If you are looking for a shipping company from Abu Dhabi to Qatif to move the whole family home, Al Basmah International Shipping moves your entire household in a truck dedicated to you alone: a video survey, room-by-room packing, ordered loading, and departure on the date you choose through Al Ghuwaifat – Al Batha, arriving in Qatif, Safwa and Saihat in roughly 2–4 days including clearance. The family car can travel in an enclosed carrier from 4,100 AED. For smaller loads, a shared truck starts from 90 AED per cubic metre, and the team updates you on WhatsApp at every stage.
Stops in this guide17 sectionsShowHide
The whole home in one truck
- Video survey on WhatsApp: walk your phone through the rooms and we size the load and the truck.
- Room-by-room packing: every carton numbered with its room, large furniture dismantled and labelled.
- A dedicated truck leaving on your date, from a 3-ton dyna up to a 13.6 m closed trailer.
- A loading order that protects heavy and fragile items, and unloading that starts with what the family needs on the first night.
- The family car in an enclosed carrier; a used car must be no more than 5 years old.
- Abu Dhabi is the UAE city closest to Al Ghuwaifat, so the road to Qatif is shorter than from the other emirates.
Why move the whole home in a dedicated truck?
When a family moves its entire household from Abu Dhabi to Qatif, a dedicated truck is usually the right choice. Your belongings are not mixed with anyone else’s, they are not transferred between trucks on the way, and the truck leaves on the day that fits both your move-out date in Abu Dhabi and your handover date in Qatif. Shared shipping still suits a room or two or a few cartons, but it may wait a few extra days until the truck is full.
A truck just for you
No mixing with other loads and no reloading halfway.
A fixed date
You pick the loading day and the truck leaves the same day once loaded.
Organised delivery
Unloading follows the room names, so every carton goes straight to its room.
The family car too
The car travels in an enclosed carrier and arrives close to the furniture.
If your destination is Dammam itself, see the Abu Dhabi to Dammam guide; for the overall picture across the emirates there is the UAE to Qatif guide.
How we move a family home from Abu Dhabi to Qatif, step by step
1. The video survey
Instead of a site visit that takes a slot out of your day, you open a WhatsApp video call and walk your phone from room to room: bedrooms, majlis, living room, kitchen, maid’s room, store room, roof or yard. Open the wardrobes and drawers so we can see what is inside, and tell us what will not be coming. From that walk-through we estimate the volume in cubic metres and choose the truck size, the crew size and the packing materials, and we ask about lifts or stairs in Abu Dhabi and the entrance of the house in Qatif.
2. Room-by-room packing
We never pack a home at random. We start with the rooms used least, such as the store, guest rooms and the library, and finish with the kitchen and bedrooms on the last day. Each carton is marked with its room and a number, and the numbers go on a list you receive as a photo. Beds and large wardrobes are dismantled, with each piece’s screws bagged, tied to it and labelled. Hanging clothes go into wardrobe cartons with rails, plates are wrapped one by one and packed on edge, and rugs are rolled with the ends sealed.
- Kitchen: empty and dry the fridge a day ahead, disconnect gas, and lock the washing-machine drum with its transit bolts if you have them.
- Electronics: TVs in rigid cartons or wooden crates; photograph cable connections before unplugging.
- Important papers, gold and cash: keep them with you in your bag, not in the truck.
- A “first night” carton: bedding, towels, basic kitchenware, chargers and children’s essentials, loaded last.
3. Choosing the truck size
The table below is a rough guide that is confirmed after the survey, because two homes with the same number of rooms can hold very different amounts of furniture.
| Home size (approx.) | Usual vehicle |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom flat or a few items | Small closed dyna, about 3 tons |
| Two-bedroom flat | 5-ton dyna |
| Three-bedroom flat or small house | 7-ton dyna or 10-ton lorry |
| Four- or five-bedroom villa | 10-ton lorry or closed trailer |
| Large villa with majlis and annexes | Closed trailer, 12–13.6 m |
4. Loading order
The order inside the truck is what protects your furniture over roughly 800 km. Heavy appliances such as the fridge and washing machine, and dismantled wardrobes, go in first against the front wall; heavy cartons at the bottom with lighter ones on top; sofas and mattresses fill the gaps so nothing shifts; mirrors and pictures stand upright between mattresses; and the “first night” carton and anything you need on arrival go in last. Each layer is strapped, and you get photos of the truck before it is closed.
5. Unpacking on arrival
In Qatif or Safwa the crew carries cartons and furniture into the rooms by the names written on them, reassembles the main beds and wardrobes we dismantled, and opens what you need first. Before the crew leaves, we go through the numbered list with you so you can confirm every carton has arrived.
Items in a family home that need special care
Every family home has pieces that are not packed like the rest of the furniture. We ask about them during the survey so the right materials are ready on packing day:
- Arabic majlis seating and long cushions: each piece wrapped on its own in blankets then plastic, and loaded flat on top of heavy cartons, never underneath.
