The German Post Office and Postal Services
At a German post office, you can do a lot more than just mail letters.
Anybody who's been away from Germany for a while will find "Deutsche Post DHL" a shock. That's the present name for the postal service, a piece of the former government monopoly, Deutsche Bundespost, that went public in 2000.
While there are still dedicated post office branches in most German cities, under the new regime the neighborhood post office is often a sort of one-stop shopping center. It could be part of a stationery or grocery store with a section or counter where you can buy stamps, mail a package, deposit or withdraw money and apply for a credit card. It will also probably be open more convenient hours than the bureaucratic post offices of old.
And that's only the part that is visible to the average consumer. As the name "Deutsche Post DHL" implies, the new company is a major world player in the growing field of logistics. It has streamlined its operations in an effort to give the American giants, UPS and FedEx, a run for their money.
For all the forward-looking plans, the old-fashioned delivery of letters and parcels still accounts for the majority of the Post's business. Even back in its bureaucratic days, the German post office had a reputation for speedy delivery, and the private company has further improved on it: 95% of letters are delivered within one day, and 99% within two days. Most packages can be delivered within a 400-kilometer radius in one day and nationwide within two days.
Postal Rates
Following is a partial list of postal rates used in Germany. The rates are from February 2010. You can get full rate information at any post office by requesting the free brochure "Leistungen und Preise", or on the web at www.post.de.
Inside Germany
| Item | Max. Size in mm (LxWxD) | Weight | Rates (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letters (Brief) | Postcard - 235 x 125 (minimum 140 x 90) | 0.45 | |
| Standardbrief - 235 x 125 x 5 (minimum 140 x 90) | up to 20 gms | 0.55 | |
| Kompaktbrief - 235 x 125 x 10 | 21 to 50 gms | 0.90 | |
| Grossbrief - 353 x 250 x 20 | 51 to 500 gms | 1.45 | |
| Maxibrief - 353 x 250 x 50 | 501 to 1,000 gms | 2.20 | |
| Small Package (Päckchen) | 600 x 300 x 150 (minimum 150 x 110 x 10) | up to 2,000 gms | 3.90 |
| Large Package (Post-Pakete) | 1200 x 600 x 600 | up to 10kg | 6.90 |
| 10 to 20 kg | 9.90 |
Europe
| Item | Max. Size in mm (LxWxD) | Weight | Rates (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letters | Postcard - 235 x 125 (minimum 140 x 90) | 0.65 | |
| Standardbrief - 235 x 125 x 10 (minimum 140 x 90) | up to 20 gms | 0.70 | |
| Kompaktbrief | up to 50 gms | 1.25 | |
| Grossbrief - 353x250x20 | up to 500 gms | 3.40 | |
| Maxibrief International - L + W + D = 900 (No side longer than 600) | up to 501 to 1,000 gms | 6.00 | |
| Maxibrief International - L + W + D = 900 (No side longer than 600) | up to 1,001 to 2,000 gms | 14.00 |
Outside Europe (Airmail)
| Item | Max. Size in mm (LxWxD) | Weight | Rates (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letters | Postcard - 162 x 114 (minimum 140 x 90) | 1.00 | |
| Standardbrief - 235 x 125 x 5 (minimum 140 x 90) | up to 20 gms | 1.70 | |
| Kompaktbrief - 235 x 125 x 10 | up to 50 gms | 2.00 | |
| Grossbrief - 353x250x20 | up to 500 gms | 6.00 | |
| Maxibrief International - L + W + D = 900 (No side longer than 600) | up to 501 to 1,000 gms | 12.00 | |
| Maxibrief International - L + W + D = 900 (No side longer than 600) | up to 1,001 to 2,000 gms | 24.00 |
Check with the Post Office for more detailed rates for sending packages outside of Germany.
A registered letter (Einschreiben) costs €2.05 extra. If you want a return receipt (Rückschein) that costs an additional €1.80.
Special Devilery letters (Express-Briefe) mailed to addresses in Germany that weigh up to 50 gms cost €8.90; 50-1,000gms costs €9.90; and 1,000-2,000 gms costs €11.90. This is in addition to the regular postage. These letters are delivered the following day (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays; delivery on Saturdays costs an extra €10.00 and for Sundays and Holidays it costs an extra €49.50).
The Post Office sells mailing cartons (Packsets) in five sizes. They cost from €1.49 and €2.49 each, depending on size.
The Post Office has an excellent website at www.post.de. The English language version comes up by clicking on English Version under Site Services at the bottom of the home page.
The site has extensive information about postal rates, services, tracking packages and post office locations. It is even possible to set up an online franking account to be able to print your own postage.
Now that the Deutsche Bundespost is no longer a government monopoly, its old banking part, the Postbank, is acting more like a private bank. It was long a government service to the small depositor, giving him little more than an inexpensive checking or savings account. Now, however, it has gone also into mortgages, credit cards, consumer credit and the sale of insurance.
