Key points:
- There are many different shipping options when it comes to sending packages through Royal Mail
- Around 8 billion letters were delivered in the UK between 2017-March 2022
- You can connect your own Royal Mail account to your Easyship dashboard, and you can start shipping straight away
If you own a business within the United Kingdom (UK), then it's likely that you tend to opt for Royal Mail shipping when it comes to sending your packages out. However, Royal Mail is also a trusted option for international shipping. If you're looking to ship to the US, then you may be wondering how long does Royal Mail take to the USA and the given delivery times.
In this article, we'll look at the different services that Royal Mail offer for consumers and businesses in the UK, as well as Royal Mail International services. Sending mail with Royal Mail is straightforward and there are plenty of different shipping options to choose between which vary in price and estimated delivery time.
Did you know? Between 2017 and the end of March 2022, around 8 billion letters were delivered. On top of this, approximately 1.5 billion packages were delivered in the UK. This shows that Royal Mail is a very popular choice to mail letters and parcels domestically.
Table of Contents
Royal Mail Delivery Services for UK Consumers
Here are the services available in the UK for consumers:
- Royal Mail 2nd Class - Delivery in two to three working days
- Royal Mail 1st Class - Next-day delivery aim for letters and parcels
- Royal Mail Signed For® 2nd Class - Delivery in two to three working days with signature
- Royal Mail Signed For® 1st Class - Next-day delivery aim with signature
- Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm® - Guaranteed next day delivery by 1pm
- Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am® - Guaranteed next day delivery by 9am
- Royal Mail Tracked 48® - Tracked service with delivery within 48 hours
- Royal Mail Tracked 24® - Next day delivery, tracked
Royal Mail Delivery Services for UK Businesses
For businesses, the options are slightly different:
- Royal Mail 1st and 2nd Class - Untracked delivery within 1-2 days
- Royal Mail 24® and 48® - Confirmed delivery within 1-2 days
- Royal Mail Sameday - Same-day delivery
- Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am® and 1pm® - Guaranteed delivery the next working day
- Royal Mail Tracked 24 and 48 - Tracked delivery within 1-2 days
Related post: Royal Mail Tracking
Royal Mail International Business Shipping Services
- International Business Standard Priority - Untracked Delivery within 3-5 days
- International Business Signed - Tracked and Signed delivery within 3-5 days
- International Business Tracked - Tracked Delivery within 2-4 days
- International Business Tracked and Signed - Tracked and Signed Delivery within 3-5 days
Royal Mail International Consumer Shipping Services
- International Economy - Delivery from 2 weeks
- International Standard - Delivery between 3-5 days
- International Signed - Tracked and signed delivery within 3-5 days
- International Tracked - Tracked delivery within 3-4 days
- International Tracked & Signed - Tracked and Signed delivery within 3-4 days
Find out the Royal Mail Services available near you to find out the best way to send your packages.
What's the difference between the Post Office and Royal Mail?
There can sometimes be confusion with what the Post Office is and what the Royal Mail is, and what they both do. In short, the Post Office is a company that accepts parcels and letters and arranges mail station boxes. They also sell stationery and stamps.
Royal Mail is a company that provides the delivery service of mail. Letters and packages can be collected from postboxes, the post office or collected from a business or home if arranged.
So to sum up, the Post Office, accepts and sorts the mail and the Royal Mail delivers the packages.
How Long Does Royal Mail Take to the USA?
Let's take a look at shipping a parcel UK to the US, so you can get a rough idea on what options are available and the estimated delivery times.
First we'll compare the available shipping options and the prices, and then we will look at the estimated delivery times for each service.
This estimate is based on sending a small 1kg package from the UK to the USA Mainland with the length, width and depth not exceeding 90cm.
As you can see from the screenshot, the cheapest option is International Economy with a price of £10.45. However, this is a very slow shipping option.
Now let's take a look at how long each service takes to send:
- International Economy - 15-80 business days
- International Standard - 6-7 business days
- International Tracked 6-7 business days
- International Tracked & Signed - 6-7 business days
So, if you can wait up to 80 days for your parcel to be delivered and want to save on shipping costs, then you may be able to opt for International Economy. However, if you're in more of a hurry, then International Standard or International Tracked may be a better option. With such a small difference in price between Royal Mail International Standard and Royal Mail International Tracked, you may as well opt for the tracked option. If you would like further peace of mind then Royal Mail International Tracked & Signed may be more fitting for your needs.
Now you know the available shipping options for Royal Mail, you can easily choose the best service for you. Shipping with Royal Mail with Easyship is as straightforward as can be, and you can connect your own Royal Mail courier account in just a few clicks.
Ready to ship? Sign up for a free Easyship account today and use Royal Mail as your courier of choice to help your UK business get up and running and make sending mail easier than ever
