Swiss Post Tracking: Consignment Numbers, Statuses, My Post 24, Customs, and Claims

Swiss Post tracking at a glance

• Enter: One supported Swiss Post consignment number.
• A recognised record confirms: Electronic shipment or tracking data may exist.
• It does not confirm: Physical carrier possession, exact location, delivery, recipient identity, contents, condition, customs release, or compensation.
• Sender registration/data delivery means: The sender created the number and sent data. The item has usually not yet been handed over.
• First possession milestone: A mailing, collection, acceptance, or first verified Swiss Post processing event.
• Sorted and forwarded: Network processing or movement, not exact live location.
• Sorted for delivery: Last-mile preparation, not guaranteed same-day delivery.
• Delivery date unknown: Can mean a foreign item, outbound item, or preregistered item not yet handed over.
• Time slot: A non-binding operational estimate.
• Real-time function: Limited, expanding, and not employee surveillance or universal exact GPS.
• Recipient order initiated: A request exists; successful execution is not yet proved.
• Notified for collection: A collection branch exists; the item may not yet be ready or collected.
• My Post 24: Screen and screenless terminal workflows use private release credentials.
• Delivered pending confirmation: Delivery is recorded while the proof image is still unavailable.
• Confirmation of receipt received: A signature image is recorded; the named addressee did not necessarily sign.
• Customs payment: Payment confirmation is not customs completion, customs release, or delivery.
• Enquiry initiated: Formal review started; liability and compensation remain undecided.
• No universal rule: Identifier format, attempt count, collection period, proof object, fee, and liability depend on product and workflow.

Track one supported consignment number

Where can I find the number?

Look on the:

• shipping label;
• mailing receipt;
• branch receipt;
• sender notification;
• Post-App or My consignments record;
• collection note;
• merchant shipping confirmation when it reproduces the actual carrier number.

Is every domestic Swiss Post number 18 digits?

No.

Current DataTransfer technical documentation confirms an 18-numeric-digit IdentCode family for certain domestic parcels, express products, solutions, and domestic letters with barcode. That is strong evidence for a current technical family, not proof that every retail, historic, return, partner, collection, or international identifier always has exactly 18 digits.

Is every international number 13 characters?

No.

The same technical documentation confirms 13 alphanumeric characters for an international letter-with-barcode family. Other products, including parcels, EMS, courier, partner, and return workflows, must be verified separately.

What does a 99.01 prefix mean?

Current PostPac product pages identify 99.01 as a prefix used on selected pre-printed mail-order return labels.

99.01 prefix
→ product-specific return-label evidence
≠ every Swiss Post return
≠ every Swiss Post parcel

Is there one universal Swiss Post regular expression?

No.

The available first-party evidence does not justify one universal:

• length;
• prefix;
• suffix;
• alphabet;
• check digit;
• domestic/international pattern.

Can I enter a merchant order?

Not automatically.

A merchant order proves a commercial transaction exists. It does not prove:

• Swiss Post is the carrier;
• one order maps to one parcel;
• the sender created a Swiss Post number;
• the item was physically posted.

Can I enter a collection code?

A collection code can belong to a collection-note or recipient-management workflow. It is not necessarily the consignment number and should not be treated as a general parcel identifier without exact verification.

Can I enter a My Post 24 QR code?

No.

A QR code or collection link can release an item at a terminal. It is a sensitive possession credential, not a tracking number.

Can I enter a PickPost or My Post 24 User ID?

No.

The User ID is part of direct addressing and customer identity. It is not the shipment number.

Can I track by phone, e-mail, name, or address?

Not through the public consignment-number form.

Private Swiss Post account services can match items to a verified customer, but account matching is not anonymous public search by identity data.

Can I enter a customs or enquiry reference?

Not as the ordinary consignment number.

Keep separate:

• consignment number;
• return number;
• collection code;
• QR or collection link;
• customs reference;
• payment reference;
• enquiry reference;
• merchant refund case.

Swiss Post, Post CH Ltd, and related entities

Swiss Post

Swiss Post is the public postal and parcel carrier identity used for consumer tracking and service delivery.

Post CH Ltd

The current reviewed postal-service, My consignments, PickPost, and My Post 24 contracts identify Post CH Ltd as the operating legal entity.

This legal name matters for:

• service terms;
• delivery authorization;
• access-point contracts;
• privacy;
• customs handling;
• liability and enquiries.

Swiss Post Ltd

Swiss Post Ltd is a broader group-level entity used in corporate and digital contexts.

Swiss Post
→ public carrier identity

Post CH Ltd
→ postal-service operating legal entity

Swiss Post Ltd
→ broader group-level entity

Related services are not automatic aliases

Do not silently map the following to the same parcel provider:

• Swiss Post Cargo;
• Swiss Post GLS;
• PostFinance;
• PostBus;
• Post CH Network Ltd;
• Post CH Digital Services Ltd;
• IncaMail;
• ePost.

Foreign postal operators

An international consignment can be handed to another postal operator or delivery partner. The foreign operator can control the local stage even when the same identifier continues to work.

Which Swiss Post products can be tracked?

Domestic parcels

Current official tracking material includes product families such as:

• PostPac Priority;
• PostPac Economy;
• bulky-goods parcel products;
• PostPac Promo;
• VinoLog;
• Swiss-Express products;
• selected courier products;
• returns.

