# Mail Service in Mexico



## mc1234

I have been told that the Mexican Post is notorious for taking many weeks and/or the mail just never arrives. Is there any other service one can use to send mail within Mexico other than DHL to send out a normal piece of mail?

Thanks so much!


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## Guest

Estafeta does both national and international deliveries of dox and packages.

http://www.estafeta.com/index.jsp


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## Ken Wood

I have been sending and receiving mail here for 10 years now, via the Mexican Postal Service, and have never lost a piece. Sometimes it is slow crossing the border, but I guess there is no way to determine exactly where the delay is. One particular instance that WAS disheartening was a rag doll that was shipped to the US. It was literally ripped to shreds in the inspection process, but I have always thought that the US customs inspectors were responsible for the damage.


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## circle110

Boy, I wish I had your luck, Ken Wood. 

I have lost nearly 50% of what I have sent via "El Correo" -- both within Mexico and international. Letters take about 6-8 weeks to/from the US in my experience (if they arrive). When you have lost mail within Mexico, the folks at the destination point tell you to inquire at the point of origin and the folks at the point of origin tell you to inquire at the destination. Both sides seem incredibly unconcerned with your loss.


Any more, I just don't send anything of any importance through the mail. If it's important I use Estafeta and, if it is very important, DHL. A Mexican friend does a lot of shipping of her artwork via Estafeta (because of the lower cost) and she says that she has had some packages disappear with them as well over the years.

Maybe by posting to this thread a little of Ken Wood's luck will rub off on me!


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## Ken Wood

I do subscribe to the old adage that where is a lot of smoke, there must be at least a little fire, and there are countless stories of lost mail, though none of it was mine. I also hold to the theory that the mail service, like many other agencies, services, businesses, etc, are continually improving their public images. A bad reputation is a difficult thing to overcome, but I do believe that the Mexican postal service is better now than it was 5 years ago, and I believe that it will be better in 5 years than it is today. I live in the area of the Plaza de Toros, and just today, the postman left his bicycle at the gate and walked up to the door to hand me a small package that I ordered from a US supplier 3 weeks ago. He is a great representative of his employer, and I believe he is as conscientious as any postman I ever had in the US.


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## jlms

Here in the UK if you are sending something valuable you *must* track it, although the service is great they don't guarantee delivery of your item using just regular service, and the concern from the postal service reaches similar levels of disinterest as that of their Mexican counterparts when something goes amiss (which it occasionaly does).

I am making this point because Correos is no different. My family has sent uncountable pressies, cards, letters here to the UK (and previously to Malaysia) and they have all arrived fine (call me lucky if you want).

Nobody would send things of high sentimental or economic value via regular post in Mexico, but neither would I do that here in the UK. But a letter? Yeah, I would do it without a second thought using Correos, if I can find an office that is.


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## conklinwh

Probably not all but in most locations with reasonably large extrajeros population, there is usually a a mail service. In San Miguel, there is Border Crossing & La Conexion. I understand that in Queretaro now there is a mailbox express. Now the further from the border, the less probable as well as longer. In our case, we use a Laredo address and the mail is driven in about 4 days a week. Packages as well but for a fee.


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## RVGRINGO

We have at least three such services at Lake Chapala: Sol y Luna, HandiMail and Mail Boxes, Etc. We also have good home service from the Chapala Post Office in town.


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## maesonna

It’s true that the Mexican Post has a reputation for slow service and losing mail, but that is among the majority who have given up on it and stopped using the service because it used to be like that. They haven’t used it in recent times, when it has changed and improved a lot.

How well it functions currently depends a lot on where you live. Here in Mexico City, I’ve had excellent mail service. In 14 years, I’ve had 2 letters (domestic) and one package (international) lost, out of many dozens of items mailed and received per year. For me, this is good as or better than the big-name international couriers, one of which also managed to lose a package of important documents I mailed from Mexico to Canada—they lost them in Canada.

One thing to note is that in my experience, registered letters or packages can’t be traced internationally once they go beyond the borders of the sending country. This applies whether the item is mailed in Mexico, or mailed in another country.


