Mon–Fri 8am–6pm · Quote after complete details
Piano Transport
Abroad
Concert grand pianos for festivals, historic instruments and private moves right across Europe. Paperwork, customs and the route inside the building are settled beforehand, and only then does the van set off.
References
References at the highest level in Europe
Our references include international projects with Prof. Ludmil Angelov, assignments for the Verbier Festival in Switzerland with Bösendorfer grand pianos and piano transports for one of the great tenors of the 20th century. That network stands behind your transport as well.
The same hands that place a concert grand piano on a festival stage also carry your piano across the border.
Write to us and tell us where the instrument has to go. We will tell you how we would plan that transport.
Briefly explained
What is a piano transport abroad?
A piano transport abroad means the professional transport of a piano or grand piano across national borders, arranged by a specialist piano transport company with the right vehicle, special packing and knowledge of customs rules and, where relevant, CITES documents.
MK Klavier Art e.U. arranges international piano transports from Vienna and Lower Austria all across Europe. We work within a fixed network of partner companies in Poland, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary and Czechia, and alongside them with many small transport firms who know their own area, all across Europe. That is how we reach every European country. Depending on the route, the destination country and the date, we drive ourselves, or a partner company takes over the collection, the delivery or part of the way. Your order, your contact person and your fixed price stay with us in every case.
- Our own teamJourneys from Vienna and Lower Austria, above all to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia
- Partner companiesPoland, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary and Czechia, plus small local firms all across Europe. They take over the collection, the delivery or part of the route
- Always the sameSpecial packing, load securing, advice on paperwork and one contact person from your enquiry through to the setting up
Why the border changes things
A journey abroad is not simply a longer move. It is planned as a journey of its own.
An upright piano weighs between 200 and 350 kg. Across the border you add hours on the motorway, two buildings that we both have to know beforehand, and depending on the destination country, paperwork as well.
After a long transport abroad the instrument should first be left to rest at its new location.
Wood, action and tuning react to temperature and humidity. Tuning a piano usually makes sense only after a short settling-in period, and we will coordinate the date with you if you wish.
The craft
The hardest part is not on the motorway
The route is time. What matters is decided at the stairs, in the lift and during packing. Pick a point and you will see what we watch for and what we need from you for it.
Access
Spiral staircases and narrow stairwells.
With spiral staircases we check the width, the radius, the ceiling height and the landings in advance. Not every route can safely be done by hand, which is why photos and short videos matter so much. The sooner we know the tight spots, the better the transport can be planned.
This is what we need from you
Photos and a short video of the stairwell, plus the width and the radius of the staircase.
Lift
When the lift is too small.
If the piano does not fit into the lift, we check the stairwell, windows, balcony, inner courtyard or an external lift. In difficult buildings an additional technical route may be necessary. We decide that beforehand at the desk, not on the day of the transport in front of the door.
This is what we need from you
The lift dimensions, the door width and the maximum load capacity of the lift.
Protection
Packed, strapped, carried upright.
For long routes pianos and grand pianos are secured with transport blankets, edge protection and stretch film. Loose parts, pedal units or music desks are handled separately. In the vehicle the instrument stands stable and firmly lashed down, and it does not rest on its own castors.
Grand pianos have their own rules for packing and for carrying: more about that on our page Grand piano transport in Vienna.
This is what we need from you
The make, the model and a note about loose parts such as the pedal unit or the music desk.
Documents, customs and CITES
We settle what is needed at the border beforehand.
Within the EU much of this is simpler. Even so, proof of ownership, an inventory list or details about the instrument can be useful. With older instruments CITES questions come into it, especially with ivory or protected woods.
01
Within the EU
To Germany, Italy, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary or Slovenia we drive without customs formalities. Proof of ownership or a short inventory list still makes sense, especially with valuable instruments.
02
Outside the EU
For Switzerland, Norway, the United Kingdom or Turkey a commercial invoice or proof of purchase, a packing list and details about the instrument are normally required. We will tell you in advance which documents are usual for your customs clearance.
03
CITES with ivory and protected woods
CITES is an international agreement for the protection of endangered species. If your piano or grand piano contains ivory keytops or certain protected woods, a CITES certificate may be required for transport abroad. We will advise you in advance on whether your instrument could be affected.