Domestic letters with tracking

Current material includes:

• registered domestic mail;
• Registered Prepaid;
• A Mail Plus;
• Dispomail;
• Letter ID;
• letters with confirmation of receipt;
• selected court and debt-collection products.

International products

Current official material includes:

• PostPac International;
• registered international letters;
• PRIORITY Plus;
• EMS;
• URGENT;
• tracked small goods.

Tracking abroad is not universal

Swiss Post states that tracking in the destination country cannot be fully guaranteed for every country and product.

Swiss Post export event
→ Swiss Post controlled that event
≠ complete foreign event history guaranteed

Product classification matters

The product can change:

• identifier family;
• event depth;
• delivery target;
• signature;
• authorization options;
• collection period;
• liability limit;
• enquiry procedure;
• foreign tracking coverage.

From electronic data to final outcome: the evidence ladder

What changes the conclusion?

• Electronic registration becomes possession evidence after mailing, collection, or first processing.
• Sorting becomes last-mile evidence after a field-branch or delivery-preparation event.
• Collection notification becomes recipient possession after a recorded handover or release.
• Delivered pending confirmation becomes proof availability after the confirmation event.
• Customs payment becomes onward delivery evidence only after clearance, release, and carrier processing.
• Return movement becomes merchant remedy only after merchant receipt, inspection, and refund decision.
• An enquiry becomes compensation only after an accepted decision and payment.

Sender registration, data delivery, and physical posting

What does sender registration mean?

The official event dictionary states that the sender:

• generated a consignment number;
• transferred electronic shipment data;
• usually had not yet handed over the physical item.

registration by sender
→ electronic record exists
≠ Swiss Post possession

What does data delivery mean?

Business systems can transmit:

• barcode data;
• product code;
• sender and recipient data;
• references;
• customs data;
• service selections.

Electronic acceptance of those data is not physical acceptance of the item.

What proves physical posting?

The strongest public evidence is a verified event such as:

• time at which the consignment was mailed;
• collected from customer;
• accepted at branch;
• accepted from terminal;
• first sorting or processing event.

What does the mailing-time event prove?

It can show:

• posting time;
• the post office or posting context.

It is stronger than a label or sender message.

Does terminal deposit prove possession?

Closing a My Post 24 compartment proves a deposit action occurred in the terminal workflow. Stronger Swiss Post possession evidence comes from:

• a receipt;
• accepted event;
• collection from the terminal;
• first processing scan.

What physical acceptance does not prove

• correct contents;
• declared value;
• compliance with prohibited-item rules;
• adequate packaging;
• hidden damage;
• merchant legitimacy.

Swiss Post event meanings

Delivery date unknown

The official event can appear because:

• the item comes from abroad;
• the item is being sent abroad;
• a preregistered item has not yet been handed over.

It is not a synonym for “lost.”

Sorted and forwarded

The item was processed at a sorting centre or post office and sent onward.

sorted and forwarded
≠ exact current position

Sorted for delivery

The item was prepared for the destination area.

This is a last-mile preparation event, not a guarantee of same-day completion.

Passed to field branch

The item was handed to the delivery branch.

It does not reveal:

• employee identity;
• exact route;
• vehicle;
• number of remaining stops.

Arrival at Swiss border point

The item reached a Swiss border-processing point in the relevant import or export flow.

The exact meaning depends on direction and raw event wording.

Left Swiss border point

The item departed Switzerland toward the destination country.

Arrived in transit country

The item is in an intermediate country, not necessarily the destination country.

Left transit country

The item departed the intermediate country.

Arrival at destination-country border

The item reached the destination-country border point.

arrival at destination border
≠ customs release
≠ local delivery

Transport stage through Switzerland

The item crossed Switzerland as a transit movement.

It does not prove Swiss import or domestic delivery.

Late arrival

Swiss Post records that the item is late relative to the current product or route expectation.

It does not independently establish the cause.

Handling damaged packaging or address clarification

Swiss Post can reprocess an item because:

• packaging appears defective;
• content damage is suspected;
• address is unreadable or incomplete.

The tracking event does not by itself determine the actual condition of the contents.

Cancellation due to mis-scan

The official event dictionary includes cancellation of a mistaken scan by the mail carrier.

public event history
→ can contain corrected entries
≠ every earlier event remains valid

Recipient initiated an order

This can represent:

• forwarding;
• second delivery request;
• single authorization;
• collection-period extension;
• another management action.

The event proves a request, not its completion.

Delivered pending confirmation of receipt

Delivery is recorded, but the signature or confirmation image is not yet available.

Confirmation of receipt received

The confirmation is recorded and a signature image is available in the carrier system.

Returned item

The item entered or completed a reverse route. The exact event must distinguish return decision, transport, and delivery back to the sender.

Enquiry initiated

A formal investigation or enquiry started.

enquiry initiated
≠ item lost
≠ carrier liable
≠ compensation approved

Tracking not updating

Common branches

• sender transmitted data but has not posted the item;
• item was posted but first public scan is delayed;
• item is moving between processing points;
• event publication is delayed;
• delivery date cannot be calculated;
• foreign operator does not provide complete events;
• customs needs documents or payment;
• product does not provide full tracking;
• wrong carrier or wrong identifier was selected;
• event was corrected after a mis-scan;
• system maintenance or temporary outage.