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## TundraGreen

maesonna said:


> ... One thing to note is that in my experience, registered letters or packages can’t be traced internationally once they go beyond the borders of the sending country. This applies whether the item is mailed in Mexico, or mailed in another country.


Is that true? I ordered something online, it was shipped from California to Guadalajara. I was given a UPS tracking number and I could follow it from California to Colorado to Kentucky to Mexico City to Gdl. It arrived in Gdl on a Friday afternoon, sat in a warehouse for the weekend, and was delivered early Monday morning. Maybe you are referring to registered mail handled by the US Postal Service or Correos Mexico.


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## maesonna

TundraGreen said:


> Is that true? I ordered something online, it was shipped from California to Guadalajara. I was given a UPS tracking number and I could follow it from California to Colorado to Kentucky to Mexico City to Gdl. It arrived in Gdl on a Friday afternoon, sat in a warehouse for the weekend, and was delivered early Monday morning. Maybe you are referring to registered mail handled by the US Postal Service or Correos Mexico.


Yes, I should have been more explicit. When I said “mailed” I meant “mailed” as in using the postal service. There doesn’t seem to be any coordination between national postal services in terms of tracking registered items. Once it crosses the international border, it‘s invisible.

On the other hand, my lost package couriered from Mexico to Canada _was_ traceable by the company’s tracking number from the origin in Mexico all the way until it was delivered to a random stranger (name and address unknown) in a neighbouring city of the intended recipient. Go figure. Based on that experience, the next time I had a package of irreplaceable documents to send to Canada, I did it by post and they arrived just fine.


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## FHBOY

*Patience & Fortitude*

It seems that us NOB'ers are used to the fine domestic service of the USPS. No sarcasm there. But, even that service is under threat, running at an unbelievable deficit with cuts coming. 

Yes, it took three weeks for a Thank You card to go from Baltimore to Chapala, I learned my lesson, but we are all so spoiled. When I was in university in Israel, it took a week for an aerogramme (remember those?) to reach New York and vice versa, and we were OK with that. Darn our lack of patience. Have you noticed time moves quicker now?

UPS, DHL and FedEx are not the same as Carreos or the USPS, they are private carriers [well, technically so is USPS] as we all know, so international tracking is not a problem.

PS: My business used the USPS Priority Mail for all our mailings and packages for over ten years, never lost one, and delivered in very reasonable time - not that this is at all relevant to this discussion.


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## makaloco

When necessary, I use Correos de México's "MexPost", a traceable way of sending important mail. Just recently I sent my US tax return that way and was able to track it online to its point of delivery in the US. It even showed the date and hour of delivery and the name of the person who received it. It's expensive, but significantly less so than DHL.


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## AlanMexicali

Número de Guía: RC576400086MX 2012 


Recibió: 
Fecha: 08/02/2012 
Hora: 09:52:00

Rastreo del Envío 
Fecha Hora Origen Evento Destino 
08/02/2012 09:52:00 UNITED STATES Entrega Internacional 
03/02/2012 08:10:00 México City Entrada al Pais ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS) 
01/02/2012 23:34:00 COM Benito Juarez Int. D.F. Depositado en Valija UNITED STATES 
25/01/2012 13:09:00 CR Salvador Nava, SLP Enviado a Destino ODT CDABJ Expo 


The "Correo registrado" .. registered letter I sent on Jan. 25th arrived in San Diego on Feb. 8th. according to the Correos De Mexico website that was on the reciept they gave me. It cost $32.00 pesos from San Luis Potosi to San Diego and took 14 days and the tracking system, above, worked. Previously I just checked my online banking to see if the checks I sent registered from here were cashed and they all were, including this one on the 9th. I don t have a problem with Correos De Mexico. [YET!]


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## RVGRINGO

The topic is 'Mail Service', not UPS, Estafeta, FedEx, etc.


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## johnmex

I also have had good luck (so far) with Correos. I have ordered things on Amazon and have never had anything lost (yet). 

