We're going back to NM and need to send back (lots of) books and other heavy items that we don't want to deal with on the plane. Does anyone have any advice on cheap rates for sending packages? Does correos have a ground shipping option? Does UPS? Any other ideas? I don't want to leave this for the last minute while my husband, in denial that we're leaving Madrid, is ignoring the issue.

picara

Hi there,
I had the same problem. I wanted to travel light this time so I only carried one carry-on bag, and my son another, I thought that this method would save me time overall. And in some instances it was indeed a great idea.

I knew I was not going to use UPS because the cost was much more per pound than Correos, which by the way was very professional and helpful!

Being a Librarian, I indulged in books. I bought a ton of books in Salamanca, there I went to Correos and mailed my husband a box full of books surface. It cost me $28 to send about 4 lbs. Then I went to the University's Book shop and bought more books, there I asked the bookstore manager to mail them for me, I bought the 2 vol Diccionario de la Lengua Española and a few more titles, there I spent another $27.00 in postage, surface. In Madrid I sent a small parcel with bochures, cocoa and azafran that cost me $13.00 dollars, these were sent in an envelope instead of a box. By the way correos supplies these lovely boxes just like in the States at a nominal fee.

It would have served me best to buy an inexpensive suitcase in Spain and drag my books with me. Instead, I left behind most of my clothes, which by this time needed to be thrown out anyway, and carried all my breakables in my carry-on.

Next time: I am taking another bag that I can put my books in, it is much cheaper, and I wont have to wait the two months for my books. The bad side is that I'll have to drag my purchases with me.

I'm not going to be of much help but my friends used a service 12 years ago that was specifically for sending books. They paid about a third of what correos cost. I can't remember where they saw it but it did exist. Sorry I can't shed more light on the subject but keep looking. Perhaps try the yellow pages and/or call some of the transportation companies to see if they have ever heard of what I'm referring to. Another option would be to ask at one of the larger bookstores to see if they know what it is or on the c/libreros (I think that's what it is, off of Gran Via) perhaps they know what I'm talking about because I surly don't. Years ago correos wasn't that expensive to send books by boat but they really have gone up in price in the last 3-4 years (so has the U.S.). If you do send by correos, pack as many things as you can in one box because they have a minimum per box, something like 2500 pts. so it pays to mail fewer boxes.

Nevado, I think that 'book rate' was through correos...I ended up carrying everything back with me when I lived there and had a lot of stuff, but if I remember correctly, you could go to correos and ask for the 'book rate' which was much cheaper, but took 2-3 months to get to you...

Buena suerte!!

Correos had a book rate as well but this was different. My friends went to a place located in Chamartin (not the station, just the barrio). I remember it to be different because I sent mine by correos because I couldn't be bothered to scout out this place with the few boxes I had. It was a long time ago, perhaps it doesn't even exist. ??

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions--I'll look into correos book rate and maybe call a transportation co. in Chamartín (maybe I'll get lucky!).
picara

Just to update y'all: if you have more than 100 Kilos of STUFF that you want to send (we had more than that, easy), UPS has a good per kilo rate: 3.61 €. So that's what we did, through Mailboxes Etc. They came, they loaded, they sent, we paid.

Easy as pumpkin pie, which I have to admit I've missed. :p

Hey, thanks for this update, picara. And so you ONLY used UPS to send those things you won't carry yourself?

Do you plan to carry any large items onto the plane with you?? That is, do you plan to "check" any large items when you take the plane? If so, please update us on your experiences with that sometime after you return to the USA .

Wow.. I'm really sorry to know you're going back.. Now I'll probably never meet you or your husband until I make it back to Albuquerque, New Mexico which isn't likely anytime soon. Too bad you didn't make the last MM Members get together in Madrid last week.

Happy Packing!! (or are you now totally packed?) And enjoy that first pie of calabza upon arriving home. :p

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks Picara, I will need to do that when I have to go back to the states in August....