EMS International Courier and Shipping Service

EMS: the international courier network

EMS, or Express Mail Service, is an international courier network offering express shipping for letters and packages all over the world. Even though EMS is not a courier company per se, many times when sending international parcels through the regular post, your parcel will be handled by the EMS courier network.

Read on to find out more about EMS international express shipping and compare their prices and solutions with other couriers by using our booking tool.

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EMS, or Express Mail Service, is an international courier network offering express shipping for letters and packages all over the world. Even though EMS is not a courier company per se, many times when sending international parcels through the regular post, your parcel will be handled by the EMS courier network.

Read on to find out more about EMS international express shipping and compare their prices and solutions with other couriers by using our booking tool.

Quick access:
International deliveries
Express shipping
FAQ

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Booking EMS international parcel shipping

Since EMS is not a courier company, many shipments are carried within the EMS courier network without the sender knowing so. If you often ship international parcels through the national post service of your country, such as La Poste in France, Correos in Spain or Royal Mail in the UK, chances are you have already sent packages via EMS without even realising. Many postal companies offer urgent deliveries using EMS express international shipping services, which are available worldwide.

For most routes, it is not possible to book a parcel delivery with EMS directly – EMS may be the carrier, but the booking is processed through the postal company. However, EMS has recently created a series of online shipping labels to allow customers to reserve an EMS international express courier delivery directly on the website. After having the label and attaching it to the parcel, the customers still have to take it to the post office for shipping.

There are currently 88 countries where you can already ship from using EMS parcel labels. Here are a few of them:

Aruba
Azerbaijan
Australia
Bhutan
Brazil
Canada
Cayman Islands
Colombia
Curaçao
El Salvador
Estonia
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Jordan
Malaysia
Netherlands
Panama (Rep.)
Slovakia
Sri Lanka
Thailand
United Kingdom
Vanuatu

Alternatively, with Eurosender, you can ship to over 220 countries and territories worldwide. Use our booking tool to get an instant quote when organising your international parcel delivery!

EMS express delivery time: how long does EMS shipping take?

When organising an international courier shipping service with EMS, it is natural that most customers are interested in knowing the EMS express delivery time before paying for the service. Unfortunately, the company does not disclose the details about EMS shipping time on their website since it may depend heavily on the route chosen and the capacity of the local post service in those countries. We have found records of cases where EMS international package deliveries took up to 7 working days, but urgent shipments are also possible, with an estimated delivery time of up to 3-4 days. There are also cases where the EMS shipping time may be a couple of weeks long.

Need a faster delivery? Check our Priority Express Service!

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FAQ: EMS international parcel and courier services

Is EMS a courier company?
No, EMS is not a courier company but the operating branch of the Universal Postal Union. EMS is a cooperative of 175 national postal services that act as an integrated logistics provider, specialising in express postal services worldwide.
This means that when you book an international urgent shipment service with your national postal service, it is very likely this shipment will be carried through the EMS courier network.
How does EMS delivery tracking works?
The EMS delivery tracking service works a bit differently than most tracking services. As usual, you will receive a 13-digit tracking number unique to your EMS international parcel that will allow you to locate and find the status of your EMS package delivery while it is in transit.
However, it is possible that when entering your EMS delivery tracking number on their website, you will be redirected to the website of the national postal service where you booked the service in the first place.
It is also possible that you can only track your EMS parcel on your national postal service page. If you have issues tracking your EMS international parcel, we recommend contacting the company directly.
Read more about parcel tracking.
What are the EMS international shipping rates?
In simple terms, the EMS shipping rates are the rates for shipping internationally via national postal agencies that are part of the EMS network. In most cases, you will not book a delivery directly with EMS.
Instead, you will book an international parcel delivery through your national post that will be carried out via the EMS courier network. Therefore, the prices depend on the country you will be shipping from, the destination, and the parcel size.
What are EMS parcel delivery days and times?
The EMS delivery days and times depend on the selected route and the country of destination. EMS manages international parcels all over the world.
Deliveries are always performed five days a week, from Monday to Friday, but the EMS shipping time may vary depending on the location. In most cases, parcels will be delivered during regular working times.
Who delivers EMS parcels in the UK?
EMS delivers parcels in the UK through Parcelforce Worldwide. The service used for EMS international parcel delivery in the UK is called EMS Global Priority, and it allows parcels of up to 30 kg.
If you need to ship heavier items, check our heavy parcel delivery service instead.
Does EMS ship to your door?
EMS does ship door-to-door for most routes. However, they may not deliver the heavier parcels to a personal address. For many cases, the maximum weight allowed is 30 kg per parcel.
Alternatively, you can book international door-to-door deliveries through Eurosender. Get an instant quote in our booking tool right away!
Can I ship cargo with EMS?
No, you cannot ship cargo with EMS. If you want to ship cargo or pallets, you can book FTL, LTL or pallet delivery services directly on our booking tool.
Learn more about our freight shipping services or contact our logistics experts if you need additional assistance or information.
Are there any shipping insurance options when shipping international packages with EMS?
The insurance options for EMS parcel delivery services depend on the procedures of the national carrier you booked with.
For example, if you have booked a parcel delivery through EMS using Parcelforce in the UK, your shipment will follow the insurance regulation applicable to Parcelforce Worldwide service. The same logic is applied when you book an EMS parcel delivery in any other location using any postal company from the EMS courier network.
However, when shipping with Eurosender, basic insurance coverage is automatically included in the shipping price. Take advantage of our insured deliveries when sending your parcels – get a quote with us and book the service in less than 5 minutes.
Can I export or import packages with EMS?
EMS offers international courier deliveries worldwide and can be used to export or import smaller packages. Please note that you will be responsible for providing all the documents needed for the customs procedures. In some cases, EMS offers the possibility of paying taxes and duties in advance to speed up the shipping process.
When booking an international parcel shipping service through EMS, you will have to fill out a form that will be used for the customs procedures, which must be printed out. If you want to learn more about this topic, read our article on international customs procedures when shipping.
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Disclaimer: The information above is the result of online research conducted in November 2023. For more information about EMS international courier services, EMS express shipping time or other EMS parcel delivery services, we recommend checking the company’s official website.