Guide: the short version
- What we do
- Hall to airport, hall to freight forwarder, hall to storage
- What we do not do
- Ocean freight, air freight, customs clearance
- Airport run
- £120 to £260 to Heathrow or Gatwick
- To a forwarder's depot
- £150 to £340 depending on where it is
- Alternative
- Storage between years, which is usually cheaper than shipping
What it costs
Everything below includes VAT, the crew, the van, the wrapping, the fuel and the Congestion Charge where it applies.
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Hall to Heathrow or GatwickCases and boxes, with the drive built in | £120 to £260 |
| Hall to a freight forwarder's depotMost London depots are east or west of the centre | £150 to £340 |
| Room into storage instead of shippingOut in June and back in September, both legs | £280 to £620 |
The three ways a room leaves the country
Excess baggage on your own flight, which is the cheapest for a case or two and the most expensive per kilo past that. Air freight, which is fast and priced per kilo. Sea freight, which is slow, cheap by volume, and only sensible for a genuinely large amount.
All three start with getting the boxes from a hall in central London to an airport or a depot, and that is our part. Ask your shipper what they need delivered where and by when, then tell us, and it becomes an ordinary job.
The airport run, which is most of this work
£120 to £260 to Heathrow or Gatwick with the drive built into the figure, no per mile addition and no waiting charge if the traffic is bad. Cases, boxes and a bike if it is going.
Book it before exams rather than the night before the flight. In the last week of June every hall in London is emptying and the good slots go first, and there is no version of this where a taxi with two cases is cheaper than a van with a room.
Why storage usually beats shipping
If you are coming back in September, shipping a room home and back again costs several times what twelve weeks of storage does, and it is two lots of customs risk for no benefit.
Ship what you genuinely need at home. Store the rest. We do the storage runs at £280 to £620 for both legs booked together, and it is the advice we give international students more often than any other.
Worth knowing
- Ask your shipper exactly what they need delivered, where and by when, then tell us
- Book the airport run before exams start rather than the night before the flight
- If you are coming back in September, price storage against shipping before deciding
- Weigh cases before you leave the hall, not at the airport desk
- Keep documents and anything valuable with you rather than in the van or the freight
International student shipping: common questions
Do you ship things internationally?
No. We are a Central London man and van, not a freight forwarder. We do not handle ocean freight, air freight or customs. We do every part of the job that happens in London: hall to airport, hall to a forwarder's depot, or hall to storage.
How much is a run to Heathrow or Gatwick?
£120 to £260 including VAT, with the drive built into the figure. There is no per mile addition and no charge if the traffic is bad, which on an airport run in June is worth having.
Can you deliver to my shipping company's depot?
Yes, and it is a common job. £150 to £340 depending where the depot is. Ask your shipper for the address, the opening hours and any reference they need on the boxes, and give all three to us.
Is it cheaper to ship home or to store in London?
For anyone returning in September, storage almost always wins. Shipping a room in both directions costs several times what twelve weeks of storage does. Ship what you need at home and store the rest.
What should I not put in the van?
Documents, passports, laptops and anything you would be stuck without. Keep those with you. It is the same advice we give on every move and it matters more when a flight is involved.