- The home library: books in small cartons so they stay liftable, with moisture sachets; shelves dismantled and their boards tied together.
- Children’s rooms: small beds and large toys dismantled, and each child’s toys in a carton with their name so it is the first one opened.
- Chandeliers and pendant lights: glass parts removed and wrapped one by one in a divided box.
- Home gym equipment such as treadmills: moving parts secured and loaded at the front of the truck with the heavy appliances.
- Fine dinnerware and serving sets: rigid cartons with dividers, marked fragile on every side.
Pickup areas in Abu Dhabi
We send the packing crew and truck straight to your home anywhere in Abu Dhabi, including:
- Khalifa City, Mohammed Bin Zayed City and Shakhbout City: villas and large family homes.
- Al Shamkha, Al Reef, Al Falah and Baniyas: newer residential communities.
- Al Reem Island, Al Raha Beach, Yas Island and Saadiyat: flats and towers where the service lift must be booked.
- Al Mushrif, Al Karamah, Al Khalidiyah, Al Bateen and Al Muroor: homes and flats on the island.
- Musaffah and the industrial area: warehouses and workshops.
- Al Ain too, with its own Al Ain to Qatif guide.
In towers we arrange the move permit and service-lift booking with building management the day before loading; at villas we confirm where the truck can park.
The road route from Abu Dhabi to Qatif
Abu Dhabi is the UAE city closest to the Al Ghuwaifat border post, so the route starts shorter than from Dubai and the northern emirates. The truck heads west on the Al Sila road to Al Ghuwaifat; on the Saudi side is Al Batha, where clearance is done electronically through the Fasah platform. It then continues to Al Ahsa (Hofuf) and Dammam, and from Dammam about 20–30 km north to Qatif, with Safwa a little further north. The total distance from Abu Dhabi city is roughly 800 km.
Transit times from Abu Dhabi to Qatif and nearby towns
Times are approximate, door to door from your home in Abu Dhabi to the house in Qatif, including clearance at Al Batha. A dedicated truck leaves on your date; a shared load may take a few days longer.
| Destination | Dedicated truck (approx.) | Air, parcels (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Qatif city | 2–3 days | 1–2 days |
| Saihat | 2–3 days | 1–2 days |
| Safwa | 2–4 days | 1–2 days |
| Tarout Island | 3–4 days | 1–2 days |
| Dammam | 2–3 days | 1–2 days |
| Khobar | 2–3 days | 1–2 days |
Shipping the family car from Abu Dhabi to Qatif
We ship the family SUV in an enclosed carrier that protects it from dust, humidity and road stones; the wheels are strapped, and the car is photographed from every side before loading, with the photos sent to you on WhatsApp. To save money, an SUV on an open carrier starts from 2,750 AED.
- A used car must be no more than 5 years old from its model year (counted back, excluding the current year).
- Vehicle registration, plus the export certificate and plate cancellation from the Abu Dhabi licensing authority.
- Owner’s passport or ID.
- The car must be empty of personal belongings; household cartons travel with the furniture, not in the car.
- Modified cars, company-registered cars or financed cars are checked with the team before booking.
To ship the car to other Saudi cities, see the Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia guide.
Air freight from Abu Dhabi to Qatif
Air freight does not suit furniture, but in a home move it is useful for what the family needs right away, before the truck arrives: school uniforms and books, work devices, documents, or things left behind after the truck has gone. They fly from Abu Dhabi airport to King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, then a short road leg to Qatif, in about 1–2 days including clearance.
- Charged on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher; volumetric = L × W × H in cm ÷ 6000.
- Lithium batteries, liquids and perfumes are restricted by air.
- Send the dimensions and weight on WhatsApp and get your price.
Packing for the humidity of Qatif and Safwa
Summers on the Qatif coast are hot and very humid, and homes near the farms in Safwa and Awamiyah are damper still. Books, wood, mattresses and electronics are the most affected.
- Moisture-absorbing sachets in cartons of books, devices and clothes.
- Wood wrapped in blankets first, then plastic, so the plastic does not trap moisture on the surface.
- Mattresses in sealed mattress bags.
- On arrival, open cartons in air-conditioned rooms and take wood and mattresses out of plastic the same day.
Documents required
Household furniture and personal effects
A copy of the owner’s passport and Saudi ID, iqama or residence visa, and a detailed contents list in Arabic or English; the numbered carton list we prepare while packing helps with this. New items in commercial quantities are treated as goods and are dutiable.
Commercial goods
Commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, a SABER certificate for many consumer products, SFDA requirements for food such as dates, cosmetics and medicines, and a commercial registration for the consignee. Goods of UAE origin with a GCC certificate of origin are exempt from customs duty, with 15% VAT applied.
The car
Registration, export certificate and plate cancellation, and the owner’s passport or ID, together with the age rule.
Prohibited and restricted items
Warning: Narcotics, alcohol, pork products, weapons and ammunition without permits, counterfeit goods and gambling equipment cannot be shipped. Drones and some medicines need prior permits, and soil and plants are restricted, so do not pack garden plants or pots of soil with the household goods.