Is no update proof of loss?

No.

no new event
≠ lost
≠ still at the last visible facility
≠ moving normally
≠ customs released

What should the sender check?

• proof of posting;
• first Swiss Post event;
• product;
• destination country;
• expected delivery range;
• customs request;
• return event;
• current enquiry eligibility.

What should the recipient check?

• correct number;
• sender confirmation;
• My consignments notification;
• collection note;
• delivery object;
• customs or payment event;
• current foreign operator.

Use Tracking Not Updating for the generic evidence model.

Delivery date, time slot, and real-time limits

Product targets are not universal guarantees

PostPac Priority, PostPac Economy, Swiss-Express, courier, registered mail, and international products have different delivery targets.

The page must not convert a product target into a guaranteed appointment.

Time slot

My consignments can show a delivery window, including 40–90-minute time slots in supported areas.

The current My consignments terms call the time slot non-binding.

time slot shown
→ current operational estimate
≠ binding appointment

Real-time tracking

Swiss Post is expanding delivery-day and last-minute tracking features in eligible areas.

Current official material indicates that these functions:

• are not available for every item or region;
• can be enabled automatically for eligible users;
• remain partly under the Swiss Post early label.

Does Swiss Post show exact GPS?

The evidence does not justify a universal promise of:

• exact parcel GPS;
• exact employee location;
• vehicle location;
• route order;
• exact stop countdown.

Is the mail carrier monitored?

Swiss Post explicitly states that mail carriers are not monitored through the customer-facing real-time function.

real-time customer update
→ operational progress information
≠ employee surveillance

Why can the delivery date change?

• first physical scan occurred later than the electronic registration;
• item missed a processing connection;
• address clarification;
• operational disruption;
• recipient order;
• customs;
• foreign-operator data;
• return or refusal.

My consignments

What is My consignments?

My consignments is a private-recipient service connected to a Swiss Post account.

How are items linked?

Swiss Post must be able to match the consignment clearly to the customer.

Account-level matching is not public tracking by name, address, e-mail, or phone.

Which actions can appear?

Depending on the item, My consignments can offer:

• deposit at a chosen place;
• delivery to a neighbour;
• upper-floor delivery;
• desired delivery day;
• delivery time slot;
• alternative address;
• PickPost;
• My Post 24;
• online payment;
• forwarding;
• second delivery attempt;
• collection-period extension;
• single authorization.

The item-specific interface controls

Not every item supports every option.

The options shown for the actual consignment are stronger evidence than a general product page.

Sender instructions can override

The sender can restrict or exclude recipient-management options.

Product exclusions

Possible exclusions include:

• court and debt-collection documents;
• dangerous goods;
• charged consignments;
• personal-delivery items;
• other product-specific restrictions.

Why can an order fail?

• order submitted too late;
• sender prohibited the action;
• product is ineligible;
• technical transfer failed;
• address could not be validated;
• terminal or point unavailable;
• payment failed;
• item passed the operational cutoff.

Request versus outcome

recipient order initiated
→ request exists
≠ accepted
≠ route changed
≠ completed

A later forwarding, pickup-ready, or delivery event is stronger outcome evidence.

Delivery authorization

What is authorization for delivery?

For eligible signed items, the recipient can issue a one-off electronic authorization for alternative delivery.

Which items can qualify?

Current official material includes eligible branches for:

• registered letters without conflicting services;
• parcels with Signature;
• parcels with Assurance;
• other supported signed-for consignments.

What can happen after authorization?

• a registered letter can go into the private letterbox;
• a parcel can go into a storage compartment;
• a parcel can be deposited at the selected place.

Does authorization prove delivery?

No.

authorization issued
→ permission exists
≠ item delivered

When can authorization be issued?

Current public guidance says it can be issued until midnight before delivery, with later requests considered where possible.

Is it permanent?

The reviewed service is a one-off authorization for the individual item, not a universal permanent instruction for every signed consignment.

Can the sender block it?

Yes. A business sender can exclude the service.

What changes about proof?

The physical signature can be replaced by an electronic delivery record in the authorized-delivery branch.

Liability boundary

Current public guidance states that liability claims against Swiss Post are excluded after delivery under the authorization in the scoped workflow.

That does not decide whether:

• the authorization was valid;
• the item was eligible;
• the deposit matched the instruction;
• the merchant owes a separate remedy.

Delivery places and authorized recipients

Recipient or person at the same address

Current private GTC allow ordinary items to be handed to:

• the addressee;
• another person at the same residence;
• another person at the same business;
• an authorized representative.

Neighbour delivery

Eligible parcels, courier, and express items can be delivered to a neighbour where permitted.

Current My consignments wording uses:

• the same property;
• or an immediately adjacent property.

Named recipient is not universal

person at address signed
≠ named addressee necessarily signed

Letterbox or mailbox

Mailbox-compatible items can be placed in the recipient’s letterbox or mail compartment.

Lockable parcel box

The private GTC recognize a lockable parcel box as a delivery object.

Weather-protected secure place

A parcel without conflicting additional services can be deposited at a weather-protected secure location.

Property entrance

Large or signed items can be handed over at the property entrance under product rules.

P.O. Box

For double-addressed consignments, letters and parcels can route differently:

• letters generally to the P.O. Box;
• parcels and express items generally to the domicile.

