If you want to send money by mail, you should do so. Go directly to a post office and address the envelope in which the money is to be sent correctly (see question 77). The Post staff will ask you to complete a special application and show your identity card.
Letters are placed directly by the mailman (postman) in the mailbox at your house.
Packages are usually delivered by car. The deliverer rings at the door and hands you the package personally, you have to sign for it. If you are not at home and cannot accept the package, the deliverer will place a card in the mailbox where you can pick up the package.
Mailings sent to Germany by a country outside the EU with a value of more than € 45 must also comply with certain customs regulations. For this purpose, a customs declaration must be completed and handed over together with the package. The customs shall then charge the cost of importing the goods to Germany. For all deliveries that have a value lower than 45€, these customs regulations do not apply.
Hazardous objects, e.g. Knives must be packaged in such a way that they do not pose a risk to the deliverer
Items that violate legal provisions may not be sent by parcel (e.g., CDs that violate the protection of minors)
Goods with exceptionally high value (usually from 500 €, for example jewelry or antiques) are transported, by most parcel delivery services, only with payment of an extra amount, for the insurance of the parcel
Perishable food cannot be sent by post
Live animals are not transported by any parcel service
When sending parcels abroad, the customs import rules of the country to which the package is delivered shall apply. For further information, please visit site of the Federal Government: www.auswaertiges-amt.de or the site of your parcel service, e.g. DHL: www.dhl.de/de/paket/information/zollinformationen
When sending a package, you can track where your package is located. You will receive a receipt for the parcel with a serial number. These can be found on the website www.dhl.de/sendungsverfolgung where you can see which is the status of you package, where exactly is your letter/package. In packet shipment tracking costs extra, please inquire at the post office.
You can also send letters insured, for example, if you want to send money. This is called registered mail.
There are four ways to send a registered mail:
Certified Register mail (extra charge 2,35 €):
The deliverer documents that the shipment (letter or package) was dropped in the mailbox of the recipient
Registered mail (extra charge 2,65€):
The deliverer hands over the parcel personally against signature by the recipient or a representative (eg spouse)
Registered by hand(extra charge 4,85€):
The deliverer delivers the shipment only personally against signature by the recipient. Should someone else accept the letter/package he or she has to present an official authorization paper (power of attorney).
Registered letter with recorded delivery (extra charge 4,85€):
The deliverer hands over the parcel personally against signature by the recipient or a representative (eg, spouse), and they get the acknowledgment of receipt sent to the sender.
Letters, which you want to send abroad, cost from 0,90 € (standard letter) and above. All Shipments that are heavier or larger will become more expensive. Contact the Post Office.
Packages:
Service
Price inside Germany
Price International
Size/Weight
Small package
3,79€
Depending on the destination country between 13,99€ and 125,99€
Up 1kg and size 30x30x15cm
Small package
4,39€
Up 2kg and size 60x30x15cm
package
5,99€
Up 5 kg and size 120x60x60cm
package
8,49€
Up 10 kg and size 120x60x60cm
package
16,49€
Up 31,5kg and size 120x60x60cm
Small packages are not insured at the time of shipment, but you can buy insurance for an extra charge. Packages are automatically insured when shipping.
The delivery of letters within Germany usually takes one working day (Monday to Saturday), but this is only a guideline and not guaranteed. If you want to make sure that the letter arrives the next day, you can choose the express delivery / express letter. This is slightly more expensive – you can order it directly in the store. The delivery of packages takes about 2-3 days, depending on the deliverer.
If you want to send a letter or a postcard, you must write the recipient on the lower right and add a stamp to the upper right:
The stamp contains the postage you have to pay for shipping. You can find stamps at the post offices or at machines that often stand in front of the stores.
In exceptional cases you will see in the upper right corner a note “postage paid recipient”, then you do not need to stick a stamp on the letter. If the letter already contains a stamp, you do not have to deliver it at the store, but can simply throw it into a mailbox:
The postal service collects the letters and sends them to the recipient.
Package:
If you want to send a package, you have to go to a post office and drop it there. You pay a fee, but the package will be delivered by the post office to the recipient.
Letters and packages are sent from Monday to Saturday.
Letters and parcels are sent through Deutsche Post. In Oldenburg you can find many branches of the Post Office and recognize them at this sign:
Even in supermarkets, there are often smaller post offices marked by this sign.
In addition, you can also send letters from the Citipost, which you recognize by this sign:
Packages can also be sent by the Hermes parcel service:
These services can be found in various parts of the city, pay attention to the symbols.
The opening hours of the different providers are different, usually they are open from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, on Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm.
100 first questions – Post
84. How can I send money?
If you want to send money by mail, you should do so. Go directly to a post office and address the envelope in which the money is to be sent correctly (see question 77). The Post staff will ask you to complete a special application and show your identity card.