I even got a pleasant surprise from Amazon...
Hello,

We're writing to let you know we processed your refund of $18.83 for your Order 102-xxxx

This refund is for the following item(s):

Item: OtterBox Universal Defender Case for iPhone 4 (Purple Silicone & White Plastic)
Quantity: 1
ASIN: B004N79HQY
Reason for refund: Export fee reduced

Here's the breakdown of your refund for this item:

Import Fee Deposit Refund: $8.76

Item: Otterbox Defender Series Hybrid Case & Holster for iPhone 4 & 4S - Retail Packaging - Black
Quantity: 1
ASIN: B005SUHRH6
Reason for refund: Export fee reduced

Here's the breakdown of your refund for this item:

Import Fee Deposit Refund: $10.07

We'll apply your refund to the following payment method(s):

MasterCard Credit Card [expiring on ]: $18.83

This amount has been credited to your payment method and will appear when your bank has processed it.


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## circle110

Hmmm, I must really have rotten luck. 
I have lost two small packages in recent months sent from Guanajuato to Mexico City. All inquiries at either end were greeted with a shrug of the shoulders. I have had success in the past but lately, nothing good. I sent a letter from Guanajuato to San Antonio, TX six months ago that never arrived. Last year my mother sent a birthday card to Guanajuato from Springfield, MO that arrived 10 weeks later.

I'm jealous.


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## AlanMexicali

circle110 said:


> Hmmm, I must really have rotten luck.
> I have lost two small packages in recent months sent from Guanajuato to Mexico City. All inquiries at either end were greeted with a shrug of the shoulders. I have had success in the past but lately, nothing good. I sent a letter from Guanajuato to San Antonio, TX six months ago that never arrived. Last year my mother sent a birthday card to Guanajuato from Springfield, MO that arrived 10 weeks later.
> 
> I'm jealous.


I have used Correos De Mexico registered letters to San Diego without an incident for 3 1/2 years from San Luis, not very often [about 7 or 8]. My sister in Toronto is an avid letter writer, she does not use the internet or computers and sends me letters, some with photos, non registered from Canada to San Luis and Mexicali all the time [8 or 9 a year] for 6 years and so far none have been lost, and only takes two weeks except a couple to Mexicali took 3 to 4 weeks. The DVD of our wedding I sent my sister from here took 3 weeks and it was registered. I guess I have had good luck.


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## kcowan

Yes I used UPS for 2 years. Always reliable and predictable. But expensive. Now I use mules.


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## dongringo

I just received a letter postmarked 22 days ago, mailed from a Mexico City embassy. The quality of the Mexican mail service is extraordinarily spotty and not reliable. Locally, utility companies, and other agencies use private carriers. 
I gave up on normal mail a long time ago, and depend on the equivalent of traceable express mail. But I do regularly get mail for some families that live around me.


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## PieGrande

Registered mail is the answer. My daughter (actually hija postiza) in Florida sent me a birthday card last year. We finally asked the local postal office and the woman said they don't care unless it is registered. Same daughter sent me a jacket for Christmas a year ago, registered, and we got it fine.


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## johnmex

Now that I think of it, all my Amazon orders have come registered mail.


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## Merida Yucatan

I used to find that when I sent certified mail from Canada even to US, let alone Mexico, Canada Post could only track it's Canadian part of the journey. 
As for sending mail within Mexico: unless it was extremely valuable, I'd send it via registered or certified mail.("Registrado", "Certificado"). I seem to receive all mail that's sent to me now. 
Delivery times for mail between Mexico and Canada or US, are most unpredictable. Items take 
anywhere from one to seven weeks, in my experience.


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## pquick

*mail in Mexico*



TundraGreen said:


> Is that true? I ordered something online, it was shipped from California to Guadalajara. I was given a UPS tracking number and I could follow it from California to Colorado to Kentucky to Mexico City to Gdl. It arrived in Gdl on a Friday afternoon, sat in a warehouse for the weekend, and was delivered early Monday morning. Maybe you are referring to registered mail handled by the US Postal Service or Correos Mexico.


I got a thank-you card last week that was mailed in September. I also just received 2 Christmas cards. Seriously regular mail in Mexico is slow..at least in my experience. even in country. My bills like Telcel, Telmex, CFE, etc., usually arrive after the due date. I never wait for them.. Paquetería(there are many) is the way to go, but can be expensive. My mailman is the best, cant fault him. I use DHl and UPS for international..Estafeta and Paquete Express for in country. some of them wont ship to Sinaloa though.


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