Parcelforce: International Shipping and Delivery Services

Parcelforce UK and international courier services

Parcelforce is one of the main courier companies in the UK for domestic and international shipping services, with headquarters in Milton Keynes. Read our guide below to learn more about Parcelforce’s domestic and international parcel delivery services and times. Alternatively, use our booking tool to get quotes from our wide network of vetted couriers and express shipping services. Our system automatically identifies the best courier service at the lowest price to meet your needs.

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Parcelforce is one of the main courier companies in the UK for domestic and international shipping services, with headquarters in Milton Keynes. Read our guide below to learn more about Parcelforce’s domestic and international parcel delivery services and times. Alternatively, use our booking tool to get quotes from our wide network of vetted couriers and express shipping services. Our system automatically identifies the best courier service at the lowest price to meet your needs.

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Our shipping services

Eurosender works with trusted logistics providers to find the best shipping solution for every route. See below a few of our service alternatives to shipping internationally with Parcelforce.
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How long does Parcelforce take to deliver in the UK or internationally?

Parcelforce offers a variety of parcel delivery services, each one with its own delivery times and schedules. For international shipments, the Parcelforce delivery time is up to 4 days. In practice, this estimation may be extended by a couple of days, depending on international customs procedures.

For urgent shipments, Parcelforce offers express parcel delivery with a transit time of 24-48h, no matter whether local or worldwide. You can check Parcelforce delivery times for domestic and international shipping services in the tables below.

Parcelforce domestic delivery times in the UK

ServiceDelivery time
express91 working day by 9.00
express101 working day by 10.00
expressAM1 working day by 12.00
express241 working day
express24 Large1 working day for items up to 2.5 m long
express48Up to 2 working days
express48 LargeUp to 2 working days for items up to 2.5 m long

Parcelforce international delivery times

Service International serviceDelivery time
globalexpress 1-2 working days
irelandexpress1 working day
globalpriority3-4 working days
globalvalue5-8 working days
globaleconomy28-46 working days

Parcelforce UK and international shipments – Partners and collaborations

Parcelforce collaborates with a wide network of courier companies to provide quality shipping services domestically within the UK and internationally.

Parcelforce and Royal Mail – are they the same company?

Parcelforce Worldwide is a trading name of Royal Mail and is organised within the UK Parcels, International and Letters division of the group. Since Royal Mail imposes a limit of 20 kg for most of its services, Parcelforce Worldwide transports larger parcels of up to 30 kg on behalf of Royal Mail.

Who delivers Parcelforce’s international shipments?

One of the main partners of Parcelforce for international shipping is GLS, which consists of 23 parcel delivery companies covering 5 million km in 42 countries across Europe. The network handles more than 1 million packages on a daily basis with the aim of delivering over 98% of consignments on time.

Another Parcelforce business partner is EMS, which delivers parcels in the UK through the Parcelforce network. With EMS, Parcelforce offers their customers market-leading services around the globe through their Globalpriority service.

On the other hand, worldwide courier brands such as DHL, DX Group, FedEx and UPS are direct competitors of Parcelforce.

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FAQ on Parcelforce international shipping and delivery services

