Furniture removal and car shipping from Madinah to Tunisia starts from a city close to the Red Sea: Yanbu port is about 230 kilometres away and Jeddah port about 420 kilometres, and from both, containers sail north through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean and the port of Radès. That proximity makes your household’s sea voyage much shorter than if it started from eastern Saudi Arabia.
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But moving a whole household to Tunisia is not just about the port. There is the decision on what is worth shipping, the furniture ceiling under the final return scheme, preparing furniture and appliances for weeks inside a sealed container, the car conditions, and then delivery to your governorate. This article walks through all of it in the order you need.
Al Basma Express moves your household and car from Quba, Al Awali, Al Aziziyah, Shuran and every district of Madinah to Greater Tunis, Sfax, Sousse, Nabeul, Monastir, Gabès and the other governorates: survey and sorting, dismantling and packing for the sea, a container sealed at your door, shipping from Yanbu or Jeddah, guidance on the final return file, then clearance, delivery and reassembly.
Furniture removal from Madinah to Tunisia in brief
Al Basma Express offers furniture removal and car shipping from Madinah to every governorate of Tunisia, usually by sea from Yanbu or Jeddah port to the port of Radès.
Services
- ✔Full household removal: survey, dismantling, sea packing and reassembly.
- ✔Containers: 20ft or 40ft, or a part load.
- ✔Car shipping: in a container or on a ro-ro ship.
- ✔Final return (FCR) file: reviewed before shipping.
Cost and duration
- ✔A studio or room by part load: from SAR 2,140.
- ✔A 20ft container: from SAR 6,320.
- ✔A 40ft container: from SAR 14,500.
- ✔A car: from SAR 1,670.
- ✔Transit time: usually 3 to 5 weeks door to door.
Required documents
- ✔Copy of passport and iqama.
- ✔A detailed, numbered inventory list with estimated values.
- ✔Electronic broker authorisation via the Fasah platform.
- ✔Final return (FCR) documents for returning Tunisians.
Madinah to Tunisia in numbers
Who moves their household from Madinah to Tunisia?
| Case | Typical shipment | Usually the best option |
|---|---|---|
| A Tunisian family returning for good after years | A full home and a car | A 40ft container and a final return file |
| A professor or researcher finishing work at Madinah’s universities | A library and apartment furniture | A 20ft container |
| A student who finished studying | Books and a room’s belongings | Part load |
| Someone returning in two stages | Part of the home now and the rest later | A part load, using the furniture benefit in stages |
What to move to Tunisia? A decision that starts with the benefit
The final return scheme allows family furniture worth up to 50,000 dinars to be brought in once, in one go or in stages. So deciding what to ship is not only about shipping cost, but about what fits within that ceiling:
| Item | The usual decision | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Valuable and carved furniture | Shipped | Hard to replace; its value justifies the shipping and the benefit |
| Good modern bedrooms | Shipped | Good value for the space |
| Cheap bulky furniture | Sold in Madinah | Takes container space and part of the ceiling |
| Large old appliances | Usually sold | Shipping costs close to their value |
| Modern appliances | Shipped after checking | Tunisia runs at 50 Hz versus 60 Hz in Saudi Arabia; most modern appliances work on both |
| Library and books | Shipped | Hard to replace, and reasonable to ship |
Full details of the final return scheme in container shipping from Dammam to Tunisia.
Using the furniture benefit in stages
If you are not ready to move the whole home at once, the scheme allows the furniture benefit to be used in stages within the same ceiling. For example: a first part-load shipment with the library and bedroom, then a second container months later with the rest of the home. We write a separate valued list for each stage, so the amount used from the ceiling is clear.
