VerifiedGet matched with vetted international mover We match you with only accredited partner for your route: fewer calls, less stress, and a clearer quote.
Traslochi in Grupaggio per l'Italia
A part load is the most common service choice for UK to Italy removals, and it suits the majority of moves: too much for groupage to be practical, not enough to justify filling an entire vehicle. Your goods share lorry space with other consignments heading to Italy, you pay only for the cubic metres you use, and the lorry runs on a scheduled weekly or fortnightly departure from a UK depot. That scheduled departure is the defining difference between a part load and groupage, and it matters more for Italy than for shorter European routes because the journey is long enough that a delay at the consolidation stage adds up.
This page explains exactly how a part load works on the UK to Italy route, what size moves it suits, what it costs per cubic metre by region, how the Italian departure schedule affects your timeline, and what the part load service looks like once the lorry arrives in Italy, including the ZTL permit that applies regardless of whether it's a shared load or a dedicated vehicle.
International Removals Companies is a free enquiry matching service operated by DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD (company 07425576). It does not carry out removals or operate vehicles. It connects each enquiry with one suitable vetted partner removal company, who contacts you, surveys the move and confirms the quote. Free to use, no obligation until you accept.
The partner removal company collects your goods from your UK address on the agreed collection date. They go to a UK consolidation depot, where they are labelled, protected and sorted alongside other Italy-bound consignments. Once the scheduled Italy departure is reached, your goods are loaded onto the lorry with the other part load freight for Italy.
The lorry travels south through France via the Channel Tunnel, crosses the Alps through the Mont Blanc or Fréjus Tunnel, and heads to the relevant Italian destination. For northern Italy, your goods may travel directly to a regional Italian depot or directly to your delivery address. For central and southern Italy, the goods typically go to an Italian distribution depot first, then are loaded onto a local delivery vehicle for the final leg.
On arrival at your Italian address, the crew delivers to your specified floor. If the building is inside a ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) zone, the lorry will have a permesso di transito arranged with the local Comune 48 to 72 hours in advance. If the building access is tight, a shuttle vehicle may be needed for the final carry.
The two terms are often used interchangeably. They're not the same, and the difference matters more on a long route like Italy than on a short-haul European service.
Your goods travel on a scheduled lorry with a fixed departure date from the UK depot. Weekly or fortnightly Italy services are typical. You know in advance when the lorry leaves, which makes transit time predictable. You pay per cubic metre. The lorry departs on schedule whether or not it's completely full.
Your goods wait at the UK depot until the lorry is fully loaded with Italy freight. Departure depends on how quickly the load fills up. Can be fast in busy periods, slow in quiet ones. Usually cheaper than part load for very small volumes. Less predictable because the departure date is not fixed in advance.
For Italy specifically, the unpredictability of groupage is more significant than for a move to, say, Belgium. Italy is at minimum a two-day drive from the UK, and the route involves Alpine tunnels, a long journey south, and potentially a ferry. A departure that slips by two weeks extends the total transit significantly. If your Italian property has a firm availability date, a part load gives you a firmer timeline to work with.
Part loads are priced per cubic metre, so the cost scales directly with how much space your goods take up. The rate per cbm varies by destination region, access, packing level and the time of year. The planning-guide ranges below are based on typical moves; the partner removal company confirms the actual price after a survey.
Milan, Turin, Venice, Bologna, Genoa, Brescia, Vicenza
Studio / 1-bed: ~£900 to £1,800
2-bedroom: ~£1,800 to £3,200
Florence, Rome, Pisa, Siena, Lucca, Perugia
Studio / 1-bed: ~£1,100 to £2,200
2-bedroom: ~£2,200 to £3,800
Naples, Bari, Lecce, Salerno, Calabria
Studio / 1-bed: ~£1,400 to £2,800
2-bedroom: ~£2,800 to £4,500
Ferry or strait crossing included
Studio / 1-bed: ~£1,600 to £3,200
2-bedroom: ~£3,200 to £5,200
Part load is most practical between 10 and 40 cubic metres. Below that range, groupage tends to be cheaper. Above it, you are paying for most of a lorry's space anyway and a dedicated vehicle often becomes more cost-effective. Here are typical home size estimates as a guide:
A proper survey gives the precise figure. Volume estimates change significantly depending on how much furniture you take, how much you declutter beforehand, and whether you are self-packing boxes or using the partner mover's packing service. A survey is the only reliable basis for a part load quote.
This is the part of part load removals to Italy that most guides skip. Italy is not a daily service. Most partner movers on the UK to Italy route run scheduled departures from their UK depot on a weekly or fortnightly cycle. Your goods travel on the next available departure after collection.
What that means in practice: if your collection is on a Monday and the Italy lorry departs on a Friday, your goods leave at the end of that week. If you miss the Friday lorry, the next departure may be a week or a fortnight later. The gap between collection and departure is usually short, but it's worth confirming the departure schedule with the partner mover when you book, particularly if you have a firm date when your Italian property becomes available.
After crossing the Alps, part load lorries typically deliver to a regional Italian distribution hub first. Goods for northern Italy often go direct from the crossing to the Milan or Turin area and on to your address. Goods for central Italy may stage through Florence or Rome before final delivery. Southern Italy usually involves two legs: northern crossing, then a longer run south to Naples, Bari or Calabria.
