To ask the best way to post an URGENT parcel to Italy?

[PostalPanic]

DD has just arrived in Italy on a ski trip for 8 days and has left her dental retainers at home. Is beside herself with worry as had 4 years of braces and now has to wear retainers every night for life or teeth can start to move back within days. Some people are OK for a week, some not. She's been fastidious about this for the last year and is very anxious now.

I thought I could post them via Royal Mail, but the fastest option is 'International Tracked and Signed', with a 'delivery aim' of 5-7 working days, so she'd be on the way back before they arrive.

So now looking at Couriers...DPD or UPS etc. Does anyone know the fastest and most reliable option for small lightweight psckages to Italy? Destination is up in the Alps, near the Swiss border, which probably makes it more difficult. I can see couriers are going to be £30 upwards compared to Royal Mail of £7.50 but if the parcel gets there faster, so she can relax and enjoy her trip, any amount is fine.

Everything I've read, including previous MN threads, say post to Italy is notoriously slow and unreliable, so any advice is much appreciated, thanks.

AIBU for traffic, sorry, as I need to get them sent off this morning. Or I guess AIBU to be surprised how long Royal Mail takes to Italy....I was expecting 2-3 days on the fastest option, not over a week.

Yes the post to delivery is very unreliable. I have found DHL or UPS to be the best and probably DHL has the edge. They offer an express service and the best thing to do is to find your nearest collection point and take it there. What a pain!

To Italy!!

Definitely do not think of Royal Mail. They are horrendous. The likes of DPD will still only get them there as she is coming home. Not worth it really as you then risk her retainers arriving in the alps once she has left and still,not having any

DHL are the only people I would trust with this.

Another vote for DHL

I use Fedex, guaranteed by 12 noon next day

Thank you so much @Teddleshon, @Sunflowergirl1 , @Definitelylivedin, @Definitelylivedin ,@FenellaBestwick

That's given me two good companies to aim for!

I'm now googling nearest DHL and Fed Ex depots with drop-off points. Would much rather go there and know the proper forms are filled in than drop off to at a convenience store or newsagent.

I'm sure I can do it all in an app but not sure about customs declaration. This will be going to a hotel desk so can't risk the parcel being withheld with fees to pay. Not even sure if have to pay VAT as it's obviously a used item. So hoping to find an office with a real person for reassurance!

Thank you all, I'll update when sent and arrived and may be useful for someone else in the future.

I would be concerned that the retainers would arrive after she has departed, leaving her without them for even longer.

But yes, someone like DHL or FEDEX if you want to stand a chance.

My brother , who lives in rural Italy , left his very expensive spectacles here on his last visit. If you mark them as a “ returned item” with “ no value” ( even though they cost €600 they weren’t of any value to anyone else) they shouldn’t attract any taxes. I sent them tracked via Royal Mail - they got to Italy within a day or two but then spent 3 weeks in a Milan office before my brother finally received them .

She'll be okay for a week. It's not worth risking it. If they don't get there in time, you'll have to get new ones made which will take even longer.

I went on a 2week holiday and my teeth were fine without them.

Does she have the bar attached to her teeth? Maybe that's why mine didn't move ?

DHL but you’re looking at about 3 days.
Sometimes the tracking stops when it leaves the UK so it would be risky AND stressful.

Thanks @SpringOfContentment , @gerispringer , @spidermonkeys , @Sgtmajormummy

I'm just leaving to go to the DHL and Fed Ex depots now and see which has the best option when I get there. I think I'm going to risk sending them as we have 2 sets of retainers at home. The first set was NHS but we paid an extra fee to have a spare made at the same time.

No retainer bar unfortunately, orthodontist said it wasn't necessary. She usually takes the retainers everywhere. Year 13, so old enough to manage this and good lesson learned for the future!

Labelling as a 'returned item' is a really good tip, thanks!

Thanks everyone....disappointing update in that I didn't send them after all. Visited DHL, Fed-Ex and UPS depots.

Fed-Ex were helpful but said I couldn't send directly through them unless already had an account and they take a while to set up. If I had, it would have been an airmail letter package and next day delivery. But they recommended I used Parcel-to-Go website instead of setting up an account. That site led me to....

UPS - very helpful and again 1-2 days by air. Said customs form would either have to say 'medical appliance ' and retainer would have to have a mark on it to show meet European standard (doesn't have one of course!). Or 'personal effects', but on the UPS system, transfer of personal effects between UK and Italy is not permitted. They said, though their delivery times are fast, any hiccup or misinterpretation with a customs form and deliveries can sit in a European warehouse for weeks.

DHL - I had high hopes for them, but told me there are two different companies under the DHL brand and I was at the wrong one. Couldn't tell me where the one I needed was, as 'nothing to do with them'.

Meanwhile I rang the orthodontist and they said no guarantees but is likely to be OK, must wear retainers 24 hours a day for a week when she gets back. So that's the new plan. She will be jamming them in before she gets down the coach steps! 😁