This is a great suggestion that could potentially work.
The USPS uses computers to read addresses and then print a barcode on the mail to sort it. They sort it to each city in the USA, but for international mail, they just sort it to the region or country and then send the whole stack of that mail to that country for them to do the sorting within their own country.
Therefore, if someone wrote out the whole Russian address and wrote “Russia” on the last line, and then added another line under that saying “Via Germany”, the mail sorting equipment SHOULD THEORETICALLY sort the mail to Germany. Upon arrival in Germany, the Deutsche Post would further sort the mail and would recognize that the address is not in Germany, and then forward it onwards to Russia.
It’s complicated but definitely possible in theory, and @flamey If you want to message me your address, I would be happy to mail you a postcard to test this theory out!
This definitely works but not always, can be risky (lost). I’ve tried this method and few Indonesian postcrossers have tried it as well. Some of the postcards arrived fast, and some haven’t been heard anymore. Just make sure write the “via NAME OF THE COUNTRY” in uppercase block letter I think for better machine reading
Yes, I think too, with their permission.
But I only thought about official postcrossing cards (because this is here in postcrossing topics ).
In other cases I would ask if both are ok, and the German friend feels absolute no pressure, and is not agreeing only because they want to be kind. But, for someone who sends mail, I think it’s no problem (at least wouldn’t be for me). Although, I have to admit, I would be a little nervous, that if the mail disappears, would someone blame me
Maybe this could be asked from the Post?
If the intention is to get the mail where it should, and this way is not certain/proper/allowed, I would rather wait my mail. For some reason I think there should be more postage than normally, since it’s kind of sent twice?
I have sometimes sent cards to post office, to get certain postmark. That could work?
You send all the items in another envelope, to a place that accepts this, and they open the envelope, postmark the prestamped cards/letters, and then send forward. Also this way the responsibility is theirs, as it is also normally, not someone else’s.
New Zealand & Ireland suspend mail to countries, if they physically can’t deliver or recieved.
Being islands & having suspended international flights over the last couple of years, is just a big a factor as political stability.
New Zealands’ international mail is carried on international passenger flights. Surface mail (boats) was discontinued, 20 years ago. Domestic airmail stopped around 2 years ago.
Maybe I will try this (via Germany). I can send a test postcard in an envelope (with return address). I can report back…in 6-12 weeks when the mail might get to my penpal or is returned
Sadly, mail from US to Russia is still in “suspended” status. I did mail a letter to Russia in April “via Germany,” with my return address included, and it has not been returned to me (yet). However, I do not know if it arrived at its final destination. My penpal in Russia says international mail is arriving very slowly and erratically to them there.
But we can send to the USA and the cards arrive faster than before. At least in my case. I have no idea how they get there. Maybe they march. And I get cards from Germany and the latest one was from the UK. If the air is closed and the USA ports don’t allow Russian ships in, how does it all work?
In your case, yes. You are lucky
Unfortunately, many Russian postcrossers have expired postcards to USA now, and I am one of them. My card is expired for 70 days already
Yes. I have expired cards too. But 70 days never faze me. When the card is travelling for more than 170 days, then I send a second card. Sometimes it works.
As I understand it, Russian mail is processed through Germany to America. From USA, there are no flights to Russia (as there were in the past) and we have no arrangements with a third-party postal system to Russia so the American postal authorities have stopped handling mail until flights resume.
We have not had any international outgoing surface mail for many years, but it seems there must be some procedure in place to transfer incoming surface mail to our postal system. I received a card from China recently clearly marked Surface Mail.
As I have mentioned before on similar threads, I was speaking with a University friend who works in Air Freight and has previously worked on Royal Mail contracts.
We suspect (air) mail is being routed is being routed via Third countries such as Turkey, for example.
We still use surface (sea) mail here both within the UK and for international destinations.
It also wouldn’t surprise me if mail is trucked across the continent.
Of my 25 travelling postcards, 18 are travelling to Russia (and another one to Belarus). These have been travelling from 0-51 days. I’ve said in other threads, postal systems seem to be grinding to a halt. Only two of my postcards have been registered in Russia this month. Very reluctantly, I’ve switched off repeat countries, because I want more postcards registered. I’m not going to switch it back on until things improve considerably. I feel sad about this, but hope there’s more chance of postcards being registered in a wider range of countries.
Yes, in many cases, I’m noticing that as well. Especially from the USA to the UK. Even Germany is often taking longer than it used to for me. I even had my last postcard to my German penpal go missing. I think this is the first time I’ve ever had a piece of mail to Germany go missing.
Two of my postcards to active Postcrossers in Germany have/will expire this week. And of the postcards that are registered in Germany, they seem to be taking 2-3 weeks, when 4, 3 or even 2 days used to be normal.
I sound as though I’m having a right old whinge here! I’m still loving Postcrossing. Just finding the extreme slowness at the moment a bit frustrating.
It doesn’t sound like a whinge at all! I love Postcrossing too…but you know, being an Aussie…and stationed at the arse-end of the world (apparently)…I know well, how frustrating the wait can be!!!
I hope things start to look up for your mail soon…because ours has gone downhill here too…and we were already slow as a wet weekend .
I was very surprised to get an official postcard from Russia here in the USA today! The mail date was May 8th, 2022, and I received it today on May 31st. RU-9163141
).
I’m still loving Postcrossing. Just finding the extreme slowness at the moment a bit frustrating.
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