Abu Dhabi to Qatif shipping prices
Prices are in UAE dirhams and are starting prices; the final price depends on volume, weight, delivery town, packing and documents.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Furniture in a shared truck | From 90 AED per cubic metre |
| Small parcels by road | From 45 AED |
| Sedan on an open carrier | From 2,000 AED |
| SUV on an open carrier | From 2,750 AED |
| Car in an enclosed carrier | From 4,100 AED |
| Dedicated truck for a whole home, air freight, containers | Send the details on WhatsApp and get your price |
What decides the cost of a home move?
- The actual volume of furniture, not just the number of rooms.
- The size of the dedicated truck, or choosing a shared load.
- The amount of packing: wooden crates for TVs and glass, wardrobe cartons for clothes.
- Dismantling and reassembly of beds and large wardrobes.
- Floors and lifts in Abu Dhabi, and the entrance of the house in Qatif or Safwa.
- Whether the car ships with the move or separately, and the carrier type.
Delivery in Safwa, Qatif and its towns
Qatif governorate lies on the Gulf coast between Dammam and Jubail and is one of the oldest oases of the Eastern Province; Safwa sits in its north among the palm farms. We deliver to Safwa, Qatif city, Saihat, Tarout Island with Darin and Sanabis, Awamiyah, Al Jesh, Umm Al Hamam, Al Rabeiyah, Anak, Al Qudaih, Al Tubi, Al Mujidiyah and Al Bahari.
- Safwa homes near the farms: some inner roads are narrow or unpaved, so we ask the receiver about access and, if needed, send a smaller truck for the last leg.
- Older quarters of Qatif and the lanes of Tarout: the same approach, with an early slot before the heat and traffic.
- Sea or road? Full containers and heavy cargo can ship from Khalifa Port to King Abdulaziz Port in nearby Dammam, but homes and cars normally go by road, the quicker door-to-door option.
- Ask a family member to be at the house with keys to every room before the truck arrives.
If the family will live in Khobar, see the Abu Dhabi to Khobar guide.
How to choose a home-moving company from Abu Dhabi to Qatif
- Ask for a survey, even by video, before the price; a price without a survey is a guess.
- Check that the price covers packing, dismantling and reassembly, clearance and delivery.
- Ask whether the truck is dedicated to you or shared, and when it leaves.
- Ask the team about optional insurance.
- Make sure the company has a known address; our branches are in Dubai – Deira, Port Saeed Street, and Sharjah – Industrial Area 18.
Tips for the family before moving day
Clear out what you will not need a week before the survey. Every cubic metre less means a smaller truck, a lower cost and a home that is easier to set up in Qatif.
- Photograph appliances and valuable furniture before packing.
- Keep important papers, passports and medicines together in one hand bag.
- Finish the car formalities (export certificate and plate cancellation) before loading day.
- Tell the crew about any valuable or antique piece that needs special packing.
- Have power and water connected at the Qatif house before arrival.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a home move from Abu Dhabi to Qatif take?
With a dedicated truck roughly 2–4 days door to door including clearance at Al Batha; a shared load may take a few days longer.
Do you come to survey the house in Abu Dhabi?
We usually survey by WhatsApp video: you walk your phone through the rooms and we set the volume, truck and price.
What truck size do I need for a villa?
A four- or five-bedroom villa usually needs a 10-ton lorry or a closed trailer, and a large villa a 12–13.6 m trailer, confirmed after the survey.
Do you dismantle and reassemble furniture?
Yes. We dismantle beds and large wardrobes, label each piece’s screws and reassemble the main pieces on delivery.
How much does it cost to ship the family car from Abu Dhabi to Qatif?
An enclosed carrier starts from 4,100 AED, and an SUV on an open carrier from 2,750 AED.
What documents do I need to move household furniture?
A copy of the owner’s passport and Saudi ID, iqama or residence visa, and a detailed contents list in Arabic or English.
Do you deliver to farm houses in Safwa?
Yes. We confirm access with the receiver and may use a smaller truck for the last leg.
How do I follow the truck on the way?
The team updates you on WhatsApp when loading is finished, at the border, at clearance, on departure for Qatif and before arrival at the house.
Your home is in Abu Dhabi and Qatif is waiting?
Start a WhatsApp video call for the home survey, or call us to book the truck.
Tags: shipping company from Abu Dhabi to Qatif, furniture moving Abu Dhabi to Qatif, whole home move, dedicated truck, Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia furniture shipping, Abu Dhabi to Safwa shipping, family car shipping, enclosed car carrier, Abu Dhabi to Saihat shipping, Tarout Island delivery, Al Ghuwaifat border, Al Batha border, furniture packing, furniture dismantling and assembly, air freight Abu Dhabi to Dammam, villa moving, Abu Dhabi to Dammam shipping, family relocation to the Eastern Province