Personal-delivery exception

Items requiring personal delivery can exclude:

• household receipt;
• neighbour receipt;
• representative receipt;
• authorization.

Delivery attempts and collection notes

Delivery attempt

A public attempt event confirms that Swiss Post recorded a failed or incomplete handover.

It does not independently prove:

• correct bell use;
• phone call;
• recipient absence;
• refusal;
• correct address reached.

Failure reasons

Official events can include:

• invalid address;
• incorrect address;
• recipient unknown;
• prohibited contents;
• undeliverable item;
• refusal;
• payment not made;
• item not collected.

Collection note

An Avis or collection note can be issued when:

• personal handover is required;
• no eligible recipient is present;
• the service requires collection.

Notified for collection

notified for collection
→ collection branch exists
≠ item ready immediately
≠ item collected

Second attempted delivery

Swiss Post offers a recipient-requested second delivery after a collection note in eligible cases.

The existence of this service does not prove that every product receives an automatic second attempt.

No universal attempt count

• ordinary domestic item;
• registered item;
• express item;
• charged item;
• international item;
• business sender instruction

can produce different attempt branches.

Sender-side pickup failure

An event for a failed collection by the mail carrier concerns pickup from the sender, not a delivery attempt to the recipient.

Collection-period classifier

Ordinary collection-note item

Current private-customer GTC use seven days.

Parcel from abroad

Current private-customer GTC use fifteen days.

Direct-addressed My Post 24 parcel

Current PickPost/My Post 24 GTC use ten days.

Trackable letter at My Post 24

Current GTC use seven days.

International consignment at My Post 24

Current GTC use normally fifteen days.

Rented My Post 24 locker

A separate locker-rental service has a maximum seven-day period.

This is not the holding period for a delivered parcel.

Collection-period extension

A separate recipient action can extend the period for eligible items.

Item deadline controls

Follow the exact deadline shown in Track & Trace, Post-App, My consignments, the SMS/e-mail, or collection note for the actual item.

Do not calculate one universal Swiss Post deadline from this guide.

PickPost

What is PickPost?

PickPost allows collection at a Swiss Post access point such as:

• branch;
• My Post Service point.

Direct-addressing format

The address can require:

• recipient name;
• PickPost keyword;
• User ID;
• selected access-point address;
• postcode and town.

Account and identity requirements

Alternative delivery can require:

• My Post registration;
• domicile verification;
• Swiss mobile number;
• Swiss residence;
• natural-person assignment.

Which items can qualify?

Current GTC include:

• parcels up to the stated service limits with a consignment number;
• registered letters;
• trackable small goods;
• international consignments.

Which items can be excluded?

Examples include:

• many courier and express items except stated products;
• SameDay;
• court and debt-collection documents;
• personal-delivery registered items;
• return-receipt registered items;
• unregistered mail;
• other product-specific exclusions.

Can another carrier deliver to PickPost?

The current GTC state that consignments from other postal companies cannot currently be delivered to or posted at PickPost/My Post 24 access points in the direct service.

What is required for pickup?

At PickPost, the customer generally presents:

• consignment number;
• valid official identification.

Can someone else collect?

Representation depends on:

• point type;
• authorization directory;
• sender instruction;
• personal-delivery restriction;
• family relationship and same-surname rule in stated cases.

Some partner-operated external points do not permit third-party representation.

My Post 24

What is My Post 24?

My Post 24 is Swiss Post’s terminal service for:

• receiving;
• sending;
• returns;
• selected registered items;
• optional locker rental.

Terminal with screen

A screen terminal can support:

• QR-code scanning;
• collection input;
• label purchase;
• posting;
• terminal signature for eligible items.

Terminal without screen

A screenless terminal can require:

• fully verified My Post login;
• Post-App;
• My consignments notifications;
• smartphone interaction at the terminal.

Direct-addressing requirements

Full use can require:

• Swiss residence;
• verified Swiss Post account;
• domicile check;
• Swiss mobile number;
• User ID;
• correctly structured address.

Collection notification

The customer can receive:

• SMS;
• optional e-mail;
• QR code;
• collection link.

Is another ID required at the terminal?

In the standard terminal branch, the reviewed GTC state that no additional identification feature is required after valid code or link use.

Signed items at the terminal

Registered letters and parcels with Signature can require signature:

• on the terminal display;
• in Post-App.

Is the selected terminal guaranteed?

No.

If:

• the correct compartment size is unavailable;
• the terminal is full;
• the terminal is faulty;

Swiss Post can forward the item to another branch or partner location.

My Post 24 selected
→ requested location exists
≠ delivery to that exact terminal guaranteed

Can international items be posted there?

Current public guidance says international consignments must be handed in at a branch, not posted at My Post 24.

My Post 24 QR code, collection link, and delegation

What does the QR code prove?

QR code received
→ release credential exists
≠ item collected

Can another person use it?

Current public guidance allows the customer to pass the QR code to another person at the customer’s risk.

Does sharing assign the item formally?

No.

QR code shared
→ another person can gain operational access
≠ formal identity assignment

Why is the code sensitive?

It can release physical possession of the item.

Never publish it in:

• tracking form;
• URL;
• metadata;
• JSON-LD;
• analytics;
• screenshot;
• support post;
• AI prompt.

