Hello everyone, I'm hoping someone can give me some info here....My brother is studying in Spain and I sent him a care package a few weeks ago through US Mail. It was only supposed to take 5-10 days to arrive according to the Post Office. My question is, Is it typical to get a package stuck in customs for a while or is the spanish mail pretty slow? Has anyone had any experience sending a package to Spain. I'm hoping things just take a while with their system because if not that means it is lost! Any info you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I would like to say thanks to all the regulars here who gave me advice for my trip a few months ago. I had a wonderful time. Thanks.

Sending regular letter via air mail takes around 5 days. Whenever I send a package to Spain via U.S. Postal mail, I used the Global Priority Mail Service which costs $9.00 (not more than 2lbs). It usually takes 5 days. The post office requires a form to declare what is inside the package. There could be custom processing which could cause delay of your package.

Welcome back, Jaime! You sent it from the USA so it could take up to 2 weeks. I would be SHOCKED if it would make it in as little as 5-days! I absolutely hate sending packages to Spain. Not sure if they've cleaned up their act (improved their service), but they have been notorious for being painfully slow, losing packages, and so on. Out of the 5 years I sent gifts during Christmas (early December, not late December), 2 years out of 5 my gifts were lost forever. I could only suspect that someone in the postal department was enjoying the presents I sent and gave them to his/her kids that Christmas.

The way the address is written is very important too. I hope you addressed it in the Spanish format. Sometimes, I believe, the less-than-obvious addressed packages/letters get thrown into a "oh, I'll check them later" pile and are never seen again. OR, the box may arrive to its destination looking like they played basketball with it, all torn, smashed, mangled.

Sorry to paint a dark picture, but I've had such back luck sending packages to Spain. Hope your luck is better. Let us know how it went. Anyone else have similar "SENT TO SPAIN" experiences?

Saludos, MadridMan

I've never(knock on wood) had bad luck yet w/ sending packages to Spain. 10 days-2 wks is about right. By sending the package at a "book rate", you will be charged less. Just make sure in the declaration statement you put books as one of the contents and just hope it isn't opened. Last year I was sending various things over-cds, pictures and some other stuff and it was going to be around $11, and when I asked how much it would be with the book rate, it came to $6, so I said, "OK, I'll send it book rate", and the postal worker could care less.

My package was fairly heavy, it was supposed to take 5-10 days but the US postal service says once it gets out of the country its not their problem. It cost $25 already for the medium priced shipping so I decided not to send global priority. Now I'm regretting it because if I would have they would have had a way to track it. So its been 19 days, should I assume its gone? Thanks everyone.

I have sent lots of packages to Spain and received many while in Spain from the US. I would say that 2 weeks is the norm. Wait 3-4 weeks if it was sent standard air mail to really get worried. If you send it on the boat (cheapest way) expect to wait a couple of months. I had a package that took literally 3 months to find my door in Spain (Madrid). It was mailed airmail but went by boat instead! But generally speaking, 2 weeks is pretty normal for a small package.

Leche

I'm afraid to say the Spanish mail system is quite slow.

Just a piece of advice: state clearly the postal code, otherwise, the package will take even longer to arrive.

Good luck,

Antonio

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I agree with Leche and Antonio. One Christmas my gifts to Spain were late because the package took ONE MONTH to arrive. I sent them on December 5th and they arrived on January 5th. They were late for Christmas day, but made it in time for Magic Kings Day (is this correctly worded? I don't recall). This may have been due, in part, to the greatly increased mail "traffic" during the holiday.

Saludos, MadridMan

MadridMan,
In English January 6 is refered to as Epiphany, so the word for word translantion from Los Reyes Magos to "The Magic Kings" would be off the mark. Los Reyes Magos refers to the three wisemen. I hope you were not using one of those online translation sites that gives less than perfect translations.Although, the Magic Kings did a great version of Bamboleo, hehehe.

Hmmm... My madrileña ladyfriend always called it "Magic Kings" in English and yes, they are the 3 wise men. Must have been her direct translation that confused me. And your comment about "The Magic Kings" making "Bamboleo" is "off the mark" too (unless you were joking). I think you were referring to the Gipsy Kings. hehehe...

Jaime, hope they get your packages soon!!

Saludos, MadridMan