It is not only the destination that counts, but the route as well
A journey to Greece runs through Serbia and North Macedonia, that is through countries outside the EU. We discuss questions of transit like these before departure, not at the border.
You do not have to work this out for yourself.
Tell us the make, the approximate year of manufacture and the destination country. We will tell you which papers your transport needs.
Destinations from Vienna
These are the routes we drive regularly
Every international transport runs with special packing, load securing and, where needed, CITES advice, from a short day trip to a long route right across Europe.
Guide prices for an upright piano, ground floor to first floor without a lift, including 20 % VAT. For grand pianos, spiral staircases, higher floors or unusual access the price changes. It becomes binding only after your complete details.
Your destination is not on the list? We drive to every European country.
What your transport costs exactly depends on the route, on the instrument and on the two buildings. After your complete details and photos we will give you a binding fixed price quickly.
Google reviews
What customers write about transport abroad
The company transported my piano from Stuttgart to Trieste in Italy for me, and two pieces of furniture on top of that. The service was faultless and they did very good work. They not only transported the piano well, they also dismantled and reassembled the rest of the furniture and answered my questions as well. I can only recommend this piano transport company to anyone and would choose them again at any time.
We were very happy with the service. The international transport of our piano, planning included, went faultlessly and the dates were kept precisely.
Simply wonderful and smooth, my piano transported from Germany to Austria. Very polite and reliable, obliging, from the enquiry through to the job itself and the paperwork.
We are very happy with our choice of this company, the piano arrived fast, in perfect condition and the price is very fair for the work that was required. We would hire again.
Frequently asked questions
Paperwork, border and
Instrument
Six questions that come up before almost every transport across the border. If yours is not here, just ask us directly.
Which documents do I need for a piano transport outside the EU?
For non-EU transports, for example to Switzerland or the United Kingdom, a commercial invoice or proof of purchase, a packing list and details about the instrument are normally required. We will tell you in advance which documents are usual for your customs clearance.
What is a CITES document and do I need one for my grand piano?
CITES is an international agreement for the protection of endangered species. If your piano or grand piano contains parts made of protected materials, for example ivory keytops or certain woods, a CITES certificate may be required for a grand piano transport abroad. We will advise you in advance on whether your instrument could be affected.
Do you also transport to countries outside the EU?
Yes, on request we also arrange transports to non-EU countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Turkey and others. We settle customs formalities and CITES requirements and coordinate with our European partners. The route matters here too: a journey to Greece runs through Serbia and North Macedonia, that is through countries outside the EU.
Can you also transport concert grand pianos and historic instruments abroad?
Yes. We have many years of experience with Bösendorfer concert grand pianos, vintage grand pianos and historic instruments. For a grand piano transport abroad we discuss special packing, climate conditions and, where relevant, CITES requirements in advance with valuable instruments.
Do you also arrange return transport and piano tuning after the transport abroad?
Yes. We plan both the outward and the return transport, for example when your instrument is travelling for a festival or a limited stay abroad. After it comes back we combine the transport with a piano tuning if you wish.
What happens if the piano does not fit into the lift?
If the piano does not fit into the lift, we check alternative routes such as the stairwell, a window, a balcony, an inner courtyard, an external lift or a crane. What matters are exact photos, the lift dimensions, the door width and details of the load capacity.
At a glance
Piano transport abroad, the most important facts
MK Klavier Art transports pianos and grand pianos from Austria to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary and Slovenia, with our own team and our own vehicle or together with our partner companies, from the collection through to the setting up. For Vienna, Lower Austria and Austria there are separate pages.
With complete details of the addresses, the floors, the lift and the instrument you will receive a binding quote quickly. You can reach us Mon–Fri from 8am to 6pm. The business is a registered company and a WKO member, the team brings personal professional experience since 1995 and is rated 5,0 ★ on Google with more than 100 reviews.
For questions before you enquire you can also reach us via the Contact.
MK Klavier Art takes instruments across the border, with our own team and with partner companies.
Enquiry form
A fixed price for your piano transport abroad
Beyond the national border the route, the access and the paperwork decide. Tell us the destination, the floors and the access and send a few photos, and we will come back quickly with a binding price.
- 1The piano from the front, fully visible
- 2The staircase, photographed from the bottom upwards
- 3The narrowest point: the turn, a door or a landing
- 4The building entrance and the access road, at both addresses