Mattress Delivery: What's the Best Way to Transport a Mattress?

A mattress is light for its size but hopeless to carry alone: floppy, bulky, and ruined by one dirty van floor. Smart Taurus matches you with couriers who move mattresses properly — bagged, flat and strapped.

In short: The right way to transport a mattress is sealed in a mattress bag, carried flat or on its long edge, and strapped so it cannot slump or fold. Sprung mattresses must never be bent; many all-foam ones tolerate gentle flexing. uShip's published averages put household-goods shipments at $100–$700 in the US, with short local runs at the bottom of that range. On Smart Taurus you post the mattress job free, receive quotes from verified transporters, then compare, book, track and pay in the app.

Which mattress size am I actually moving?

Give couriers the dimensions, not just the name — because the same word means different sizes in different countries. A UK king is 150 × 200cm, while a US king is a much wider 193 × 203cm (76 × 80in); a UK double is 135 × 190cm against the US full at 137 × 191cm; and Australian sizes differ again, with an AU queen at 153 × 203cm. A courier picturing a UK king who meets a US king may find it will not sit flat in the van they brought. Common sizes at a glance:

Name	UK	US
Single / Twin	90 × 190cm	99 × 191cm
Double / Full	135 × 190cm	137 × 191cm
King / Queen equiv.	King 150 × 200cm	Queen 152 × 203cm
Largest standard	Super king 180 × 200cm	King 193 × 203cm

Why does a mattress need to be bagged?

Hygiene, mostly — and it works both ways. A van floor carries road grime, oil and whatever the last load left behind, and a mattress is essentially a giant sponge you sleep on for the next eight years. A sealed polythene mattress bag (a few pounds or dollars from any storage shop) keeps dirt, damp and odours out, and also gives the courier confidence that a used mattress is not bringing anything into their van. Some transporters supply bags; ask in the quote chat rather than assuming. Tape the bag shut fully — a flapping open end tears within the first mile.

Can you fold a mattress? Foam vs sprung

Only some foam mattresses, and never a sprung one. Bending a pocket-sprung or open-coil mattress kinks the springs and border rod permanently — it will never lie flat again, and manufacturers void the warranty for exactly this. Memory-foam and other all-foam mattresses tolerate gentle flexing for a doorway or stairwell, though they should not be left folded or compressed for long periods, and "bed-in-a-box" compression cannot be redone at home once the original vacuum seal is opened. Hybrids count as sprung. If you are unsure what is inside yours, treat it as sprung and keep it flat.

What does mattress delivery cost?

A mattress on its own is a light, quick job, so short local moves sit at the cheap end of courier work — uShip's published household-goods average of $100–$700 spans everything from a across-town single to a super king going interstate. In the UK it is classic hourly man-and-van territory. What moves the price:

Distance and whether your route matches a transporter's existing run
Size — a super king or US king may need a longer-wheelbase van to lie flat
Floors and lifts at each end (a mattress up four flights is a workout)
Whether a bed frame or other items travel with it
Speed — same-day costs more than a flexible window

Getting it delivered via Smart Taurus

Post the details free: size in centimetres or inches, foam or sprung, both addresses, floor numbers, and a photo.
Quotes come to you from verified couriers — profiles show ratings, reviews and completed jobs.
Accept, track, pay: follow the driver in real time and settle securely through in-app Stripe payment on completion.

Moving the bed frame too?

Pair them into one job. A mattress and its frame together barely cost more to move than the mattress alone, since the courier is already making the trip — and posting them separately means paying two call-out margins. Frames usually need dismantling first; our bed delivery page covers slats, headboards and divans in detail. If the mattress is part of a bigger clear-out or move, look at man and van for mixed loads or house removals for the whole property, and see how to ship large items for packing fundamentals. Buying a mattress second-hand from an online seller? A courier can collect it for you — details on our eBay delivery page.

Checklist before the courier arrives: bagged and taped, bedding stripped and packed separately, route to the door cleared, size and floor details already in the job post.

Frequently asked questions

Is a UK king the same as a US king mattress?

No. A UK king is 150 × 200cm, while a US king is 193 × 203cm — over 40cm wider. The US queen (152 × 203cm) is the closest American equivalent to a UK king. Always give couriers the measured dimensions rather than the size name.

Can a sprung mattress be folded to get it round a tight staircase?

No — folding a sprung or hybrid mattress permanently kinks the coils and border rod, and it will not recover. If the staircase is too tight for it flat or on edge, options are hoisting through a window or accepting it may not fit. Only all-foam mattresses tolerate gentle temporary flexing.

Do couriers provide a mattress bag?

Some do, many do not — it varies by transporter. Ask in the quote conversation on Smart Taurus, or buy a sealed polythene mattress bag yourself for a few pounds; either way the mattress should never travel unwrapped in a van.

How much does it cost to have a mattress delivered locally?

A solo mattress is one of the lighter courier jobs, so local runs sit at the low end of uShip's $100–$700 published household-goods range, and in the UK often within a single hour of man-and-van time. Posting on Smart Taurus gets you exact competing quotes rather than an estimate.

Can a mattress go on a roof rack or in an estate car?

It is a bad idea: airflow at motorway speed can bend a sprung mattress over the rack and straps compress the fillings, and most mattresses will not fit flat inside a car. A van where it lies flat or stands strapped on its long edge is the safe way — which is exactly what you are hiring.

Will the courier take my old mattress away?

Only if you arrange it — disposal is a separate service with its own regulations and tip fees. Some transporters offer take-away of the old mattress for an extra charge; mention it in your job post so quotes include it, and note that legitimate disposal is documented, not fly-tipped.

Can I send a mattress to another part of the country?

Yes. Long-distance mattress delivery is common on Smart Taurus, and it is often surprisingly cheap because transporters fill spare space on routes they already drive. Flexible dates get the best prices on these backload runs.