83. How are letters and Package, that I’m expecting, delivered?
Letters are placed directly by the mailman (postman) in the mailbox at your house.
Packages are usually delivered by car. The deliverer rings at the door and hands you the package personally, you have to sign for it. If you are not at home and cannot accept the package, the deliverer will place a card in the mailbox where you can pick up the package.
82. What rules apply to the dispatch of letters and parcels from abroad to Germany?
There are customs regulations in Germany which have to be complied with: the free import of tobacco, alcohol, drugs and fuels is limited. If you want to import higher quantities, this will cost you fees. Information on this is available at Customs (https://www.zoll.de/DE/Unternehmen/Warenverkehr/Einfuhr-aus-einem-Nicht-EU-Staat/einfuhr-aus-einem-nicht-eu-staat_node.html).
Mailings sent to Germany by a country outside the EU with a value of more than € 45 must also comply with certain customs regulations. For this purpose, a customs declaration must be completed and handed over together with the package. The customs shall then charge the cost of importing the goods to Germany. For all deliveries that have a value lower than 45€, these customs regulations do not apply.
81. What cannot be send?
When sending parcels abroad, the customs import rules of the country to which the package is delivered shall apply. For further information, please visit site of the Federal Government: www.auswaertiges-amt.de or the site of your parcel service, e.g. DHL: www.dhl.de/de/paket/information/zollinformationen
80. How can I see where my package is located when it is shipped?
When sending a package, you can track where your package is located. You will receive a receipt for the parcel with a serial number. These can be found on the website www.dhl.de/sendungsverfolgung where you can see which is the status of you package, where exactly is your letter/package. In packet shipment tracking costs extra, please inquire at the post office.
79. How can I make sure that my letter really arrives?
You can also send letters insured, for example, if you want to send money. This is called registered mail.
There are four ways to send a registered mail:
Certified Register mail (extra charge 2,35 €):
The deliverer documents that the shipment (letter or package) was dropped in the mailbox of the recipient
Registered mail (extra charge 2,65€):
The deliverer hands over the parcel personally against signature by the recipient or a representative (eg spouse)
Registered by hand (extra charge 4,85€):
The deliverer delivers the shipment only personally against signature by the recipient. Should someone else accept the letter/package he or she has to present an official authorization paper (power of attorney).
Registered letter with recorded delivery (extra charge 4,85€):
The deliverer hands over the parcel personally against signature by the recipient or a representative (eg, spouse), and they get the acknowledgment of receipt sent to the sender.
(Deutsch) 78.Wie viel kostet das Versenden von Briefen und Paketen?
Letters, which you want to send abroad, cost from 0,90 € (standard letter) and above. All Shipments that are heavier or larger will become more expensive. Contact the Post Office.
Packages:
Small packages are not insured at the time of shipment, but you can buy insurance for an extra charge. Packages are automatically insured when shipping.
77. How do I write the correct address on letters and packages?
The address of the recipient is written in the following format on letters, postcards and packages:
first name last name
Street, house number
Postcode City
country
An example:
John Doe
sample road 12
58426 Musterhausen
Germany
This is what a letter looks like if you want to send it:
For packages, there are special stickers in your post-office, which you need to stick to the package to ship it:
76. How long does the delivery of letters and parcels take?
The delivery of letters within Germany usually takes one working day (Monday to Saturday), but this is only a guideline and not guaranteed. If you want to make sure that the letter arrives the next day, you can choose the express delivery / express letter. This is slightly more expensive – you can order it directly in the store. The delivery of packages takes about 2-3 days, depending on the deliverer.
75. How to send a letter or package?
Letters/Post cards:
If you want to send a letter or a postcard, you must write the recipient on the lower right and add a stamp to the upper right:
The stamp contains the postage you have to pay for shipping. You can find stamps at the post offices or at machines that often stand in front of the stores.
In exceptional cases you will see in the upper right corner a note “postage paid recipient”, then you do not need to stick a stamp on the letter. If the letter already contains a stamp, you do not have to deliver it at the store, but can simply throw it into a mailbox:
The postal service collects the letters and sends them to the recipient.
Package:
If you want to send a package, you have to go to a post office and drop it there. You pay a fee, but the package will be delivered by the post office to the recipient.
Letters and packages are sent from Monday to Saturday.
74. Where can I send letters and packages?
Letters and parcels are sent through Deutsche Post. In Oldenburg you can find many branches of the Post Office and recognize them at this sign:
Even in supermarkets, there are often smaller post offices marked by this sign.
In addition, you can also send letters from the Citipost, which you recognize by this sign:
Packages can also be sent by the Hermes parcel service:
These services can be found in various parts of the city, pay attention to the symbols.
The opening hours of the different providers are different, usually they are open from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, on Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm.
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