Dismantling and packing for a container sealed for weeks
The container stays closed for weeks and crosses Red Sea heat and then the Mediterranean climate. The biggest risk is not only breakage but moisture and mould. This is how we prepare the household:
| Item | Preparation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bedrooms and wardrobes | Fully dismantled, panels and screws numbered | Saves space and protects joints |
| Fitted kitchen | Units removed and numbered, surfaces protected, if it will be refitted | Tunisian kitchen sizes may differ; check before shipping |
| Fridges and washing machines | Emptied, cleaned and fully dried two days before | Leftover water causes mould and odour |
| Wooden furniture | Tightly wrapped in layers | Wood absorbs moisture |
| Rugs and soft furnishings | Cleaned and dried, then rolled | Prevents mould and moths |
| Books and photos | Sealed bags inside small boxes | Prevents curling and sticking |
| Glass, marble and mirrors | Padded wooden crates | The container is lifted and lowered by cranes |
Loading the container at your door
- 1Appliances and heavy cabinets at the back of the container.
- 2Rows to the ceiling with no gaps, filled with blankets and light boxes.
- 3Lashing straps on every row, because the ship rolls at sea.
- 4The metal seal closed in front of you, with its number recorded in the documents.
Part load: for a smaller household
If your household is a room or studio, or boxes and a library, a part load means paying only for your cubic metres: your items, numbered in your name, are grouped with other shipments to Tunisia in a shared container. It takes a little longer because the container waits to fill, but it is the best-value option for students and individuals.
Collection from Madinah
| Area | What we plan for |
|---|---|
| The central area around the Haram | The container cannot enter; a smaller vehicle transfers the household to the container outside |
| Quba, Al Awali and Al Aziziyah | Spacious villas and houses; the container usually parks outside the home |
| Shuran, Al Khalidiyah and newer districts | Buildings with lifts; the container at the nearest suitable parking |
Yanbu or Jeddah? The departure port from Madinah
| Port | Distance from Madinah | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Yanbu commercial port | About 230 km | When a suitable sailing to the Mediterranean is available |
| Jeddah Islamic Port | About 420 km | More sailings and wider options to Radès |
We compare sailing dates from both ports before every shipment, choose the nearest sailing with the fewest transfers, and tell you the container number and expected arrival date. A Red Sea voyage via Suez to the Mediterranean is much shorter than sailings from Gulf ports that go around the Arabian Peninsula.
Shipping the car under final return
| Method | Price from | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Car in a container or on a ro-ro ship | SAR 1,670 | The car alone |
| Car with the household in a 40ft container | Within the container cost | A full move, with a divider and separate lashing |
Main car conditions under final return
- ✔A Tunisian who lived abroad for at least two years, without spending more than 120 days a year in Tunisia.
- ✔The car no more than 5 years from first registration, with a gross weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes.
- ✔The benefit once every ten years, with full exemption and a ban on selling, or partial exemption with the right to sell.
- ✔Hybrid and electric cars can now be imported.
Documents required to move a household to Tunisia
| Shipment | Saudi side | In Tunisia |
|---|---|---|
| Household and effects | Passport and iqama, numbered valued list, Fasah authorisation and final exit visa | Final return documents and ID card |
| Car | Export plates, Absher authorisation, clearance and istimara | Vehicle identification certificate and benefit application |
The household list with values
Because the furniture benefit is capped by value, we write the list with realistic estimated values for each category: “Used wooden bedroom — 6 pieces”, “Box 14 — used kitchen cookware”. Realistic values help apply the ceiling at clearance, and support marine insurance.
More details in our guide to shipping from Saudi Arabia to Tunisia.
Furniture removal prices from Madinah to Tunisia
| Service | Price from |
|---|---|
| Air freight for parcels (per kg) | SAR 42 |
| A studio or room by part load | SAR 2,140 |
| A full bedroom | SAR 3,300 |
| A two- to three-bedroom apartment | SAR 4,560 |
| A 20ft container | SAR 6,320 |
| A villa | SAR 10,230 |
| A 40ft container | SAR 14,500 |
| Car shipping | SAR 1,670 |
What determines your household move cost?
