What does a repatriation from Germany cost?
There is no price list for a repatriation, but there are reliable orders of magnitude. The calculator shows you a range straight away — it becomes binding once we have spoken briefly.
- Reachable around the clock
- Fixed price within 2 hours
- Free of charge, no obligation
- Advice in English
Cost calculator
The estimate updates as you choose.
- Collection, preparation, zinc-lined coffin
- Death certificate, mortuary passport, consulate, customs
- Transport to the partner funeral home on arrival
A binding fixed-price quote
Free of charge and without obligation, within two hours — at night and on public holidays too. Your selections from the calculator come with the enquiry, so we do not have to ask you everything again.
What determines the price
Four factors, in order of how much they matter.
The largest item is almost always the distance — and not as the crow flies, but the actual route. A repatriation to Poland is driven in a day; one to Kazakhstan travels as air freight with a transfer. That is why several thousand euros lie between the cheapest and the most expensive destination.
Almost as strong is the question of whether a coffin or an urn is transported. A transport coffin with a zinc lining is heavy, needs cargo space and has its own chain of documents. An urn is small, light and may be carried differently in many countries. Where a cremation matches the wishes of the deceased and the law of the destination country, it is considerably cheaper.
The third factor is the place in the destination country. An airport in the capital is easy to reach; a village six hundred kilometres further on means a second journey, often with a partner funeral home. In our estimate the lower half of the range covers the well-connected destinations, the upper half the more remote ones.
Then come the place of collection in Germany, the airline’s tariff on the date you need and the consular requirements of the destination country. Some consulates ask for certified translations, some for a legalisation, some for both. Set against the transport these costs are small, but they cost time — and with a repatriation, time is where it becomes expensive.
Guide prices by destination region
Transport in a coffin, out of Germany, without the collection surcharge and without additional services. As at July 2026.
| Destination region | By road | By air freight |
|---|---|---|
| Poland | 2.000 – 3.500 € | 3.500 – 5.000 € |
| The Balkans | 2.500 – 4.500 € | 3.800 – 5.500 € |
| Ukraine | 2.800 – 4.500 € | 4.500 – 6.500 € |
| Türkiye | 3.500 – 5.500 € | 3.500 – 5.000 € |
| Russia | 4.500 – 6.500 € | 5.500 – 7.500 € |
| Kazakhstan, Central Asia | 5.500 – 8.000 € | 5.500 – 7.500 € |
| North Africa | air freight only | 6.500 – 10.000 € |
| West and East Africa | air freight only | 10.000 – 17.000 € |
An urn transport comes to about half these amounts, depending on the destination. For destinations not listed here we calculate individually — just ask, it costs nothing.
What the fixed price includes
What the quote says is what the invoice says.
Always included
Collection of the deceased in Germany, hygienic preparation, a transport coffin with a zinc lining or an urn container, the transport itself, the death certificate, the mortuary passport, consular certificates, customs clearance and the handover to the partner funeral home in the destination country.
May be added
Certified translations and legalisations where the destination country requires them. A farewell in Germany before the transport. Longer storage if departure is delayed. The funeral itself in the destination country — the partner funeral home settles that directly with the family.
If something comes up along the way that nobody could have known in advance — an additional official requirement in the destination country, say — we talk it through with you before anything is commissioned.
The costs and the tax office
In Germany, repatriation and funeral costs can under certain conditions be claimed against tax — depending on the case as an extraordinary financial burden (außergewöhnliche Belastung) in income tax, or through the flat-rate deduction for estate costs (Erbfallkostenpauschale) in inheritance tax. This is German tax law and applies to relatives liable for tax in Germany. Which receipts to keep and which route applies in which case, we have set out in a separate article.
Which costs after a death can be claimed against tax →
We are funeral directors, not tax advisers. For your own case please ask your tax office or your tax adviser.
Common questions
Why do you give a range and not a fixed price?+
Because the price depends on things we only learn after a short conversation: the exact destination, the freight tariff on the date you want, where the deceased currently is, and what the relevant consulate requires. The range in the calculator is an honest order of magnitude. The fixed price follows, free of charge and within two hours.
Is the fixed price really fixed?+
Yes. What the quote says is what the invoice says. Should a requirement arise in the destination country that could not have been foreseen, we discuss it with you before anything is commissioned.
What does an urn transport cost?+
Considerably less than a coffin transport — about half, depending on the destination. An urn is light, needs no zinc-lined coffin and travels differently. Whether a cremation is an option depends on the wishes of the deceased, the family’s religion and the law of the destination country; not every country admits an urn without conditions. We will tell you how it stands for your destination when we speak.
Will an insurer cover the costs?+
That depends on where the death occurred. If someone died abroad, a travel health insurance policy or a credit-card policy with repatriation cover often applies. For a death in Germany followed by a transport abroad that is usually not the case; here a funeral expenses insurance or a prearrangement agreement may apply. Send us the policy and we will look at it with you.
When does payment fall due?+
We settle that when we speak. We know a bereavement rarely comes at a convenient moment, and we look for an arrangement that works for you. Do ask — we would much rather that than have you hesitate to call.
Can I call without having decided anything?+
Of course. Most families call before anything is settled. We advise free of charge, in English, German, Russian and Ukrainian, around the clock — Sundays and public holidays included.
When it has to be quick
One call is enough and we take over from the first step — around the clock, Sundays and public holidays included.