 days
DPD ClassicRoad, for heavy or bulky2–3 days
UPS StandardBusiness accounts1–2 days

Questions

Shipping to Germany, answered.

Do I pay duty on a Swiss order?

On most industrial goods, no — the 1972 free trade agreement takes duty on Swiss-origin goods to zero, provided origin is declared on the invoice. We file that declaration. Food, agricultural goods and anything not of Swiss origin fall outside it.

Then why is my total higher than the Swiss price?

Import VAT. Einfuhrumsatzsteuer is 19% on goods plus freight plus any duty, and it applies from the first euro since the EU abolished the small-consignment exemption in July 2021. Against that, the 8.1% Swiss VAT is reclaimed on export and credited back to you, so the net effect is roughly 11%.

What is the EUR 150 threshold then?

Duty only. Below EUR 150 no customs duty is assessed regardless of origin. VAT is unaffected — a EUR 30 parcel and a EUR 3 000 parcel both carry 19%.

How fast is it really?

One to two working days by road from Crissier. Germany is the fastest destination we serve, and the only one where air freight is usually the wrong choice.

Get a landed cost for Germany in under a minute.

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