How long does moving a household from Madinah to Tunisia take?
| Stage | Approximate duration |
|---|---|
| Survey, packing and loading | One to two days |
| Transport to Yanbu or Jeddah and clearance | A few days |
| The sea voyage via Suez | Usually two to three weeks |
| Clearance and delivery in Tunisia | Days, depending on complete documents |
Delivery across Tunisia
| Area | What we plan for |
|---|---|
| Greater Tunis and Nabeul | Close to Radès, with direct delivery |
| Sfax, Sousse and Monastir | Road transport from the port |
| Gabès, Tozeur and the south | Longer inland transport and advance planning |
| Old medinas | Narrow lanes; carrying from the nearest point the truck reaches |
We open the container in front of you and check the seal, carry in and reassemble the household by its numbering, open the boxes to air them after the voyage, and remove the waste.
When the container is opened
- 1Match the seal number with the documents before it is broken.
- 2Count the pieces and boxes against the list.
- 3Inspect wooden crates and appliances in front of you.
- 4Record any note on the delivery report before signing.
The timeline for returning from Madinah to Tunisia
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two months before | Set the final return date and check the car’s eligibility |
| Six weeks before | Survey, decide what moves, and the price |
| Four weeks before | Book the container and sailing, and start the car’s export plates |
| Two weeks before | Sell what will not move and prepare final return documents |
| Two days before | Dry the appliances, write the list and Fasah authorisation |
| Loading day | Dismantling, packing, loading and sealing |
Common mistakes when moving a household to Tunisia
- ✔Shipping cheap bulky furniture: it takes container space and part of the benefit ceiling.
- ✔Appliances not dried: they cause mould in the whole container.
- ✔A list with no values: makes applying the benefit harder and weakens insurance.
- ✔A car that does not qualify: older than 5 years or heavier than 3.5 tonnes.
- ✔Late final return documents: storage fees at Radès.
- ✔Shipping the kitchen without measuring: it may not fit the Tunisian home.
Before leaving Madinah: handing over the home
After the container is loaded we remove cardboard and waste and leave the home empty, and you photograph it after vacating to record its condition when you hand it to the owner. Remember to close electricity, water and internet accounts, and time your departure on the final exit visa after loading, so export documents are filed while your residence is still valid.
What protects your household at sea
Storage before shipping
If you must vacate your home before the sailing date, we keep your household in an air-conditioned warehouse and load the container on time. Details on our temporary storage page.
What cannot be shipped to Tunisia?
See our prohibited items page.
Steps for moving a household from Madinah to Tunisia
- 1Contact: the governorate and return date.
- 2Survey and sorting in light of the benefit ceiling.
- 3Price, container size and port.
- 4Documents: Fasah, the list, final return and car.
- 5Drying, packing, loading and sealing.
- 6The sea voyage from Yanbu or Jeddah with tracking.
- 7Clearance, delivery and reassembly.
Examples of household moves to Tunisia
Why Al Basma Express for moving households to Tunisia?
For moving to Tunisia from other regions: from Dammam, from Al-Ahsa, from Qassim and from Jeddah. If your destination is Oman, see furniture moving from Madinah to Oman.
FAQ: furniture removal from Madinah to Tunisia
How much does moving a household from Madinah to Tunisia cost?
How much does it cost to ship a car from Madinah to Tunisia?
How long does moving a household from Madinah to Tunisia take?
Which port is the household shipped from, from Madinah?
Why is shipping from Madinah faster than from Dammam?
What is the furniture ceiling under final return?
What are the car conditions under final return?
Will my Saudi appliances work in Tunisia?
Should I ship the fitted kitchen?
How do you protect the household from moisture at sea?
Can the car be shipped with the household in one container?
Do you collect from near the Prophet’s Mosque?
Is marine insurance available?
What documents are required?
Can the furniture benefit be used in stages?
How do I find out the cost of moving my household?
From Madinah to Tunisia, your household in a dry, sealed container
Moving a household from Madinah to Tunisia benefits from the nearby ports of Yanbu and Jeddah and the short Red Sea route, and succeeds when it starts with the right decision: what is worth shipping within the benefit ceiling, dry appliances, tight packing, a valued list, a car that qualifies, and a final return file ready before the container arrives.
Contact Al Basma Express on +966553923364.
