Russian mail

[Apk1]

My wife has not been getting her usual mail from friends and family lately, for the past 4 months it has been taken a lot longer to send and recieve mail from Moscow.

Our last package was sent airmail to her mother 6 weeks ago, still has not arrived. her mother in turn sent a parcel about a month ago which we have yet to see.

Last year we were seeing the mail take about 7-10 days for airmail, in both directions ... now it is taking more than 6 weeks.

Has anyone else had this problem lately?  I am sure 9/11 has created some sort of extra security....but I do not know if the packages are being held up at customs that were never before delayed.

[tim360z]

... in response to Russian mail, posted by Apk1 on Dec 4, 2002

it is funny.  With letters I find that regular old air mail is very very good.  Even to somehere out in the sticks.  And I have found mailing to and from Russia much superior than Ukraine...much slower.  I do find mail moves faster from there to here than viseversa in regard to Russia.  Usually 5-8 days from there to here.  From St. Petersburg.

With small packages I have found Global Express (USPS) to be very reasonable,  although their service is limited.  Otherwise,  USPS Expressmail works fine,  but pricey.  Best to research @ your local PO.

[SteveM]

... in response to Russian mail, posted by Apk1 on Dec 4, 2002

As mentioned by the others, Express Mail is not cheap but gets there in a week to 10 days.  Until recently we even had a 100% record of not having the packages opened.

The rates are weight-sensitive, so you could try sending the bulky, heavy stuff by air mail, and the lighter stuff by EMS.  We send a lot of clothes, which are light and pack down, and are cheaper here than in most of Russia.  On the other hand, sending a bottle of bath crystals was a mistake that won't be repeated...

Steve M.

[davet]

... in response to Express Mail, posted by SteveM on Dec 5, 2002

Please clarify "Express Mail".  Is this through the USPS and essentially airmail to Russia?  

I talked with the postal clerk about the difference between airmail (express) and surface mail from the US to Russia.  It was about $20 more for the express than the surface mail which was $40 (15 lb package).  He gave the timelines of 7-14 days from Oregon to Russia for the express mail and 4-6 weeks for the regular surface mail.  He essentially said that the packages from both methods went to the same customs house in Russia and from there entered the Russian mail system and would be delievered by the same techniques and times.  So the time savings was getting the package to Russia.

I have heard from others that Express mail is safer in terms of getting the package delivered without tampering or stealing.  I don't understand why but ?

Dave

[Ken W]

... in response to Re: Express Mail, posted by davet on Dec 5, 2002

...According to my wife, her neighbors used to get a bit concerned by the deliveryman and his assault rifle - of course, it WAS a pretty rough 'hood

-Ken Williams

[SteveM]

... in response to Re: Express Mail, posted by davet on Dec 5, 2002

Because the package doesn't sit in the Russian mail system once it gets there?  It doesn't sit in the post office waiting to be delivered, and it doesn't sit in the mail box waiting to be picked up.  Instead, someone delivers it to your door.  This greatly minimizes the chance that local postal workers and the neighbors can snag it.

Express Mail is the same as in the US (although it is called Global Express Mail).  Same USPS form, plus a customs declaration.  Never tried surface mail, so I can't vouch for the difference, but we have only had one (relatively modest) problem with Express Mail in two-plus years.

Regular air mail is OK for cards and letters, but even a few photos can make it more interesting for someone to "review" before delivery, in our experience.

[Apk1]

... in response to Re: Express Mail, posted by davet on Dec 5, 2002

We have tried both approaches to sending packages to Moscow. Last year we sent a 30 pound package by ship...it arrived in 3 weeks, we were expecting 3 months!
The next time we sent another by ship...cost was only $15.00, and it indeed tool 3 months. The difference in time was sheer dumb luck, the first package was delivered to the ship just as it was about to leave. The second probably sat in storage untill the next ship arrived...as was told to me by my postman.

We send our packages by "airmail"-USPS global Express...and usually we have seen our packages arrive in less than 2 weeks, same as those sent to us from Russia. By the way, the cost to airmail packages from Russia to the Us is about a third that what we pay for the same weight sent from US.

The problem has come up recently, my mother in law sent us a package 5 weeks ago by airmail, has not arrived. We sent a package by Global express in October, has not arrived yet.

My postmaster told us there is absolutely nothing the USPS can do about it once it leaves the US, once it arrives in Russia it is routed through thier customs house...and hence the problem...a possible logjamb. The tracking number USPS Global Express can be checked on the internet, but only indicates that the package arrived in Russia...awaiting to be cleared by customs. I am not worried that someone stole our package...unless they like to look at a lot of vacation pictures we have taken this summer.

This problem might be isolated to just Moscow...it has over 12 million people, the mail could be a little overwhelming.
My wife told me that it sometimes took 3 months for a package to arrive from her relatives that lived 300 miles away....but it always arrived she said!

[Alfred]

... in response to Re: Express Mail, posted by davet on Dec 5, 2002

Perhaps the some of the difference could be explained by the fact that the express mail has a number assigned to it and has the potential to be tracked while regular surface mail probably will not have a tracking number.  The fact that the package maybe traced may make someone think twice about tampering with something.

[SteveM]

... in response to Re: Re: Express Mail, posted by Alfred on Dec 5, 2002

.

[wilmc]

... in response to Russian mail, posted by Apk1 on Dec 4, 2002

I ordered a present from LandsEnd and asked if they could send it to Moscow for me.  They said yes and it was not too expensive.  It took three months to get to my RW friend.  I now use Express Mail via USPS.  It is expensive but she now gets them within 10 days to two weeks.

[Philb]

... in response to Russian mail, posted by Apk1 on Dec 4, 2002

I have sent several packages to east central Siberia over the last few months.  I have been sending them Global Express Mail and all have arrived in less then 2 weeks.

[AronM II]

... in response to Russian mail, posted by Apk1 on Dec 4, 2002

The packages my wife has been sending and receiving to Bulgaria via US Mail are consistantly averaging 14-21 days.  That being said, I don't think it's a delay on the US side...