How to Send and Receive a Parcel in Germany: Deutsche Post, DHL, Hermes

You can send a parcel in Germany through Deutsche Post, DHL, Hermes, and other delivery services. The best-value option depends not only on weight, but also on size, insurance, tracking, drop-off method, and where the shipment needs to go: to a home address, a collection point, a Packstation, or abroad.

Below is a practical guide for newcomers: when a letter or Warensendung is enough, when DHL Paket is the better choice, how Hermes differs, how to use a Packstation, and what to do if a shipment is lost.

Quick service selection

Task	What usually fits	Important limitations
Documents, thin printed material	Deutsche Post Großbrief or Maxibrief	No full insurance as with a parcel
Small goods up to 1 kg	Warensendung	Slower than a regular parcel, with no standard liability for contents
Small box up to 2 kg without valuables	DHL Päckchen	Usually no Haftung and no full tracking
Valuables or tracking required	DHL Paket or Hermes Paket	DHL Paket and Hermes Paket usually include tracking and liability up to a set limit
Heavy but compact item	Hermes is often cheaper	Hermes pricing is based on dimensions, not weight up to the class limit
International parcel	DHL, Hermes within the EU, sometimes UPS/DPD/GLS	Destination country, customs rules, and the current price calculator are required

Carrier prices and limits change. Before sending an expensive or urgent parcel, check the tariff in the official Deutsche Post, DHL, or Hermes calculator.

Small shipments through Deutsche Post

If an item fits in a flat envelope or small box, you may not need to send a full parcel. Deutsche Post uses letter formats suitable for documents and some small items.

Format	Maximum dimensions	Maximum weight	Price within Germany
Großbrief	35.3 x 25 x 2 cm	500 g	€1.80
Maxibrief	35.3 x 25 x 5 cm	1 kg	€2.90

These shipments are convenient for papers, magazines, thin books, and small items if the packaging keeps its shape and does not exceed the dimensions. For regular post, see also Deutsche Post mail in Germany.

Warensendung: small goods up to 1 or 2 kg

Warensendung is suitable for small goods, samples, books, textiles, accessories, and similar items. In 2026, Deutsche Post’s basic Warensendung option is intended for shipments up to 1 kg; an excess weight of up to 2 kg is handled as a weight surcharge.

Option	Dimensions	Weight	Price
Warensendung	10–35.3 x 7–25 x up to 5 cm	up to 1 kg	€2.70
Warensendung with Gewichtszuschlag	same dimensions	up to 2 kg	€2.70 + €0.85

Write Warensendung clearly above the recipient’s address. You may not include ordinary personal letters, but you can add an invoice, delivery note, or other documents accompanying the goods.

The main advantage of Warensendung is its price. Its drawbacks are a standard delivery time of around four working days and the lack of options such as Einschreiben or Nachnahme. For fragile, expensive, or urgent items, choose DHL Paket, Hermes Paket, or another carrier with tracking and liability.

DHL: Päckchen or Paket

DHL is convenient when a shipment does not fit in a Maxibrief, needs to be dropped off at a branch, Packstation, or Paketshop, or when tracking and liability matter.

The main difference:

• DHL Päckchen is cheaper, but usually has no liability for the contents and no full tracking.
• DHL Paket costs more, but includes Sendungsverfolgung and Haftung up to €500 under standard conditions.

DHL within Germany	Maximum dimensions	Weight	Price from	Liability/tracking
Päckchen S	35 x 25 x 10 cm	up to 2 kg	€4.19	no Haftung or Sendungsverfolgung
Päckchen M	60 x 30 x 15 cm	up to 2 kg	€5.19	no Haftung or Sendungsverfolgung
Paket 2 kg	60 x 30 x 15 cm	up to 2 kg	€7.69	Haftung up to €500, tracking
Paket 5 kg	120 x 60 x 60 cm	up to 5 kg	€10.49	Haftung up to €500, tracking
Paket 10 kg	120 x 60 x 60 cm	up to 10 kg	€18.99	Haftung up to €500, tracking
Paket 20 kg	120 x 60 x 60 cm	up to 20 kg	€23.99	Haftung up to €500, tracking

For large packages, DHL considers not only length, width, and height, but also dimensional restrictions. Some domestic packages have a maximum Gurtmaß of 300 cm. Non-rectangular packaging, rolls, protruding parts, or packaging not made of cardboard or paper may incur a surcharge.

