VerifiedGet matched with vetted international mover We match you with only accredited partner for your route: fewer calls, less stress, and a clearer quote.
In short: A move from the UK to Galway is matched to one FIDI-certified partner mover, free and with no obligation to book. Goods travel by ferry and road, usually via the Holyhead to Dublin Port crossing. Since Brexit, a move from Great Britain to Galway is an EU import, so Transfer of Residence relief on Form C&E 1076 can remove import duty and the 23% Irish VAT when you qualify.
Part-load (shared) and full-load options are available, with customs handled on Form C&E 1076 through Revenue.
A move to Galway from the UK uses the Holyhead to Dublin Port crossing as the main route. Irish Ferries and Stena Line run the crossing at about 3 hours 15 minutes. From Dublin Port, the M6 motorway runs west to Galway, a drive of about 220 kilometres taking roughly 2 hours. For vans collecting in south Wales or southern England, the Pembroke or Fishguard to Rosslare crossing is sometimes used, with a longer road run up the N11 and M6 to Galway.
Galway is a medieval city. The heart of the city centre, including Shop Street, High Street, Quay Street and the Latin Quarter, contains some of the oldest streets in Ireland. Shop Street has been a market street since the 14th century. The lanes here are narrow and many are pedestrianised. A full-sized removal van cannot reach addresses in the medieval core directly. The mover typically uses a smaller shuttle van for the last stretch of these deliveries.
St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, founded in 1320, and Lynch’s Castle, a 16th-century fortified townhouse on Shop Street, are reminders of how old this city centre is. The streets were not built for modern vehicles. Plan the access before collection day.
International Removals Companies connects your enquiry with one FIDI-certified partner mover for the UK to Galway route. We are not a removal company. The service is free.
Galway has three distinct delivery environments: the medieval city centre, the west-end residential areas near Claddagh, and the suburban housing estates. Each has different access conditions. Tell the mover which applies before they quote.
Since Brexit, a move from Great Britain to Galway is an EU import. A customs declaration is needed. Revenue’s Transfer of Residence relief, claimed on Form C&E 1076, removes import duty and the 23% Irish VAT on used personal belongings if you qualify. Your FIDI-certified partner mover files the form on your behalf about two weeks before your goods arrive at the Irish port.
The Common Travel Area covers people, not goods. Your household goods still need a customs declaration when they arrive in Ireland from Great Britain, even though you can travel between the two countries freely. The Transfer of Residence relief is what removes the duty and the 23% VAT, not the travel rules.
After arriving in Galway, you will need a PPS number — the Personal Public Service number — for Revenue, banking and most official matters. Apply at your local Intreo centre. Always provide the Eircode for your Galway address when you enquire. County Galway has many townland addresses in rural areas, and the Eircode is the only reliable way for the mover to find the correct property.
The Republic of Ireland uses the euro (EUR), not sterling. Moving to Galway means moving into a euro economy. That affects deposits, any charges at the Irish end and your day-to-day costs once you arrive.
International Removals Companies works with currency exchange partners. We do not provide currency exchange ourselves. But if you need to convert sterling to euro for your move to Galway, we can connect you with a partner who can help. This is separate from the removals service and carries no obligation.
The Common Travel Area covers people, not goods. Your belongings still go through the customs process on arrival in Galway, even though you can travel freely between the UK and Ireland. Transfer of Residence relief on Form C&E 1076 removes the duty and the 23% Irish VAT if you qualify. You will also need a PPS number — the Personal Public Service number — for Revenue and most official matters after you arrive.
We connect you with one suitable FIDI-certified partner mover for your UK to Galway route. Not a shortlist of firms — one mover who reviews your items, your access notes and your Irish delivery area before they confirm the price.
FIDI FAIM is the main quality standard for international removal companies. Partner movers are audited by Ernst and Young every three years against more than 200 quality checks. For a move across an EU customs border into Galway, that standard is the one to look for.
Moves to Galway typically use the Holyhead to Dublin Port crossing, run by Irish Ferries and Stena Line at about 3 hours 15 minutes. From Dublin Port, the M6 motorway runs west to Galway, a drive of about 220 kilometres taking roughly 2 hours. Alternatively, Pembroke or Fishguard to Rosslare can be used for vans collecting in south Wales or southern England, with a longer road run up the N11 and M6. The mover picks the route that fits the UK collection postcode.
