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Mail in Mexico |
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Mail in Mexico is slow, and when packages contain something of value it is also unreliable. In my own experience, letters and packages take 10-14 days to travel between Texas and the Oaxacan coast. Airmail and regular mail took the same amount of time. Success rate for the delivery of packages was about 75%, letters 100%.
Lista de Correo This phrase sometimes appears in a Mexican address. It means that the post office will add the name of the recipient to a list of posted names. The recipient must visit the post office and request his or her mail.
Codigo Postal 70902 This is a Mexican zip code and is often abbreviated C.P. 70902. Some zip codes for areas mentioned here are:
Mexico Express One alternative for sending letters to and from Mexico is Mexico Express. (800) 649-7449. They advertise 24-hour delivery to many cities in Mexico. I expect it takes somewhat longer to reach the areas covered in this web page. The cost for a letter of up to 3 ounces, which may include a money order of up to $1000, is $15 US. For a package of up to 3 pounds, the cost is $29 US, $8 for each additional pound. (May 1999)
Barra de Navidad, Jalisco 48987 Colima, Colima (centro) 28000 Comala, Colima 28450 Huatulco, Oaxaca (Bahías de Huatulco, Chahue) 70987 Huatulco, Oaxaca (Tangolunda) 70989 Huatulco, Oaxaca (Santa Cruz) 70985 Isla Navidad, Colima 28838 Manzanillo, Colima (centro) 28200 Manzanillo, Colima (Playa de Oro) 28209 Manzanillo, Colima (Santiago Península) 28867
Oaxaca, Oaxaca 68000 Puerto Angel, Oaxaca 70902 Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca 71606 Pochutla, Oaxaca 70900 Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca 71980 San Patricio/Melaque, Jalisco 48980 Villa Obregon, Jalisco 48972 Zipolite, Oaxaca 70904
DHL Another express service that serves the areas covered here is DHL, http://www.dhl.com/. But it's very expensive, like $160 for a package under 10 lbs. You may not necessarily be buying any security by using DHL. I know of one instance in which an envelope shipped from the Huatulco office arrived opened with contents of value removed.
Mexpost is the Mexican postal system's version of express mail service. This service is provided in most post offices in Mexico. In Huatulco, Mexpost is available at the post office next to the Red Cross Hospital, in front of the gas station. The rate to send a letter or a package up to one pound is around US$11. They offer a delivery time of 3 working days in foreign orders, and next day service within Mexico.
Here's a rundown of express services available in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, courtesy of Garnet Beach (12/99):
FedEx: spotty service. The packages come to them via Estrella Blanca bus line. They have a phone and sometimes a bicycle. They can be late notifying and usually won't deliver.Estafeta: Has a phone and delivers always. Usually they are very good, but I had one very serious delay 4 years ago. Things are automated now with Internet, so I don't think that happens. They have a book that gives the US affiliate because they don't have offices in the US.
Airborne: Maybe delivered by Estafeta. I recently received a mailing very promptly from them. Estafeta delivered it.
UPS: Delivers here. Doesn't have an office. They are very reliable, but you might lose time because of no office.
US Postal Express Mail: Is delivered here by MexPost. Service is excellent. They deliver.
MultiPak: Is reliable. They generally don't deliver. You can't call them, but they borrow a phone and notify you. I once received a delivery by truck. I don't know how that happened because they don't have a truck here and the packages are delivered to them by an excellent bus line, Cristobal Colon.
DHL: Doesn't have an office here. I once received something promptly, delivered by their truck.
Don't expect next day service to come in 1 day from any of these. I feel happy is something arrives in 3 days.
Postal Reform 2008: The Mexican postal service, with the possible exception of its expensive express service, is abysmal. The new head of the system claims that it was more effective in Colonial times when horses and carriages were used. I could vouch for that. Major reform is said to be underway. I want to be optimistic. New hot pink and bright lime green uniforms have been issued, and the post office interior has been painted in the same color scheme. The woman who has been behind the desk most of my years in Puerto is greatly distressed. Employees will be fined if inspectors discover that mail has not been delivered in a timely fashion. One day and extra hours have been added to the work week. - Sheila Clarke
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