Sicily needs the Strait of Messina ferry crossing, and part load goods must wait for the next available sailing after they reach Calabria. Sardinia needs an overnight ferry from Livorno, Civitavecchia or Genoa, and the schedule is more limited in winter. Both islands add time beyond the mainland transit guide.
Some partner movers can hold goods at an Italian depot for a short period while you complete the handover process or await a ZTL permit window. Confirm storage availability and any additional cost with the partner mover at the booking stage.
A common misconception: some people assume ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) access permits only apply to large dedicated removal lorries. They apply to any vehicle delivering into a restricted zone, regardless of size or whether it is carrying one household's goods or several. The partner removal company applies to the local Comune for a temporary access permit (permesso di transito) 48 to 72 hours before the delivery date. Missing this step means fines or a blocked delivery.
For part load deliveries, the permit window is typically a 2 to 4-hour slot on the delivery day. Give the partner mover your exact Italian delivery address as early as possible so they can identify the ZTL zone and submit the application in time. If the lorry still can't get close enough, a smaller shuttle vehicle carries goods for the last stretch.
Since January 2021, all UK goods entering Italy are imports subject to Italian customs. The customs process for a part load shipment is the same as for a dedicated vehicle. Italian customs do not distinguish by service type. What matters is the nature of the goods and your residency status.
The franchigia per trasferimento di residenza (transfer of residence exemption) can remove import duty and 22% Italian VAT on household goods owned and used for at least six months before the move, provided you are transferring your main home to Italy. You need a Codice Fiscale (Italian tax number) to apply. Get this in advance from the Agenzia delle Entrate at agenziaentrate.gov.it or at the Italian Consulate General in London. Allow two to four weeks.
The partner removal company prepares the goods inventory (distinta degli effetti personali) in Italian and English for submission to the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli. For the full current rules visit dogane.gov.it and check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy before goods leave the UK.
Answers shown in full below.
A part load removal means your goods share lorry space with other consignments heading to Italy on the same scheduled service. You pay only for the cubic metres your goods occupy. The lorry runs on a fixed weekly or fortnightly departure schedule from the UK depot to Italy, which makes transit time more predictable than groupage. A part load suits moves of around 10 to 40 cubic metres, which covers roughly a one-bedroom to a three-bedroom home.
Part load removals to Italy are priced per cubic metre. As a planning guide, a part load to northern Italy starts from around £900 for a studio or one-bedroom and around £1,800 for a two-bedroom home. Central Italy from around £1,100 for a studio and around £2,200 for a two-bed. Southern Italy from around £1,400 for a studio. Sicily and Sardinia from around £1,600, with the island ferry or strait crossing adding to the total. These are guides only. The partner removal company confirms the price after surveying your goods and both addresses.
Part load transit to northern Italy typically takes 7 to 14 days from collection. Central Italy takes 10 to 14 days. Southern Italy takes 14 to 21 days. Sicily and Sardinia take longer because part load goods must wait for the next available ferry or strait crossing and any onward distribution run. Actual timing depends on the departure schedule from the UK depot and whether onward transfer within Italy is needed.
A part load is most practical for moves of around 10 to 40 cubic metres. Below 10 cbm, groupage is usually cheaper. Above 40 cbm, a dedicated vehicle often becomes more cost-effective because you are paying for most of a lorry anyway. A studio flat is typically 10 to 15 cbm, a one-bedroom around 15 to 20 cbm, a two-bedroom around 20 to 35 cbm, and a three-bedroom around 35 to 50 cbm. A proper survey gives the precise figure.
No, they are different. A part load travels on a scheduled lorry that runs on a fixed weekly or fortnightly timetable, so the departure date is set in advance and transit time is predictable. Groupage means your goods wait at a UK depot until the lorry is fully loaded with Italy freight. Groupage is usually cheaper for very small volumes. A part load costs more but gives you a firm departure window, which matters if your Italian property has a fixed availability date.
Yes to both. ZTL zones (Zona a Traffico Limitato) apply to any lorry delivering inside a restricted Italian historic centre, regardless of whether it is a part load, dedicated vehicle or groupage. The partner removal company applies for a permesso di transito from the local Comune 48 to 72 hours ahead. On customs, since Brexit all UK goods entering Italy are treated as imports. The transfer of residence exemption (franchigia per trasferimento di residenza) can remove import duty and 22% Italian VAT on qualifying goods. The customs rules are identical for part load and dedicated vehicle shipments.
The full guide to moving from the UK to Italy: routes, customs, ZTL access and how the free matching service works.
Planning-guide prices for all service types by region and home size, including part load, groupage and dedicated vehicle.
Shipping furniture-only to Italy. Part load options, Alpine road protection, Italian apartment access and customs for used furniture.
Tell us your UK collection address, your Italian delivery address with floor level and access details, and a rough inventory or cubic metre estimate. We match you free with one vetted partner removal company that runs the Italy part load service and covers your route. They contact you, survey the move, confirm the departure schedule and give you the actual quote.
Get your free part load quoteDATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Founded November 2010. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
International Removals Companies is a free enquiry matching service. It does not carry out removals. It connects each enquiry with one suitable vetted partner removal company. Partner movers hold FIDI FAIM accreditation, audited by Ernst and Young, and many are BAR Overseas members.
Prices, timing, insurance, accreditation and customs requirements must be confirmed by the partner removal company before booking. Planning-guide figures are indicative only.