Anyone have any experience mailing to Russia?

[grasswire]

The college junior is spending this year in St. Petersburg at university.

I'm looking for advice about mailing to Russia. I know that a great deal of stuff is stolen out of the mail system there.

Has anyone had experience with USPS, DHS, FEDEX, to Russia?

Thanks in advance.

[Kali]

1. hit or miss

have sent lots of regular mail - letters from back in the Soviet Union days to just a few weeks ago. Don't think I have ever had a letter lost, and have always recieved cards and letters sent by others. I do know someone (a US citizen) who was waiting on some medications to be delivered that never got there. But then I am waiting on something that was mailed to me last Monday from Phx - only 3 hours away by normal driving...

[rug]

2. Yes and it was a pain in the ass.

I had to send a document to Siberia for a signature. Took forever but it got there and was sent back. USPS.

Depending on what you're sending, you might want to go with UPS or FedEx or some company that will track it every step of the way.

[HopeHoops]

4. USPS will track it if you ask them to. It doesn't cost much - the WEIGHT is what costs!!!!

[HopeHoops]

3. No, but my eldest spent a semester in Budapest. Use USPS - most reliable.

[grasswire]

5. yeah, we are experienced at mail to Hungary and Romania

Mail to Romania is blighted by theft. A constant problem.

It's packages that we don't want trouble with. We won't be sending anything expensive, but a Christmas package means a lot to someone so far from home. What this lad would appreciate is coffee beans but I'm pretty sure that would be stolen for re-sale.

Chex party mix. His favorite ginger cookies. That kind of thing might make it through. I was told at the post office today that a 20 pound priority box would cost $47 and take about 11 days.

But I wondered if FEDEX is safer.

[HopeHoops]

6. FedEx isn't safer - it just costs more.