Collection link

Treat the collection link like a private possession credential. Do not copy it into public systems.

User responsibility

The reviewed GTC make the customer responsible for preventing unauthorized access to the code or link.

Proof of receipt

Electronic delivery record

Current private-customer GTC state that customers acknowledge Swiss Post’s electronic delivery record as proof of successful delivery.

Signature

Products such as registered mail, Signature, Assurance, or personal delivery can require a signature.

Who can sign?

Depending on product:

• named addressee;
• person at same residence;
• person at same business;
• authorized representative;
• permitted neighbour;
• terminal user.

Delivered pending confirmation of receipt

The item is recorded as delivered, but the confirmation image is not yet available.

Confirmation of receipt received

The proof image is available in the carrier system.

Authorization-for-delivery proof

The alternative delivery is documented electronically instead of using the ordinary physical-signature branch.

My Post 24 proof

Eligible signed items can create a terminal or Post-App signature record.

How long can proof data remain available?

Current private GTC state:

• domestic letter and parcel confirmations: three years;
• international documents, small goods, and parcels: six months.

These are carrier retention/access periods, not a promise of anonymous public download.

Does proof identify the named addressee?

Not universally.

signature or electronic record exists
≠ named addressee necessarily received

What proof does not verify

• contents;
• item condition;
• merchant legitimacy;
• later possession;
• absence of wrong-address delivery.

Can 11Tracking retrieve proof?

No.

11Tracking and USTracking cannot retrieve:

• signature image;
• electronic delivery record;
• authorization record;
• terminal signature;
• recipient identity.

Use Proof of Delivery, Photo, and Signature for the generic evidence model.

Delivered but not received

Delivered is carrier-recorded completion

Delivered
→ Swiss Post records completion
≠ named addressee personally received
≠ correct contents or condition proved

Classify the delivery object

Check whether the raw event points to:

• domicile;
• person at address;
• neighbour;
• letterbox;
• mailbox;
• lockable parcel box;
• weather-protected deposit;
• P.O. Box;
• counter;
• PickPost;
• My Post 24;
• foreign operator.

Check for proof-pending status

Delivered pending confirmation of receipt means the proof image can appear later.

Check for corrected event

The official event dictionary includes cancellation of a mistaken scan.

Preserve evidence

• consignment number;
• raw event wording;
• timestamp;
• delivery object;
• proof-pending state;
• confirmation state;
• collection note;
• recipient order;
• merchant communication.

Who can open an enquiry?

Current national guidance says the sender or recipient can lodge an enquiry in the stated conditions.

International compensation entitlement is usually sender-centered.

Action sequence

1. Check household, neighbour, letterbox, parcel box, deposit location, branch, PickPost, and My Post 24.
2. Review raw event wording and proof state.
3. Check whether an event was corrected.
4. Contact Swiss Post through the current official receiving-mail route.
5. Contact the sender or merchant.
6. Preserve marketplace and payment deadlines.
7. Keep packaging if the item later appears damaged.

Do not diagnose from tracking alone

Possible branches include:

• household receipt;
• neighbour receipt;
• authorized deposit;
• terminal release;
• wrong-address delivery;
• event error;
• theft;
• sender fraud;
• another cause.

Use Delivered but Not Received for broader escalation guidance.

Returns

Return identifiers

A return can have a different consignment number from the outbound shipment.

Selected pre-printed return labels can begin with 99.01.

Return label created

return label created
→ reverse shipment data exists
≠ item handed to Swiss Post

Return at My Post 24

The user can scan or enter the number, place the item in the compartment, and close it.

Terminal deposit versus carrier possession

item deposited in terminal
→ deposit action exists

receipt or first processing event
→ Swiss Post acceptance is recorded

Reverse movement

A return event can show:

• accepted;
• sorted;
• forwarded;
• returned;
• delivered back to sender.

Return reasons

Current event and GTC material include branches such as:

• recipient unknown;
• delivery refused;
• not collected;
• payment not made;
• sender ordered direct return;
• mailbox overfull;
• recipient moved;
• address unknown;
• returned by recipient.

Return decision versus sender receipt

return decision
→ reverse route starts
≠ sender received

Return completion versus refund

Swiss Post delivers return to sender
≠ merchant inspected
≠ refund approved
≠ refund paid

The merchant controls the commercial remedy.

International handoff

Which operator controls the item?

The operator publishing the current event controls that stage.

Possible actors include:

• Swiss Post;
• transit postal operator;
• destination postal operator;
• commercial partner;
• customs authority.

Same number, different operator

An international identifier can continue across several operators.

same identifier continues
≠ Swiss Post still has physical possession

Border-event sequence

Preserve the difference between:

• arrival at Swiss border;
• departure from Swiss border;
• arrival in transit country;
• departure from transit country;
• arrival at destination border;
• destination-operator acceptance;
• customs;
• final delivery.

Tracking can stop abroad

Swiss Post states that foreign event coverage is not complete for every country and product.

Missing foreign scans do not prove that the item stopped moving.

Destination-border arrival

arrival at destination-country border
≠ customs release
≠ local delivery

Who starts an international enquiry?

Current international guidance provides a six-month enquiry branch. Compensation entitlement is usually held by the sender unless assigned in writing.