Current DHL surcharges:

• Sperrgut for oversized or irregular shapes: +€28.99.
• Rolle for cylindrical shipments: +€3.99.
• additional Transportversicherung up to €2,500: +€6.99;
• additional Transportversicherung up to €25,000: +€19.99.

If an item is valuable, it is better not to save money on Päckchen: without liability, a dispute over loss or damage will be more difficult.

How to send DHL through a Packstation

A DHL Packstation is an automated locker for sending and receiving parcels. It is particularly convenient if you bought the label online or have a QR code for printing at a branch or acceptance point.

The usual procedure is:

1. Choose a DHL product based on size, weight, and insurance requirements.
2. Buy a Versandmarke online or prepare a QR code.
3. Pack the parcel so the barcode is readable and the box cannot open.
4. At the Packstation, select sending, scan the code, and place the parcel in a suitable compartment.
5. Keep the drop-off confirmation and Sendungsnummer if your product provides one.

Not all shipment types are accepted through a Packstation. For example, Warensendung, Großbrief/Maxibrief, Express, and shipments with separate Transportversicherung may require a different drop-off method.

Hermes: when it is better value than DHL

Hermes is often convenient for heavy but compact items: within Germany, the price depends primarily on the sum of the longest and shortest sides rather than weight up to the class limit. Hermes also has a broad PaketShop network.

Delivery to a Hermes PaketShop

The cheapest option is delivery not to a home address but to a Hermes PaketShop. The recipient receives a notification and collects the parcel there.

Hermes class	Dimensions: longest + shortest side	Weight	Online price	Liability
Päckchen	up to 37 cm	up to 25 kg	€3.99	up to €50
S-Paket	up to 50 cm	up to 25 kg	€4.89	up to €500
M-Paket	up to 80 cm	up to 25 kg	€5.90	up to €500
L-Paket	up to 120 cm	up to 25 kg	€9.90	up to €500

Home delivery

Hermes class	PaketShop price	Online price
Päckchen	€5.25	€5.19
S-Paket	€6.79	€5.79
M-Paket	€7.95	€6.99
L-Paket	€11.95	€10.99
XL-Paket with collection	Abholung only	€28.99
XXL-Paket with collection	Abholung only	€33.99

Hermes adds +€19.95 for Sperrgut if a parcel is not cuboid-shaped or has protruding parts. Exceptions apply to XL/XXL and some cylindrical shipments.

DHL or Hermes: which should you choose?

Criterion	DHL	Hermes
Small, light parcel	Päckchen or Paket 2 kg works well	May cost more for very light items with home delivery
Heavy, compact item	Price rises with weight	Often cheaper because the weight limit is high
Tracking and liability required	DHL Paket, not Päckchen	Hermes includes tracking; liability depends on the class
Packstation	A DHL strength	Hermes has its own PaketShop network, not DHL Packstations
Urgency	Usually 1–2 working days within Germany	Usually several working days, depending on the route
Collection point	Branches, Paketshop, Packstation	Hermes PaketShop, sometimes cheaper for collection-point delivery

For non-standard items—bicycles, wheels, suitcases, or very large boxes—check not only DHL and Hermes but also UPS, DPD, GLS, or specialist services. They may offer dedicated rates for a particular type of cargo.

International parcels from Germany

For international shipping, first check three things:

1. The destination country and tariff zone.
2. Whether the particular item is permitted to be sent.
3. Whether a customs declaration, invoice, or description of contents is needed.

DHL sends international Päckchen and Pakete to many countries. On the DHL website, select the destination country to see current prices and conditions. DHL Paket International usually includes tracking and insurance, while Päckchen is cheaper but has fewer services.

