Kehrli + Oeler AG

Over 120 years of Swiss moving expertise

Kehrli + Oeler AG is one of Switzerland's oldest moving companies, established in 1904 and operating across multiple cantons from offices in Bern, Zurich, Solothurn, Fribourg, Zug, and Kloten. The firm handles private moves, corporate relocations, international shipments worldwide, and specialized heavy transport. As a family business with deep roots in German-speaking Switzerland, they describe themselves as part of the oldest generation of Swiss moving companies by tenure and emphasize the continuity and reputation that comes with over 120 years of operation. The firm positions the 120-year history as the foundation for their claim to reliability and expertise.

Serving expats and families relocating to Switzerland

For someone moving to Switzerland, Kehrli + Oeler offers the full pathway from abroad: international moves to Switzerland, domestic moves within the country, and the intermediate steps. They handle private household relocations, corporate office moves (including relocation for staff), and the specialized tasks that arrive with expat placement like moving artwork and vehicles. The form on their site offers fourteen service categories: private moves, business moves, art transport, heavy transport, special transport, packing, storage, moving cleaning, clearances, recycling, container rental, and equipment rental. For someone arriving with a household, they coordinate the international shipment and the final-mile delivery into a Swiss apartment. For companies bringing staff, they handle the office move and coordinate with employers on timing and logistics. An arriving family from Australia to Zurich, for instance, would contact Kehrli + Oeler for the international transport and could simultaneously book moving cleaning, storage if timing does not align with apartment availability, and furniture rental or temporary solutions if their Australian household goods do not arrive in time for a corporate start date or school year. The bundled offering means one point of contact instead of assembling separate providers for shipping, storage, cleaning, and interim furnishing.

What Kehrli + Oeler actually does

The company operates eight offices across Switzerland: Bern, Zurich (listed twice in their navigation, suggesting two locations or multiple teams), Solothurn, Fribourg, Zug, and Kloten. They describe themselves as a complete moving company with two core service groups: private/household moves and commercial/business moves, plus specialized services for artwork, heavy equipment, industrial sites, and special moves. They rent containers in four types: standard storage containers, office containers (for temporary workplace setup during office transitions), filing and archive containers, and refrigerated containers (for perishable or temperature-sensitive items, which might matter for pharmaceutical companies, restaurants, or food businesses relocating). They offer furniture storage for long or short term, which matters for the gap between arrival in Switzerland and apartment readiness. For expats arriving before their apartment is furnished, short-term storage of temporary items costs less than international furniture shipping for a six-month interim. They provide industrial and specialty packing, arrange moving cleaning on departure (with guarantees), employ handycraft staff for adjustments and repairs (useful if Swiss furniture dimensions do not match your apartment layout, or if you need shelving installed to fit a Swiss living room), and manage document storage and digitization (for businesses managing archives across a move). Their form accommodates complex moves: selecting origin, destination, item type, special needs, container size, and rental duration. The site showcases customer testimonials and reviews praising their professionalism, speed, and care. An excerpt from one review states the company had "very professional packing and loading" on an international move to Brazil, a transcontinental distance that demands expertise. Another describes moving quickly and carefully with no damage and mentions satisfaction with how the company handled furniture during a move from Zurich to Bern. The site does not state employee headcount explicitly but describes themselves as having "well-coordinated teams" and "extensive expertise," language suggesting a firm large enough to coordinate across eight locations and multiple service lines.

International reach and specialization

Kehrli + Oeler operates both to and from Switzerland, not just within the country. They list "Umzug Europa" (moves within Europe) and "Weltweite Umzüge" (worldwide moves) as separate service categories, signaling both regional specialization and global capacity. For someone moving from Europe to Switzerland or from Switzerland to another country, they have developed logistics. The site's coverage of "Geschäftsumzüge" (business moves) and "Mitarbeiterumzüge" (staff relocations) indicates they work with corporate HR departments, not just individuals. This corporate experience suggests coordination beyond logistics: they likely liaise with relocation coordinators, time moves around work schedules, and handle multiple destinations when companies transfer teams.

What remains unsettled

Kehrli + Oeler publishes no pricing or rate structure. The site invites quote requests through a detailed form but offers no public rate card, price per cubic meter, or labor rates. Lead time for quote response is not stated. Language capability is not explicitly described on the English version of the site, though the site exists in German and English (the site's language switcher is visible). They do not publish timeline expectations for storage unit availability or move scheduling. The exact scope of their "handycraft" repair services is not detailed: are they assembly-only or can they modify furniture? While artwork moving and heavy transport are listed, no weight limits or size constraints are published. The site names no certifications or insurance coverage on the English version, though specialized move work would typically require these. The refrigerated container service is mentioned but no use cases or pricing are given.

Who benefits most

Kehrli + Oeler suits someone moving to or within Switzerland with a household or business requiring a large, established firm with geographic reach. The eight-office network gives them strength across the Central, Northern, and Eastern regions (Bern, Zurich, Solothurn, Fribourg, Zug, Kloten). An expat family with high-value household goods, artwork, or multiple properties finds a firm with expertise in those moves. A company relocating an office or moving staff within Switzerland or internationally has a partner with commercial experience and the scale to handle multiple simultaneous moves. Someone with a tight timeline benefits from a large firm with multiple teams and trucks available across the country. A corporate team moving from outside Europe to Switzerland benefits from their demonstrated experience with that scope. Conversely, someone seeking a budget move, a very small local crew, or full transparency on costs upfront may find the quote-request-only model and multi-service scale less suitable than a smaller boutique mover. Someone relocating to the Alpine cantons (Valais, Uri, Appenzell) where Kehrli + Oeler does not have a direct office would want to clarify their coverage before committing.