Sending letters to your loved ones
A guide for the NL Post System
The winter holidays are approaching and what better way to tell your loved ones how much you care about them than by sending them a letter? If you plan to mail something from Leeuwarden, here's what you need to know:
Posting a letter
In order to send an envelope via PostNL, you must put a stamp on it. You can buy one online, it’s actually pretty easy! All you have to do is go to www.postnl.nl/en and click “Send now”. Then, choose the country and the type of package you want to send: letter or postcard, in this case.
Choose the weight of it and when asked “With what do you want to send it?”, answer “Stampcode”.
After you pay for the stamp, you will be given a code that you have to manually write on the envelope. Also write the name and destination of the recipient and take your letter to the nearest post box.
You can find the nearest post box by clicking here.
If you want to send a letter, it is important to note that Dutch post boxes have two slots: the right slot is for sending letters to nearby zip codes, while the left one is for mail going to further destinations. For sending letters abroad, you will use the left slot.
Sending a parcel
If you want to send parcels, you must keep in mind that “as long as a parcel fits through a standard post box slot, it can be mailed through the post within the Netherlands. Parcels that do not fit through the post box need to be sent via the post office, or a parcel shop.” (www.iamexpat.nl)
Using this link, you can also check which postal office is closest to you.
Costs for sending letters and parcels abroad
If you want to mail a letter that weighs under 20 grams (2 sheets of A4 paper), then you will have to pay €1.65. When it comes to sending parcels that do not fit in the post box, prices start from €13.20.
A list of prices for sending either letters or parcels can be found here.
I recommend you do your own research using the link above! Read the conditions carefully before sending a letter or a parcel! Prices for mailing outside the Netherlands may differ per country and the costs mentioned above are standard costs. To send a registered or insured letter, extra costs apply.
Keep in mind that around holidays shipment delays may occur due to increased demand! Hence, it’s best to place your orders as early as possible to make sure your packages arrive on time.