Hermes publishes tariffs for private customers by EU zone. In 2026, for EU Zone 1—which includes Belgium, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, and the Czech Republic—online prices start at €8.99 for an XS-Paket and reach €20.49 for an L-Paket. Prices are higher for more distant EU zones. Hermes states that international EU parcels include tracking and liability up to €500, but the number of delivery attempts and excluded areas depend on the country.

For Russia, non-EU countries, and shipments containing goods, it is especially important to check restrictions and customs rules immediately before sending. Old rules of thumb such as “delivery takes a couple of months” are unreliable: timing depends on the country, route, customs, sanctions restrictions, and selected product.

How to receive a parcel in Germany

Usually, the courier rings the doorbell, comes up to the apartment, or leaves the parcel at the door only if there is an Ablageort authorisation. If the recipient is not home, possible outcomes include:

• the parcel is handed to a neighbour;
• the shipment is redirected to a branch, Paketshop, or Packstation;
• the courier makes another delivery attempt;
• a notice is put in the mailbox or a notification arrives in the app.

The storage period depends on the carrier and collection location. The notice or app usually states the address, deadline, and document to bring. A branch may ask for a passport or Aufenthaltstitel, especially if the parcel is valuable or you are collecting it for someone else.

If a neighbour accepts your parcel

Delivery to neighbours is common in Germany, but it is not an obligation. Accept someone else’s parcel only if you are willing to store it and hand it personally to the recipient.

Do not accept a parcel if:

• the packaging is torn, wet, or visibly damaged;
• no sender is stated;
• the box looks suspicious;
• the courier asks you to sign for delivery and the contents raise doubts;
• you do not know the recipient and do not want responsibility for storage.

If you accepted a parcel, it is best not to leave it at your neighbour’s door. Hand it personally to the recipient or someone who can confirm their right to collect it.

What to do if a parcel is lost or damaged

Act quickly and keep your documents. A claim usually requires:

• the Sendungsnummer or Sendungs-ID;
• drop-off receipt;
• proof of the contents’ value: invoice, receipt, purchase agreement, or statement;
• photos of the packaging and damage if the parcel arrived damaged;
• correspondence with the seller or recipient if this is a private sale.

Procedure:

1. Check tracking and notifications in the carrier’s app.
2. Contact the sender: for many services, the sender formally files the claim because they concluded the carriage contract.
3. Open a Nachforschungsauftrag or Schadenmeldung with the carrier.
4. In the claim, ask it to consider the value of the contents and the shipping cost, but do not assume an automatic payout: the exact compensation depends on the product, liability, the carrier’s AGB, and the evidence.
5. Do not discard the packaging until the investigation is complete.

German wording

Initial request:

Hiermit mache ich einen Anspruch wegen Verlust der Sendung [Sendungsnummer] geltend. Bitte prüfen Sie den Vorgang und erstatten Sie mir den Warenwert in Höhe von [Betrag] sowie die angefallenen Versandkosten in Höhe von [Betrag], soweit dies nach den geltenden Beförderungsbedingungen vorgesehen ist.

I hereby make a claim regarding the loss of shipment [number]. Please investigate the matter and reimburse the value of the goods [amount] as well as the shipping costs [amount], insofar as this is provided for under the applicable carriage conditions.

If compensation was incomplete:

Vielen Dank für Ihre Rückmeldung. Bitte teilen Sie mir mit, auf welche Regelung Ihrer Beförderungsbedingungen sich die Kürzung stützt. Ich bitte außerdem um erneute Prüfung, ob neben dem Warenwert auch die Versandkosten erstattungsfähig sind.

Thank you for your reply. Please tell me which provision of your carriage conditions supports the reduction. I also ask you to review again whether the shipping costs as well as the value of the goods are reimbursable.

Practical checklist before sending

• Measure and weigh the box after packing it.
• Compare Deutsche Post, DHL, and Hermes by the final price, not the advertised “from” price.
• For valuable items, choose a product with tracking and liability.
• Photograph the contents and packaging before sending.
• Keep the receipt and Sendungsnummer.
• For international shipments, check customs rules and prohibited goods.
• Do not use damaged or soft packaging for fragile items.