How do I send a parcel through Parcelforce?
You can arrange a courier service directly on the Parcelforce website by inserting your shipping route, parcel size, address and contact details in their booking tool. Alternatively, you can use our booking tool above to get an instant quote and check the express delivery solutions offered by Eurosender.
Does Parcelforce courier service deliver on Saturday?
Parcelforce will perform Saturday deliveries for customers who purchase this specific service for an additional fee of £12. Parcelforce delivery times on a Saturday are between 7.00 am and 2.00 pm. Shippers who do not select the Saturday delivery service can expect their delivery on Monday unless it is a bank holiday.
Does Parcelforce courier service deliver on Sunday?
Parcelforce offers a Sunday delivery service for non-registered customers through their Post Office branches. If the parcel is sent on a Friday, customers can expect their deliveries by Sunday.
Does Parcelforce give you a delivery timeslot?
Parcelforce delivers on Monday to Friday from 7.00 am to 5.30 pm and on Saturday from 7 am to 2 pm. They currently cannot give specific timeslots for deliveries. If no one is present at the address to receive the package, Parcelforce may consider the parcel delivery as failed.
Do Parcelforce text before delivery?
Yes, Parcelforce offers an interactive text and email notification service to optimise the delivery experience of their customers. Parcelforce provides the following delivery messages for recipients:
  • Day of despatch (email or SMS) advising that the parcel will be delivered the following day.
  • Day of delivery (SMS) advising that the parcel will be delivered that day, providing the option to reschedule your Parcelforce delivery to an alternative day, opt for a neighbour or a Post Office collection.
  • Pre-delivery notification (SMS) advising customers of their one-hour delivery time window.
What happens if I miss my Parcelforce delivery?
Parcelforce will attempt to deliver a maximum of 3 times, after which you will need to collect your parcel from the Parcelforce depot. If you have additional issues with Parcelforce failed delivery attempts, we recommend getting in touch with their support team.
Where can I collect my parcel from Parcelforce?
If you have missed your Parcelforce delivery, there are a few options you can choose from to collect your parcel. After an initial attempted delivery, Parcelforce will automatically attempt redelivery on the next working day if they have not left your package at your local Post Office or with a neighbour. You can:
  • Have your parcel redelivered to your current address
  • Redelivered to a different address from £5.50
  • Pick up from your local depot at no additional cost
  • Pick up from your local Post Office from £1
Can I ship a bike with Parcelforce?
Yes, you can. When shipping a bike with Parcelforce, it is very important to ensure that it is properly packaged to ensure that it is delivered in good condition.
Read more about how to ship a bike.
How long does Parcelforce take to deliver from the UK to the USA?
Depending on the urgency of your shipment, you can select between the following Parcelforce international delivery services for shipping from the UK to the USA:
  • globalexpress: 1-2 working days
  • globalpriority: 3-4 working days
  • globalvalue: 5-8 working days
  • globaleconomy: 28-46 working days
How long does Parcelforce express delivery in the UK take?
Parcelforce offers a range of express courier services for urgent shipments within the UK. You can choose between the following options:
  • express9: 1 working day by 9.00
  • express10: 1 working day by 10.00
  • expressAM: 1 working day by 10.00
  • express24: 1 working day
  • express24 Large: 1 working day for items up to 2.5 m long
  • express48: Up to 2 working days
  • express48 Large: Up to 2 working days for items up to 2.5 m long
Can I drop off a Parcelforce shipment at the Post Office?
Yes, thanks to the collaboration between the Post Office and Parcelforce, you can arrange parcel collection or delivery from your local Post Office branch. Alternatively, you can choose to have your Parcelforce shipment picked up from your home address or delivered to it.
Read more about how courier collection services work.
What solutions does Parcelforce offer for e-commerce businesses?
Parcelforce offers an API integration tool and dashboard for e-commerce businesses that allow them to ship, track and return their Parcelforce orders via API and optimise their logistics processes in general. Parcel bookings are faster, and accounting processes are more efficient thanks to their integration software, facilitating the operations of e-commerce businesses that use Parcelforce.
If your online store is looking for shipping solutions, check the advantages Eurosender can offer you for your e-commerce shipping.
Why is my Parcelforce tracking not updating?
If the Parcelforce parcel tracking status is not updated for more than a couple of days or if it has passed its expected delivery date, you should contact Parcelforce courier service for further information. Tracking update delays may happen due to long transit distances, a delay in the tracking system or high volumes of parcels at sorting depots.
Read more about how parcel tracking works.
How can I contact Parcelforce courier service in the UK from abroad?
There are a number of ways you can contact Parcelforce courier service if you have an enquiry or would like to leave feedback about their services:
  • Phone: Parcelforce customer service is available 8.00 am – 7.00 pm from Monday to Friday, and 8.00 am – 12.30 pm on Saturday, except for UK public and bank holidays. You can call them on 0344 800 4466 in the UK. Welsh-speaking customers may contact their dedicated support team on 0344 800 5550. If you are calling from overseas, you need to call your local parcel carrier.
  • Twitter: You can contact Parcelforce via Twitter if your message is 280 characters or less. Their Twitter team is available from Monday to Friday, 8.00 am – 6.00 pm.
  • Relay service: Customers with impaired hearing may contact Parcelforce using the Relay UK service on 18001 03448 004466. Their customer service team is available 8.00 am – 7.00 pm from Monday to Friday, and 8.00 am – 12.30 pm on Saturday, except for UK public and bank holidays. UK-based customers may also reach them by Textphone 08000 855 854.
  • Contact forms: The courier Parcelforce offers various contact forms on their website, one for private shippers and another for registered business users. They have other contact forms for making a complaint or regular parcel senders enquiring about special shipping rates offered by Parcelforce.
Find out more about our other logistics partners
Disclaimer: The information above is the result of online research conducted in June 2022. For more information about Parcelforce courier and parcel delivery services, please check the official website of Parcelforce.