The short answer: yes — and it’s fully legal
Yes, you can still send parcels from Italy to Russia in 2026. BPD Express delivers personal parcels door-to-door by EMS courier in 10–15 days from €54.95 for 5 kg, or to the recipient’s post office in 15–20 days from €49.95 (prices as of July 2026). The reason it works is simple: the postal channel never closed. BPD Express is a private postal operator registered with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) since June 2003, operating its own International Postal Exchange Point. Your parcel travels as an international postal item under the Universal Postal Convention — the same legal framework that national postal services use every day.
So if you’ve been typing “can I ship to Russia” into a search bar and getting vague or contradictory answers — here is the full picture: what you can send, what it costs, and how the process works in practice.
Why DHL and FedEx say no — but the postal channel still works
Commercial couriers like DHL, FedEx and UPS suspended their services to Russia in 2022, and most have not resumed them. That’s a business decision by private carriers — it is not a ban on sending parcels. International postal exchange between Italy and Russia continues under the Universal Postal Convention, and that is exactly the channel BPD Express operates in.
BPD Express has been in this business since 1992. The company is a German GmbH based in Büttelborn, with public registration details you can verify through the German Chamber of Commerce, and it has been a UPU-recognized operator with its own International Postal Exchange Point since June 2003. This is not a loophole or a grey scheme — it’s one of the few private operators formally recognized by the Universal Postal Union.
What you can send to Russia
Most everyday items are fine: clothing and shoes, cosmetics (sealed perfume up to 500 ml is allowed), children’s goods, books, toys, household items — the things people actually send to family and friends.
Food is allowed too, up to 5 kg of food products per parcel, as long as nothing is past its expiry date. Cheese and cured meats — prosciutto, salami, dried meats — can be sent, but only vacuum-sealed: the parcel travels for roughly two weeks without refrigeration, and without vacuum packaging the product simply won’t survive the trip. Anything that needs a fridge and spoils quickly should stay home.
A few things are not accepted: liquids (other than sealed perfume up to 500 ml), prescription medication, weapons and ammunition, lithium batteries shipped separately from their devices, cash and securities, and perishables without vacuum packaging.
Documents are a separate, simpler service. Passports, diplomas and other originals travel as registered international mail: a flat €50, delivered by EMS courier to the recipient’s door in 10–15 days. The envelope is not opened at customs — it moves as mail under UPU rules.
Not sure about a specific item? Message us on WhatsApp with a quick list of contents — we’ll confirm everything before you ship.
EU restrictions for Russia and Belarus — and how we handle them
For parcels to Russia and Belarus, the EU restricts certain specific categories: sanctioned goods and dual-use items (products with potential military application). Ordinary personal belongings — clothes, cosmetics, children’s items, food — do not fall under these restrictions.
The practical solution is simple: before you ship, send your packing list to WhatsApp +39 353 491 0246 — in English, Italian or Russian. We check every item against the current rules before the parcel is accepted, so nothing gets stopped later. This check is part of the service, not an extra.
Customs and the €200 duty-free allowance
Russia allows duty-free import of parcels worth up to €200 and up to 31 kg per shipment for private individuals. Most personal parcels fit comfortably inside that allowance, so in the majority of cases the recipient pays nothing at all.
Sending something worth more than €200 is also perfectly fine — the recipient simply pays a duty of 15% on the amount above the threshold (minimum €2 per kg of the excess). If you show us your packing list in advance, we’ll calculate the exact duty before you even drop the box off, so there are no surprises on the receiving end.
All the export paperwork on the Italian side — the CN23 customs declaration, EAD, invoice — is prepared by us, based on the packing list you provide. You don’t write a single line in Italian bureaucratic language, and the customs refusal rate is below 1%.
Prices and delivery times to Russia
Shipping a parcel from Italy to Russia starts at €49.95 for 5 kg (post office pickup) or €54.95 for 5 kg with EMS courier delivery to the door. Prices as of July 2026:
| Weight | To post office (15–20 days) | EMS courier to the door (10–15 days) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | €49.95 | €54.95 |
| 10 kg | €74.90 | €84.90 |
| 20 kg | €124.80 | €144.80 |
A few practical notes:
- The minimum billable weight is 5 kg — a lighter box ships at the 5 kg price.
- The maximum per box is 31 kg with EMS courier delivery (30 kg for the post-office option). Sending more? We split the shipment into several boxes at the same rates.
- Every parcel includes insurance up to €100 (loss and transport damage, paid out against your packing list). Higher value costs €1 per additional €100 of coverage, up to €2,000.
- The truck to Russia leaves every Tuesday — your box needs to be at the drop-off point 24–36 hours before departure to make that week’s run.
For an exact quote by weight and destination, use the calculator on bpd-express.it or just ask on WhatsApp.
How it works, step by step
- Send your packing list to WhatsApp (+39 353 491 0246) — a simple list of contents with approximate values in euros. We check it against the restrictions and confirm.
- Pack in a sturdy cardboard box, sealed with tape. No travel bags — they don’t survive sorting, and insurance doesn’t cover them. No box at hand? Drop-off points sell them for €1–2.
- Put a printed copy of the packing list inside the box — it’s used for the customs declaration and for insurance.
- Drop the box at a partner point. The network is growing across Southern Italy — Calabria, Sicily, Campania, Puglia. No point near you yet? We send a free shipping label and you hand the box in at the nearest Poste Italiane office or partner tabaccheria.
- Pay in euros — card (Visa/Mastercard), Apple Pay, SEPA transfer, or cash at the drop-off point. Euro only: no rubles, no crypto.
- Track it. You receive a tracking number starting with “b…” in WhatsApp, and status updates arrive automatically: accepted, in transit, cleared customs, delivered. You can also enter the number in the tracking form in the site header.
FAQ
Is it legal to send parcels from Italy to Russia?
Yes. Parcels travel as international postal items under the Universal Postal Convention. BPD Express is registered with the UPU and has operated its own International Postal Exchange Point since 2003. EU restrictions apply only to specific categories (sanctioned and dual-use goods) — ordinary personal items are not affected.
Will the parcel actually arrive?
The loss rate is below 1% — parcels move door-to-door without being handed to third-party carriers along the way. Every shipment is insured up to €100 (extendable to €2,000), and if anything does go wrong, the declared value is reimbursed against your packing list.
Does the recipient in Russia have to do anything?
Almost nothing. With EMS courier delivery, the parcel arrives at their door; with the post office option, they collect it at their nearest branch. Duty applies only if the contents are worth more than €200 — and we can calculate it for you in advance.
How long does delivery take?
10–15 days with EMS courier to the door, 15–20 days to the recipient’s post office. Departures to Russia run every Tuesday. Around peak periods (December, before New Year) customs on the receiving side can add a few days.
Can I send a parcel from Russia to Italy with you?
No — the channel works one way, from the EU to CIS countries. For the reverse direction, you’d need a postal operator in the country of origin.
Can I ship to other CIS countries too?
Yes — Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. See the BPD Express blog for country-specific guides.
Ready to send?
Message us on WhatsApp +39 353 491 0246 — in English, Italian or Russian — with your packing list and destination city. We’ll confirm what can go in the box, quote the exact price, and book your parcel onto the next Tuesday departure.
Updated: July 2026