POSTAL SERVICES IN SPAINBusiness hours at main post offices in cities and large towns are usually from around 8am until 2pm Mondays to Saturdays. Main post offices in major towns don't close for lunch and may also provide limited services outside normal business hours. Some post offices in major cities also open for a period on Sundays, although the range of services may be limited. There are also post offices at international airports, generally only open in the morning, and mobile post offices in some areas usually operating from around 10am to 1pm.
TELECOR
Under an agreement with Spain's flagship department store, El Cortés Ingles, the post office runs Telecor shops, a kind of "one stop" shop for telephone (fixed and mobiles), television, clothing, food and utility services. The shops, available in main post offices and provincial capitals, offer clients the chance to sign up for these services from a choice of different companies.
LETTER POSTThere's one set of rates for all domestic post, although there is a special low rate for domestic publicity post to addresses in the same town.
Domestic publicity post takes from two to six days to be delivered. International letter rates depend on the destination.
PARCEL POST
Parcels are usually dealt with at a separate window in main post offices. The post office provides a range of parcel services, both domestic and international. Parcel services are also provided by Spanish railways and airlines, and by international courier companies such as DHL and UPS.
REGISTERED & RECORDED POST
You can send important letters and parcels by registered post, with or without proof of delivery, and send items that need to be paid for. If you are running a mail-order business by cash on delivery nationally or internationally. Importat letters can also be sent by burofax. The sender is required to complete a form, which includes their name and address, and the name and address of the recipient. The sender's address must also be written on the back of registered post, for which you receive a receipt. Note that the payment on delivery service is not available to some countries, including the UK.
Registered letters require a signature and proof of identity on delivery, normally from the addressee. If the addressee is absent when a delivery is made, a notice is left and the letter must be collected from the local post office. Registration is common in Spain when sending official documents and important communications.
Spanish courier services offer similar services at competitive prices for letters and parcels, and some companies have branches in most cities and large towns.
POST COLLECTION
If the postman calls with post requiring a signature or payment when nobody is at home, he will leave a collection form. Normal post is kept at the posst office for one month, after which it is returned to the sender, therefore if you are going to be away from home for longer than this you should ask the post office to hold your post.
There is no charge for this service. Note that proof of delivery and registered post are kept for 3 or 7 days respectively
To collect post, you present the collection form at your local post office or postal "depot", the address of which is written on the form. In large post offices there may be a special window.
You need some form of identification, for example, your passport, residence permit or Spanish driving licence. A post office may refuse to give letters to a spouse addressed to his or her partner, or to give letters to a house owner addressed to his tenants or guests.
You can give someone authorisation to collect a letter or parcel on your behalf by entering the details on the back of the collection form in the box marked for which the addressee's and collector's identification is required.
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