The transport mode is the decision that moves your price and your timeline the most, often more than the distance itself. Two families moving from Frankfurt to Valencia can pay very different amounts simply because one ships 12 m³ in a shared truck and the other 40 m³ in a truck of its own. Here is how each option works, and how to pick.
Shared load (groupage)
With a shared load, your belongings travel in a truck with other households heading in the same direction. The truck follows a route, collecting and delivering several moves.
How it works:
- Your belongings are packed, inventoried and labelled at your home.
- They are loaded into the shared truck — or first taken to a warehouse until the route is complete.
- The truck delivers each household in turn along its route.
Strengths: you pay only for the volume you ship, which makes it the cheapest option for small and medium moves.
Limits: dates are flexible rather than fixed. You get a collection window and a delivery window, not a precise day. Transit usually takes two to four weeks in Europe.
Best for: studios, one-bedroom flats, part of a home, students and anyone whose dates can move by a few days.
Dedicated truck
With a dedicated truck, the vehicle and the crew are yours. Your belongings are loaded, the truck leaves, and it drives straight to your new address.
Strengths: fixed collection and delivery dates, the fastest transit time — usually within a week between two Western European countries — and no handling of your goods between the two homes.
Limits: you pay for the whole truck, even if part of it stays empty. For small volumes, the price per cubic metre is much higher than a shared load.
Best for: full homes, tight deadlines (a lease ending, a start date at work), fragile or high-value contents, and families who need to know exactly when the furniture arrives.
Shared container (LCL)
For intercontinental moves, your belongings travel by sea. With LCL — less than container load — they share a container with other shipments.
Your goods are packed at home, taken to a consolidation warehouse, loaded with other shipments when the container is full, shipped, then unloaded at a warehouse at destination before final delivery.
Strengths: you pay for your volume only. Good for a few cubic metres to around half a 20-foot container.
Limits: consolidation at both ends adds time and handling. Expect several weeks more than a full container.
Full container (FCL)
With FCL — full container load — a 20-foot or 40-foot container is yours. It can be loaded at your door, sealed, and only opened again at destination (or by customs).
Strengths: less handling, more security, a faster and more predictable timeline than LCL.
Limits: you pay for the whole container. For a small move, much of it would be empty space.
Best for: full homes between continents. As a rough guide, a 20-foot container suits a one- to two-bedroom home, a 40-foot container a larger house. Our 20ft vs 40ft guide explains what fits in each.
Side-by-side comparison
| Shared load | Dedicated truck | Shared container (LCL) | Full container (FCL) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Within Europe | Within Europe | Between continents | Between continents |
| You pay for | Your volume | The whole truck | Your volume | The whole container |
| Dates | Flexible windows | Fixed | Depends on consolidation | Depends on sailings |
| Typical transit | 2 to 4 weeks | Within a week | Longest | 6 to 14 weeks door to door |
| Handling | Some | Minimal | Most | Minimal |
| Best for | Small volumes, flexible dates | Full homes, deadlines | Small intercontinental moves | Full homes overseas |
How to choose in three questions
1. What is your volume? Under about 15 m³, a shared load or LCL is almost always cheaper. Above about 30 m³, a dedicated truck or a full container becomes competitive. Start with our volume guide if you don't know your number.
2. How fixed are your dates? If your lease ends on a precise day or you need your furniture for a start date, go dedicated or FCL. If you can stay with family or in a furnished flat for a few weeks, the shared options save money.
3. What are you shipping? Antiques, artwork, a piano or a lot of fragile items benefit from less handling — a dedicated truck or a full container.
A common combination
Many people moving between continents split their move: a small air shipment with essentials for the first weeks, and the rest of the home by sea. Within Europe, another option is to bring essentials by car and send the rest by shared load.
How we quote
When you request a quote, we price the mode that fits your volume and dates — and, when two modes are close, we show you both so you can choose between speed and budget.
Frequently asked questions
More guides
- How to choose the best international moving companyWhat separates the best international movers from the rest: quotes, customs, insurance, red flags and the questions to ask before you book.
- Cross-border moving in Europe: how a European move worksHow cross-border moves work in Europe: transport options, transit times, when customs applies and how to choose a European moving company.
- Transfer of Residence relief explained: moving your belongings duty-free to Europe and the UKHow to bring your household goods into the EU, the UK, Switzerland or Norway without paying import duty or VAT: conditions, forms and country-by-country rules.