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julianemre16:55 UTC10 Jun 2007

Hi guys.... I'm moving to Istanbul this summer and need to get some belongings there. I've already read through topics on this page and pulled out some useful information, but I just wondered if anyone had actually experienced a move to Istanbul and found either a very good means of moving belongings, or a very bad means that I should avoid.

I've trawled the web checking out shipping sites, and everywhere seems to be very expensive. I realise that it is inevitably an expensive business, but are there any better value options? I don't want to ship wardrobes or beds or anything, but books, records and a stereo system as well as some clothes, so it wouldn't be a huge bundle.

Any advice from any experiences movers would be most well received

Cheers

Julian

ohwell07:47 UTC11 Jun 2007

Be careful if moving electrical goods to Turkey. 9 times out of 10 you will get charged horrendous duty. Theres a website called Kusadasi Biz forum which has a number of links giving very helpful information.

maenad16:59 UTC11 Jun 2007

It would help if you said where you were shipping from. Bulgaria? Australia? Korea? USA? Big differences.

When I had to move my stuff from Istanbul to Poland, I found a local company to do it and they sent it all for 100 USD. (about 100 kg of stuff). When I had to move 150 kg of stuff from Poland to Canada, I found that British Airways air freight was actually cheaper than shipping. But they prefer to deal in pallets - ironically, it would have been more expensive to send 149 kg than 150 kg.

julianemre18:20 UTC16 Jun 2007

Cheers guys.... I'll check out your suggestions, and I'm asking some local Turkish businesses how they get stuff moved from Turkey. It would be nice to just give them £100 and they could bung my stuff on the back of a delivery. Sorry, I should have mentioned that local for me is the UK... so if anyone has any more gems of information on UK-Istanbul removals then keep them coming in.

everbrite08:05 UTC18 Jun 2007

For books, check with your post office, some countries offer something called M bags for printed media. It means surface mail and can take some time but it is often VERY inexpensive.

I would seriously reconsider the sense of shipping records and a stereo system. Perhaps the records could be recorded onto CDs and then they would be lighter. Perhaps the stereo system could be sold and a new one ordered when you are in Turkey.

How long are you moving for? If this is a temporary move, then consider that you will need to move it all back again at some point. How much is REALLY necessary for you to have with you?

Ruth

Moving to Istanbul Interest forums / The Long Haul - Living & Working Abroad
julianemre16:55 UTC10 Jun 2007	Hi guys.... I'm moving to Istanbul this summer and need to get some belongings there. I've already read through topics on this page and pulled out some useful information, but I just wondered if anyone had actually experienced a move to Istanbul and found either a very good means of moving belongings, or a very bad means that I should avoid. I've trawled the web checking out shipping sites, and everywhere seems to be very expensive. I realise that it is inevitably an expensive business, but are there any better value options? I don't want to ship wardrobes or beds or anything, but books, records and a stereo system as well as some clothes, so it wouldn't be a huge bundle. Any advice from any experiences movers would be most well received Cheers Julian
ohwell07:47 UTC11 Jun 2007	Be careful if moving electrical goods to Turkey. 9 times out of 10 you will get charged horrendous duty. Theres a website called Kusadasi Biz forum which has a number of links giving very helpful information.	1
maenad16:59 UTC11 Jun 2007	It would help if you said where you were shipping from. Bulgaria? Australia? Korea? USA? Big differences. When I had to move my stuff from Istanbul to Poland, I found a local company to do it and they sent it all for 100 USD. (about 100 kg of stuff). When I had to move 150 kg of stuff from Poland to Canada, I found that British Airways air freight was actually cheaper than shipping. But they prefer to deal in pallets - ironically, it would have been more expensive to send 149 kg than 150 kg.	2
julianemre18:20 UTC16 Jun 2007	Cheers guys.... I'll check out your suggestions, and I'm asking some local Turkish businesses how they get stuff moved from Turkey. It would be nice to just give them £100 and they could bung my stuff on the back of a delivery. Sorry, I should have mentioned that local for me is the UK... so if anyone has any more gems of information on UK-Istanbul removals then keep them coming in.	3
everbrite08:05 UTC18 Jun 2007	For books, check with your post office, some countries offer something called M bags for printed media. It means surface mail and can take some time but it is often VERY inexpensive. I would seriously reconsider the sense of shipping records and a stereo system. Perhaps the records could be recorded onto CDs and then they would be lighter. Perhaps the stereo system could be sold and a new one ordered when you are in Turkey. How long are you moving for? If this is a temporary move, then consider that you will need to move it all back again at some point. How much is REALLY necessary for you to have with you? Ruth	4

Moving to Istanbul