Sharing an experience.

I sent an envelope carrying few papers and a bank draft to India (Delhi) , Canada post asked for 17 $ for airmail (incl acknowledgement). however various courier services quoted prices around 100 $s.

I decided to send by Canada post and the envelope reached in 5 business days. Courier services always promised 3-4 business days, except for express service with premium prices. (Canada post does not guarantee speed and employee will play safe saying 2 weeks).

Similarly few months back relatives from Amritsar sent Rakhis here , one relative used 1000 Rs. Courier and other used 20 Rs. registered post. Time taken to reach for both package was same.

Seeing the cost difference , its worth to use postal services until unless there is dire need.

Any similar experience to endorse the above facts ?

If you use First Flight or DTDC, it is cheap compared to other couriers. It is in the range of $20-$35 for a letter to India. I have used First Flight a few times and all letters reached India within a week.

If you use registered post from Canada, it is trackable on India post website but not on Canadapost website after the letter leaves Canada and reaches Indian port. Downside is it is not trackable in all the countries. I once sent a letter to UK by registered post and it took a full one month to reach and it was not trackable on Canadapost or UK's postal service website. I do not think it was anything to do Canadapost's strike since the letter had already left Canada weeks before the strike started.

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Once I sent a bank draft via Canada post (registered letter) to India. They lost it. So I had to take care of that headache in Canada and India. CP gave a cheque for $200 for the mistake. That was the one and only time I sent anything with CP to India.

Got a registered letter recently from Delhi. It took more than 3 weeks (16 business days) for letter to reach here. Letter reached Canada within 5 days (tracked via tracking number on Canadapost website) and customs and Canadapost took another 2 weeks+ to deliver the letter.

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