Mail & Shipping

Air mail service between Italy and the outside world usually takes, for example, three or four days to other European countries and 7-10 days to USA under the best conditions. Surface mail is very slow and may take several weeks.

Duty is payable on all packages entering Italy by mail , even for personal items and effects, with packages opened on a random basis by Customs although small packages are normally excepted.

Port of entry for Rome is the Leonardo Da Vinci Airport in the seaport suburb of Fiumicino where goods have to be claimed by the recipient as there is very little door-to-door service.

The Italian Post Office offers a selection of services for shipping internationally:

International Parcel service:

Paccocelere internazionale
(international express courier): the fastest way to send documents and parcels weighing up to 30 kg to 220 countries worldwide, granting delivery at home/business addresses.

Quick Pack Europe: the express courier service (parcels weighing up to 30 kg) to European Union countries (except for Greece), Norway and Switzerland.

EMS Express Mail Service: fast, secure, transparent and affordable shipment abroad. The maximum weight allowed is 20 kg.

Parcels within Italy:

Paccocelere 1 (express courier)
To send parcels weighing up to 30 kg, granting delivery at domestic home/business addresses (excluding 33 small municipalities) in 1 working day. Available at 11,.500 post offices.

Pacco ordinario (regular parcel)
A cheap way to send parcels weighing up to 20 kg to all destinations in Italy, granting in 5 days, (excluding Saturdays and bank holidays). Available at all post offices.