Germany’s most widely-used postal service, Deutsche Post, delivers more than 61 million letters every day! Although originally a public company, Deutsche Post was privatised in 1995; in 2002, it merged with DHL to become the world’s largest postal and international courier service. This page contains all the information expats need to know about sending and receiving letters and parcels in Germany.
The number of dedicated post offices is declining rapidly in Germany; far more common nowadays are outlets, DHL Packet Shops and sale points in kiosks that offer postal services. Consequently, opening hours vary enormously, depending on your location. In Berlin and Bonn, there are even some 24-hour post office services. You can find your nearest post service here.
Post boxes in Germany are bright yellow, and often bear the Deutsche Post logo. They usually have two separate slots: the one on the left is for local postcodes (PLZ) and the one on the right is for other mail (andere PLZ/Orte).
Post boxes are usually emptied several times per day; the last collection is usually around 5.30pm but can be as late as 10pm. The collection times will be printed on the front of the post box. You can find your closest post box here.
If you have only just moved in or have changed address, it is worth noting that, in Germany, individual apartments and their respective letter boxes rarely have numbers. Instead, they are signified by the occupant’s name. The name on your letter must match the name on your doorbell and letter box, otherwise you might not receive it.
Ask your landlord to add your name to the postbox, or alternatively, request that the sender write “bei” (care of) and the name on your doorbell on the front of the envelope.
You can send a letter in Germany by putting it in a post box or handing it in at your local post office. Make sure first that you have addressed it properly (German guidelines might be different to those in your home country) and that you have purchased the correct type of stamp.
To ensure your letter reaches its recipient, be sure to address it properly:
An address in Germany differs from addresses in some other parts of the world in two ways: the house number is always written after the street name, and the post code comes before the city. German addresses are therefore written in the following format:
So, the direction on a typical letter in Germany would read like this:
Note that Str. is the abbreviation for the German word Straße (street).
A Postleitzahl (often abbreviated to PLZ) is the German word for a postcode or ZIP code. It always has five digits.
It’s important to always include the Postleitzahl when addressing a letter in Germany. If you are not sure what the post code is, you can use this PLZ finder from the Deutsche Post. It’s worth noting that addresses with odd (ungerade) house numbers sometimes have different postcodes from addresses with even (gerade) house numbers.
Stamps can be bought in the traditional way from a post office or a kiosk displaying the Deutsche Post logo. It is also possible to buy stamps online directly from the Deutsche Post website - either have a booklet of stamps sent to you in the post, or select the stamp you need and print it out at home!
Alternatively, you can use #PORTO, an on-the-go service which allows you to pay for postage using the Post & DHL app - at no extra cost. Just open the app, select the appropriate postage service, tick "Code for labelling" (Code zum Beschriften), and pay. You will immediately receive a code to write on the front of your envelope, where the stamp would usually go. The code is valid for 14 days and can only be used for mail to German addresses.
The cost of sending a letter or postcard varies according to its dimensions and weight:
| Format | Max dimensions (cm) | Max weight (g) | Price (euros) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postcard | 23,5 x 12,5 | 500 | 0,95 |
| Standard | 23,5 x 12,5 x 0,5 | 20 | 0,95 |
| Kompakt | 23,5 x 12,5 x 1 | 50 | 1,10 |
| Groß | 35,3 x 25 x 2 | 500 | 1,80 |
| 35,3 x 25 x 5 | 1.000 | 2,90 |
| Format | Max dimensions (cm) | Max weight (g) | Price (euros) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postcard | 23,5 x 12,5 | 500 | 1,25 |
| Standard | 23,5 x 12,5 x 0,5 | 20 | 1,25 |
| Kompakt | 23,5 x 12,5 x 1 | 50 | 1,80 |
| Groß | L + B + H = 90 | 500 | 3,30 |
| Maxi | L + B + H = 90 | 1.000 | 6,50 |
| Maxi | L + B + H = 90 | 2.000 | 17,00 |
DHL is the parcel sending service of the Deutsche Post. Both companies operate out of Deutsche Post offices and DHL Paketshops.
To send a package in Germany, you can either take it to a Deutsche Post/DHL point to pay for postage and send it, or you can pay for postage first online or via the DHL app (this is often cheaper), and then drop it off at a Paketshop or a Packstation.
You can also pay for postage online and then arrange for your package to be collected. The “Abholung” service might incur a small fee, particularly if you want your parcel to be collected at a certain time, but it is useful for large or heavy items.
There are many dedicated DHL Paketshops for sending and receiving packages scattered across Germany. You can find your local DHL Paketshop via the website.
If you know you are not going to be home to accept the package, you can also opt to have it sent to a Packstation. These are automated lockers, run by DHL, where you can collect parcels at your own convenience. You can also drop off your own parcels for shipping. They are open around the clock, including on Sundays.
The cost of sending a package varies according to its size and weight:
| Format | Max dimensions (cm) | Max weight (kg) | Price (euros) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small packet (Päckchen) S | 35 x 25 x 10 | 2 | 4,19 |
| Small packet (Päckchen) M | 60 x 30 x 15 | 2 | 5,19 |
| DHL Packet 5 (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 5 | 7,69 |
| DHL Packet 10 (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 10 | 10,49 |
| DHL Packet 20 (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 20 | 18,99 |
| DHL Packet 31,5 (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 31,5 | 23,99 |
| Format | Max dimensions (cm) | Max weight (kg) | Price (euros) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small packet M (Päckchen) | L + B + H = 90 | 2 | 11,99 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 5 | 19,49 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 10 | 24,49 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 20 | 29,82 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 31,5 | 48,49 |
| Format | Max dimensions (cm) | Max weight (kg) | Price (euros)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small packet M (Päckchen) | L + B + H = 90 | 2 | from 15,49 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 5 | from 26,99 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 10 | from 34,99 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 20 | from 48,99 |
| DHL Packet (Paket) | 120 x 60 x 60 | 31,5 | from 62,99 |
* Price varies according to country
Other shipping companies also operate in Germany, besides DHL. These include:
Parcels sent to Germany from outside the EU may incur an additional customs clearance tax, including VAT and customs duties. This applies to:
You can calculate the cost of your letter or parcel using this postage cost calculator.
For an additional fee, you can also choose to send your post via recorded delivery (Einschreiben). Once you have posted your item, you can track its progress using the Deutsche Post tracking feature (Sendungsverfolgung).