Customs events

Postal customs clearance under way

Swiss Post is processing the postal declaration or clearance workflow.

Postal customs clearance complete

The postal carrier-side clearance process is complete.

Released by Swiss customs

The authority release is recorded and the item can proceed toward domestic delivery.

Payment pending

The payment process was initiated but is not yet electronically confirmed.

Payment made and confirmed

Payment confirmation exists.

payment confirmed
≠ postal customs clearance complete
≠ released by Swiss customs
≠ delivered

Missing information

Swiss Post can request:

• invoice;
• proof of payment;
• content description;
• value clarification;
• other declaration information.

Data sharing

Current GTC permit required consignment data to be exchanged with:

• domestic and foreign postal operators;
• customs authorities;
• other responsible authorities

for transport, tracking, and customs processing.

Customs evidence ladder

Use Customs Processing and Package Stuck in Customs for generic customs guidance.

Import costs and fee limits

Keep the components separate

• Swiss VAT;
• customs duty;
• Swiss Post customs-clearance service fee;
• goods-value supplement;
• inspection or clarification surcharge;
• recipient payment;
• merchant charge.

Why one universal fee is unsafe

Current official Swiss Post surfaces present fees differently depending on:

• country of origin;
• value;
• product;
• channel;
• additional work;
• date;
• Swiss Post or Swiss Post GLS scope.

Public action rule

Use the current official import-cost page for the actual consignment. Do not calculate a universal fee from this guide.

Payment is not release

Even after payment, the item can still require:

• postal clearance;
• authority review;
• Swiss customs release;
• domestic processing.

No personalized tax advice

This page does not determine:

• tariff classification;
• VAT liability;
• customs duty;
• gift exemption;
• appeal rights.

Damage, loss, and enquiries

Damage report

Current Swiss Post guidance supports reporting through:

• online process;
• Post-App;
• branch assessment.

Preserve the item and packaging

Keep:

• outer parcel;
• internal packaging;
• padding;
• contents;
• photos;
• proof of value.

Damage deadline

Current public guidance and private GTC use an eight-day period after delivery for reporting non-visible damage in the stated scope.

National enquiry

Current public guidance says sender or recipient can lodge a national enquiry.

Conditions can include:

• Delivered event missing;
• published delivery time overdue by more than two days;
• recipient confirms nonreceipt.

National maximum enquiry period

Current guidance allows a national enquiry up to one year after mailing in the stated process.

International enquiry

Current guidance allows an international enquiry up to six months after mailing.

Private claim data

The enquiry can require:

• sender and recipient names and addresses;
• phone;
• content description;
• original value;
• consignment number;
• receipt or waybill;
• weight;
• additional services.

These are not public tracking-form inputs.

Enquiry versus decision

enquiry opened
≠ item lost
≠ incorrect delivery confirmed
≠ liability accepted
≠ compensation paid

Domestic liability

Registered domestic mail

Current private GTC state a maximum of CHF 500 in the reviewed registered-mail scope.

Ordinary domestic parcel

Current private GTC state a maximum of CHF 500.

Parcel with Signature

Current private GTC state a maximum of CHF 1,500.

Parcel with Assurance or Fragile

Current private GTC state a maximum of CHF 5,000.

Express and SameDay

Separate products use separate limits and delay rules.

Ordinary parcel delay

Current private GTC exclude liability for ordinary parcel delay.

Alternative-delivery limitation

Liability can be restricted where the item is deposited or handed over differently at the sender’s or recipient’s request.

A maximum is not automatic compensation

It does not prove:

• eligible product;
• actual value;
• carrier fault;
• compliant packaging;
• timely report;
• accepted claim;
• final payment.

International liability

Product-specific limits

Current private GTC use different limits for:

• PostPac International import;
• PostPac International export;
• registered international documents and small goods;
• PRIORITY Plus;
• unregistered international items.

Sender-centered entitlement

International compensation entitlement is generally held by the sender unless the claim is assigned in writing to the recipient.

Destination-country evidence

Damage or theft can require:

• objection at receipt;
• written or online report within the relevant period;
• recognition by the destination operator.

No universal international formula

Do not apply one amount or formula to every international Swiss Post product.

Merchant remedy remains separate

Swiss Post compensation
≠ merchant refund
≠ marketplace remedy
≠ card dispute
≠ insurance payment

Use Package Claim Guide for the broader process.

Registered mail and A Mail Plus

Registered mail

Registered mail can provide:

• tracking;
• proof;
• signature or authorized alternative delivery;
• product-specific liability.

Delivery authorization

Eligible registered letters can go to the private letterbox without a physical signature after one-off authorization.

Personal delivery

A personal-delivery instruction can require the named person and block representation or alternative delivery.

A Mail Plus

A Mail Plus is tracked but does not use the same signature and liability model as registered mail.

Delay boundary

Current official guidance says Swiss Post accepts no liability for A Mail Plus delay in the stated scope.

Legal-document products

Court and debt-collection documents use specialized legal procedures and should not inherit ordinary parcel advice.

Who should you contact?

Privacy and scam safety

Public form input

The public form should request only:

• one supported Swiss Post consignment number.

Never enter these into a public tracker

• name;
• address;
• phone;
• e-mail;
• postcode;
• My Post login;
• PickPost/My Post 24 User ID;
• collection code;
• QR code;
• collection link;
• authorization record;
• signature;
• proof image;
• content description;
• item value;
• invoice;
• customs document;
• payment data;
• enquiry file.