Galway city centre is one of the most challenging delivery environments in Ireland. The medieval core around Shop Street, High Street, Quay Street and the Latin Quarter has narrow cobbled lanes, pedestrianised zones and restricted vehicle access. Kirwan’s Lane, one of the oldest passages in the city, is too narrow for a large removal van. Deliveries to addresses in the medieval quarter often need a smaller shuttle vehicle for the last stretch. Plan this with the mover before the van is booked.
Outside the medieval centre, Galway’s suburban areas such as Salthill, Knocknacarra, Renmore and Rahoon tend to have standard access. Most houses here have driveways and the roads can accommodate a full removal van without difficulty. The key access challenges are concentrated in the medieval city core and some parts of the west end near Claddagh. Always provide the Eircode so the mover can assess the delivery address before quoting.
Transfer of Residence relief is claimed on Form C&E 1076 from Revenue. It removes Customs Duty and the 23% Irish VAT on used personal belongings when you move your home to Ireland from outside the EU. Since Brexit, a move from Great Britain to Galway is an EU import. Your FIDI-certified partner mover files the form on your behalf about two weeks before your goods arrive at the Irish port. Check the conditions at revenue.ie before your goods travel.
A dedicated van from most UK cities to Galway typically takes two to three days from collection. The Holyhead to Dublin Port crossing is about 3 hours 15 minutes, and the drive from Dublin Port to Galway is about 2 hours on the M6. A shared load takes one to three weeks as it waits to consolidate. From the south of England, the Pembroke to Rosslare route is sometimes used, with a road run of about 3.5 hours from Rosslare to Galway.
No. The Common Travel Area covers people, not goods. It lets UK and Irish citizens live and work freely. Your household goods still go through the customs process on arrival in Galway from Great Britain. Transfer of Residence relief on Form C&E 1076, not the Common Travel Area, is what removes the duty and the 23% VAT.
An Eircode is the Irish postcode, a seven-character code unique to each address. In Galway city, many properties are on streets or in complexes where flat or unit numbers are not always clear from the address alone. In rural County Galway, townland names are used rather than street numbers. The Eircode is how the mover finds the correct door in both cases. It is a short code but it saves a lot of time. Always include it in the enquiry.
A small shared load to Galway starts from about 300 to 900 pounds for single items. A part load of a few rooms runs from about 1,200 to 3,000 pounds. A full house on a dedicated van starts from about 3,500 pounds. The road run from Dublin Port to Galway adds modest cost compared with a Dublin delivery, but the overall difference is small. The firm price is confirmed by the mover after a survey.
International Removals Companies is not a removal company. We are a free matching service operated by DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD (company 07425576). You send one enquiry and we connect you with one FIDI-certified partner mover for your UK to Galway route. The mover contacts you with the price, transit time and the customs plan. Free, no obligation.
Weighing up alternatives? These Irish routes are covered by our movers too:
This guide is written and maintained by Darren Benjamin, founder of International Removals Companies (DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, Companies House 07425576). Darren has worked in international removals and logistics for over 20 years and has been a director of a UK removals company since 2013.
Partner movers hold FIDI FAIM Certified, BAR Overseas, IAM, EUROMOVERS and FEDEMAC accreditations. Only FIDI FAIM is an audited certification, checked by Ernst and Young.
Read genuine customer reviews on Google.
Send the UK collection address, the Galway delivery address with Eircode, your room or item list, access notes including whether it is a medieval-area address, and your preferred date. If the address is in the Latin Quarter, on Shop Street or near Quay Street, say so upfront. The mover can then plan the shuttle vehicle and the access route before collection day. One FIDI-certified partner mover confirms the price and the customs plan.
Get a Free Galway Removals QuoteFree. One FIDI-certified partner mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, operating since 2010.
International Removals Companies connects removals to Ireland enquiries with one suitable vetted partner mover. Partner movers hold FIDI FAIM, BAR Overseas, IAM, EUROMOVERS and FEDEMAC accreditations where confirmed. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
Prices, transit times, insurance cover and customs paperwork must be confirmed by the partner mover before booking.