How to send a parcel from Russia abroad in 2023

Sending a parcel from Russia abroad is much easier than the other way around. Despite the sanctions, Russian post offices around the world continue to operate, and numerous companies send parcels abroad.

Companies that send packages abroad

• Russian Post

Russian Post continues to deliver parcels abroad, and the geography of the shipments is quite wide. The Post delivers to 126 of the 209 countries listed on the Russian Post website. For example, you can't send a parcel to Poland, Finland, Australia and New Zealand. You can see the full list on the Russian Post website. To the countries available for delivery, the shipment takes a maximum of 40 days. To the countries of Western Europe, the average delivery time is 15-30 days.

To send a parcel, just go to the Russian Post website and calculate the cost of delivery. A total of three rates are offered: standard, express and EMS. After calculating the cost, click "proceed to checkout" and follow the instructions. Important note: the customs declaration has only 20 lines, and it must contain absolutely all the items contained in the parcel, even if it is a ball of yarn. If the parcel contains more than 20 items, a second parcel has to be issued.

Russian Post's sorting center in Novosibirsk.

A woman who sent a parcel from Bryansk to Limassol, Cyprus, wrote that sending a parcel weighing 7 kg cost 3,550 rubles, and it took 26 days. At some point the parcel was no longer traceable - with a frozen status of "sent out of Russia" - but it safely reached its destination. Upon receipt of the parcel, the postal worker will evaluate it, and you may have to pay tax. But if the parcel contains only used personal items, then there is no need to pay any tax.

• DHL

The company does not deliver within Russia, or from abroad. But, from Russia abroad - almost anywhere in the world. The process of shipment is similar to Russian Post: you go to the website, calculate the cost of shipment for different rates and choose the most appropriate one. You then fill in your personal data and follow the instructions. It is recommended to clarify in advance the possibility of sending to the selected country by phone, which is listed on the site.

The main disadvantage of DHL is its high cost of service. For comparison, when using Russian Post, sending a parcel from Bryansk to Limassol costs 3,550 rubles. With the same points of departure and receipt and package weight, DHL offers a delivery option for 32,540 rubles. However, the planned delivery time is 7 days.

DHL in Moscow.

“DHL continues its operation in Russia, I regularly send parcels to the US and Britain, it costs around 10,000 roubles for a 1 kg package. The last parcels I sent to England with the Russian Post reached the destination point in 8 days (but there might be delays). Also there is Boxberry – it takes 14-20 days for a parcel to get to the U.S. or Britain. It is 2,500 rubles for 1 kg”, says user Alla Smirnova in the comments under a post about international delivery.

• Boxberry

The service delivers all around the world. The prices and delivery terms are relatively low, for example, the anticipatory price and terms of a 4 kg parcel delivery from Moscow to Italy would be 3,335 rubles and take 10-16 working days. Additionally you will have to pay a fee that can be calculated in your personal account according to the destination point.

• PonyExpress

Shipment with Pony Express is also registered by the official website. First the cost of the delivery and approximate dates are calculated, then the documents are drawn up. For example, a door-to-door delivery of a 5 kg parcel sent from Russia to France would take approximately 9-18 days (excluding the day of reception, weekends and holidays) and would cost 24,410 rubles.

No matter what service you choose, you should closely examine the list of items banned for delivery, as you can find pretty unexpected objects there, such as gloves of genuine or artificial leather. Exhaustive lists of such items can be found on the websites of all the mentioned services. The fees are also calculated according to the type of the parcel (used or new things; for individual use or for sale) and the cost of the items in it.