Treat the consignment number as shipment data

It can reveal:

• route;
• timestamps;
• collection location;
• delivery object;
• proof availability;
• customs status;
• return reason;
• recipient order.

Do not publish it in:

• URL;
• metadata;
• JSON-LD;
• analytics;
• screenshot;
• public review;
• support forum;
• unnecessary AI prompt.

QR code and collection link

These can release a My Post 24 item. Treat them like private possession credentials.

User ID

The PickPost/My Post 24 User ID is part of direct addressing and customer identity.

Proof data

Signature images, electronic records, authorizations, and terminal release records are private evidence.

Current scam patterns

Swiss Post warns about messages claiming:

• parcel is held;
• address must be confirmed;
• postage is due;
• customs fee must be paid;
• personal data or credentials are required.

Scam channels

Fraud can arrive through:

• SMS;
• e-mail;
• WhatsApp;
• website;
• phone;
• social media.

Safe verification sequence

1. Do not use the unsolicited link.
2. Open post.ch independently.
3. Use official Track & Trace.
4. Enter only the consignment number.
5. Never share a My Post 24 QR code, collection link, password, or card data.
6. Contact the payment provider if data was exposed.
7. Use the current official Swiss Post fraud-reporting route.
8. Use Fake Delivery Message for broader guidance.

Real data does not authenticate the message

real consignment number
≠ authentic message

correct customs status
≠ official payment page

correct collection point
≠ legitimate QR request

Swiss Post logo
≠ Swiss Post-controlled domain

Frequently asked questions

How do I track a Swiss Post item?

Enter one supported consignment number from the label, receipt, notification, or collection note.

Are all domestic numbers 18 digits?

No. Eighteen numeric digits are a verified technical family, not a universal rule.

Are all international numbers 13 characters?

No. Thirteen alphanumeric characters are verified for a technical international letter family.

What does 99.01 mean?

It is a current product-specific prefix for selected pre-printed return labels.

Can I use a merchant order?

Not automatically.

Can I use a collection code?

Only in the exact collection workflow. It is not necessarily the parcel number.

Can I enter a My Post 24 QR code?

No. It is a release credential.

Can I track by phone, e-mail, name, or address?

Not through the public consignment-number form.

What does sender registration mean?

The number and electronic data exist, but the item has usually not yet been handed over.

Which event proves physical posting?

A mailing, collection, acceptance, or first verified processing event.

What does Delivery date unknown mean?

The item can be foreign, outbound, or preregistered but not yet handed over.

What does Sorted and forwarded mean?

The item was processed and sent onward.

Does Sorted for delivery guarantee delivery today?

No.

Can Swiss Post correct an event?

Yes. The official event dictionary includes cancellation of a mistaken scan.

Is the time slot guaranteed?

No. It is non-binding.

Does real-time tracking show exact GPS?

No universal exact-GPS promise is supported.

Is the mail carrier monitored?

Swiss Post says no in the customer-facing real-time feature.

What is My consignments?

A private recipient service for notifications and eligible delivery-management actions.

Does a requested action guarantee route change?

No.

Can I authorize delivery without signature?

For eligible signed items, a one-off authorization can permit alternative delivery.

Does authorization prove the item was delivered?

No.

Can a neighbour receive the parcel?

For eligible items, yes, subject to sender, product, and address rules.

How many attempts does Swiss Post make?

There is no universal count. A second delivery can be separately requested for eligible collection-note items.

How long is an ordinary collection-note item held?

Current private GTC use seven days.

How long is a parcel from abroad held?

Current private GTC use fifteen days.

How long is a My Post 24 parcel held?

Current GTC use ten days for a direct-addressed parcel.

How long is a trackable letter held at My Post 24?

Current GTC use seven days.

What is PickPost?

Collection at a branch or My Post Service point.

What is My Post 24?

A Swiss Post terminal for receiving, sending, returns, and selected signed items.

Is My Post 24 available without registration?

Full direct-addressing use requires verified account conditions. Some item-specific terminal collection workflows can differ.

Can another person use my QR code?

Current guidance allows sharing at the customer’s risk.

Is the selected terminal guaranteed?

No. Capacity or faults can cause forwarding to another location.

Can I post an international item at My Post 24?

Current guidance says international consignments must be handed in at a branch.

What does Delivered pending confirmation mean?

Delivery is recorded, but the confirmation image is not yet available.

What does Confirmation of receipt received mean?

The proof image is recorded in the carrier system.

Does the signature prove the named recipient?

Not universally.

Who can open a national enquiry?

Current public guidance says sender or recipient in the stated conditions.

Who controls international compensation?

Usually the sender unless the claim is assigned in writing.

Does a return event prove a refund?

No.

Why did international tracking stop?

Foreign tracking coverage can be incomplete, or another operator can control the stage.

Does customs payment mean release?

No.

What does Released by Swiss customs mean?

The authority release is recorded; domestic delivery still remains.

How long do I have to report hidden damage?

Current guidance uses eight days after delivery in the stated scope.

Does every parcel pay CHF 500 compensation?

No. CHF 500 is a product-specific maximum for stated domestic branches, not automatic payment.

