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Mail Delivery in CR

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Casbah209
  7/2/2019 18:19 EST

Hola! I have greatly appreciated following the wonderful information from you seasoned expats and other citizens in CR--thank you for your generosity in sharing!
I've been reading about shipping items to CR, but what about mail delivery or delivery of small packing envelopes? Is there a reliable mail service? What have you found to be useful in paying bills--on line or through the mail?

Thank you and best regards,
Casbah209

shermanwc
  7/2/2019 19:55 EST

There may be a mail and/or package delivery service in your area, but it depends upon where you live. We had used Mail Boxes Etc for both in Tamarindo, but they have now closed. We now have mail and most packages sent to our daughter's address in the USA - she scans critical mail and we pick up packages when visiting.

I pay all bills online, using USA or CR bank accounts, credit cards, and PayPal.

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PombinhaCoco7
  7/3/2019 12:07 EST

UPS no longer comes to Playas del Coco and other areas of Guanacaste.
I had some documents sent to me from Canada through them.
Al went well until San Jose.
Then UPS called saying that they no longer come here and the envelope would be sent by bus,
From San Jose to Playas del Coco, it took 6 days.
Not sure why.
In the previous times we used DHL and we never had a problem.

Casbah209
  7/4/2019 00:35 EST

Thank you Pombinha and Sherman for your responses. They are most helpful.

peter2017
  7/4/2019 14:19 EST

The mail service in CR is not reliable.

Their mailing directions are 2000 years old, i.e. work in progress lol.

For documents use Fedex.

Blueridgeboy1
  7/4/2019 14:32 EST

If you search this forum for past entries on this topic you will find some good answers about PO box rental and other tips. To directly answer your question of how PO delivery works: Addresses in CR are basically the number of meters away from a local landmark such as a local church. You will see this in the various tourist books... 200 meters north of the Iglesia Santo Tomas, for example. A carrier might go down your street shouting your name until someone says they know you and takes the envelope. Hence the reliance on the private package and messenger services.

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Casbah209
  7/4/2019 16:24 EST

Lol. Charming but I guess not something to over utilize, if utilize at all. Thank you for the informative answer!

Casbah209
  7/4/2019 16:24 EST

Lol. Charming but I guess not something to over utilize, if utilize at all. Thank you for the informative answer!

scalnew
  7/4/2019 16:25 EST

You should use a privatized service for your mail suchasJETBOX that uses more care receiving your important mailings and packages. It's a little expensive but worth it. They use a plane service from C.R. to Florida. They will provide you with a Florida address. Just use this address for anything important going to C.R. and they will see to it that it arrives. This service is the most adecuate for documents and letters, etc. If you have packages coming from China the C.R. post office has special locations where you can pick up your package for a nominal fee but they are supposed to inform you on a :CORREOS DE COSTA RICA" app when your item has arrived but the service, of course, is not reliable. One time I waited and waited for their notice of a package to arrive and it never did. So I had to call the post office and was told that the item had arrived and since nobody picked it up within 10 days it was returned to China. So I never got the item I had paid for. So for receiving Amazon/Ebay packages or larger items I suggest an alternative. I have had very good experience with a company called www.transexpress.com. They don't deal in documents but with packages and they will process all your packages entering C.R. through Customs, pay the fees, etc. and then deliver to your door. You will be charged once on a credit card for the international delivery and also at the door for the second delivery to your door with Customs approval. It costs a little extra but is well worth it and is a lot less hassle and aggravation. I received a lot of packages that way and never had any problems and the service is courteous. One time they even delivered one of those sunsetter awnings to my business that I purchased from Ebay and I probably have the only one in C.R.! Awnings in C.R. are very expensive and all told my sunsetter windout awning was still considerably cheaper even with the delivery charges.

Casbah209
  7/4/2019 17:05 EST

Great info! I was wondering about Amazon delivery so thank you!

scalnew
  7/4/2019 22:59 EST

You're welcome!

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