Can 11Tracking order a second delivery?

No.

Can USTracking retrieve the QR code or signature?

No.

Use USTracking as a tracking companion

After identifying the correct Swiss Post number and current operator, USTracking may help you:

• save a supported consignment number;
• organize public events;
• preserve verified original, return, and international identifiers;
• monitor public updates;
• compare electronic data, first possession, transit, delivery, collection, return, and customs stages;
• receive notifications.

USTracking cannot:

• track by name, address, phone, e-mail, merchant order, User ID, QR code, collection link, customs reference, or enquiry number;
• determine one universal Swiss Post format;
• access My consignments;
• change the delivery day or time slot;
• request forwarding or a second delivery;
• extend a collection period;
• issue delivery authorization;
• retrieve a collection code;
• open My Post 24;
• retrieve a signature or proof image;
• access recipient identity;
• upload customs documents;
• pay import charges;
• clear customs;
• lodge an enquiry;
• recover the item;
• determine liability;
• decide compensation;
• decide merchant refund;
• guarantee delivery, collection, customs release, or claim outcome.

Related guides

• Package Tracking Help Center
• How Package Tracking Works
• Label Created
• Carrier Received Package
• In Transit
• Handed to Local Carrier
• Out for Delivery
• Out for Delivery but Not Delivered
• Delivery Exception
• Delivery Attempted
• Available for Pickup
• Delivered
• Delivered but Not Received
• Return to Sender
• Tracking Not Updating
• Tracking Number Not Found
• Wrong Address or Address Information Required
• Package Moving Away or Wrong City
• Package Damaged or Contents Missing
• Customs Processing
• Package Stuck in Customs
• Change, Reroute, or Hold a Package
• Proof of Delivery, Photo, and Signature
• Package Claim Guide
• Who to Contact About a Package
• Find the Last-Mile Carrier
• Fake Delivery Message

Scope, evidence, and limitations

This page is an English-language guide to Swiss Post parcel, registered-mail, tracked-letter, express, return, and international tracking; consignment-number interpretation; sender registration; physical possession; official status events; delivery estimates; My consignments; delivery authorization; ordinary delivery places; attempts; collection notes; PickPost; My Post 24; holding periods; release credentials; proof; disputed delivery; returns; international handoff; Swiss customs; damage; enquiries; liability; privacy; scams; and responsible-party routing.

It is based primarily on current official Swiss Post Track & Trace pages, the official event dictionary, product pages, DataTransfer technical documentation, Post-App and My consignments materials, current private-customer postal-service GTC, My consignments GTC, PickPost/My Post 24 GTC, customs guidance, damage and loss procedures, privacy materials, and current fraud guidance reviewed on July 27, 2026.

Important limitations:

• The runtime provider code, aliases, accepted number families, product fields, event fields, delivery-option fields, pickup fields, proof fields, international-operator fields, customs fields, enquiry fields, and sensitive-field suppression must be verified during implementation.
• Swiss Post is the public carrier identity. Post CH Ltd is the postal-service operating legal entity in reviewed contracts. Swiss Post Ltd is a broader group-level entity.
• Swiss Post Cargo, Swiss Post GLS, PostFinance, PostBus, and other group services are not automatic aliases.
• The 18-digit domestic and 13-character international formats are verified technical families, not universal public rules.
• A 99.01 prefix is product-specific return-label evidence.
• Merchant order, customer reference, collection code, QR code, collection link, User ID, phone, e-mail, address, customs reference, and enquiry reference are not ordinary consignment numbers.
• Sender registration and data delivery do not prove physical possession.
• Mailing, collection, acceptance, or first processing is the strongest public possession milestone.
• Delivery date unknown does not prove loss.
• Sorting and field-branch events do not provide exact GPS.
• Real-time functions are limited, expanding, and not employee monitoring.
• Delivery time slots are non-binding.
• A recipient order does not prove the route changed or the action completed.
• Sender instructions and product exclusions can override recipient options.
• Delivery authorization changes proof and liability but does not itself prove delivery.
• Collection periods differ by product and delivery object.
• PickPost and My Post 24 use different identity and release rules.
• QR codes and collection links are sensitive possession credentials.
• My Post 24 terminal selection is not guaranteed when capacity or technical failure intervenes.
• Terminal deposit and carrier acceptance are separate stages.
• Delivered pending confirmation and confirmation received are separate proof stages.
• Proof does not universally identify the named addressee or verify contents or condition.
• Delivered does not universally prove named-addressee receipt.
• Return acceptance does not prove merchant refund.
• Foreign tracking depth is not guaranteed for every destination.
• Customs information request, payment, postal clearance, authority release, onward processing, and delivery are separate.
• Customs fees are volatile and scope-dependent.
• National and international enquiry rights differ.
• Liability limits depend on product, additional service, packaging, evidence, timing, and accepted responsibility.
• Public tracking can be delayed, incomplete, corrected, normalized, or out of order.
• 11Tracking does not diagnose a specific consignment and cannot act on it.

Last reviewed: July 27, 2026 Review due: October 25, 2026 Research decision: Ready to draft with explicit Swiss Post and Post CH Ltd identity, identifier, data-delivery, first-scan, event, ETA, My consignments, authorization, PickPost, My Post 24, collection, proof, return, international, customs, claim, privacy, and runtime limitations