Mailing postcards from europe

I mail postcards back all time and it varies. Sometimes I beat the postcards home and sometimes they get delivered really quick.

I usually try to mail the postcards right away to the people I'll see immediately when I return, and the people who live away from me later in the trip

A week, maybe two. Can't narrow it down anymore than that.

It's completely unpredicatable. I've mailed packages from France at book rate and have them beat me home. I've had postcards take forever to arrive from one town and then within the week from others.

The real issue is buying stamps for your postcards. Research what the correct postage is for the countries you'll be in before you go. Then buy stamps (from tobacco shops, souvenir shops or open post offices as soon as you get the chance.

I've gotten letters / postcards in anywhere from 4 days to 8 days. Depends on if they're mailed in or near a large town / city, or if they're mailed from a more remote area (like Murren in the Swiss Alps).

Lina,

In my experience, the time for delivery is about one or two weeks. I usually know when they're delivered, as the recipient sends me an E-mail.

I am usually back home by time postcards arrive.

The only one that doesn't fit the mold is Italy. Over the years I have mailed postcards from Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome) to different addresses in the Netherlands, UK, and US.

I've never known a single one to arrive. They are fine from the rest of Europe, usually just over a week.

Here's a neat app for people with iPhones. It takes all the hassle out of getting and mailing postcards and is cheaper to boot. Postcards arrive in two or three days in the States. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snapshot-postcard/id293657764?mt=8

I save the ones from rural areas or smaller towns and post them in the big cities...for the reasons already described. Usually 10 days to 2 weeks from western Europe. But, like Nigel, Italy seems to be a black hole for postcards for me...I doubt my success rate has been 50%. However, I have had great luck, as others have, with mailing cards from the Vatican post office...their service is remarkably superior.

We usually try to mail some postcards within the first few days of our trip to make sure some arrive while we're gone (especially to family we'll seen soon after we return).

We almost always mail from a post office, or at least drop them at one to mail. It's worked without a problem in England, Germany, France, and Italy. The poster's advice to try to mail from a big city is also good advice.

And I always address it internationally, with the 4th line containing U.S.A and in the appropriate language -- Les Etats Unis, etc. just to be safe. Ours have almost always beat us home.

Postcards have gone the way of Traveler's Cheques. I haven't sent one in years. Before I go, I make sure I have all of my friends email addresses in my Hotmail account. When I'm over there, either at a Cybercafe or from my own netbook using Wifi, I send emails and attach pictures I have personally taken. Email gets there in a few minutes, if not immediately.

Of course, I also keep a journal of my travel, with embedded pictures, and regularly upload it to my website so friends can follow my progress.

Lee....I do the same as well. But for many people, there's still the thrill of receiving something hand-written through the post, with the stamp and a cancellation mark from a faraway place. Besides, in many cases (insides of cathedrals and museums, for example), they have far better photos on postcards than I will ever be able to take!

In Rome, mail postcards from the Vatican Post Office - it is located to the left of St. Peter's. People seemed to get them faster then from anywhere else in Italy.
My husband now days writes a daily email to friends and family if we have wifi where we are staying or internet cafe. He prewrites it on our laptop each evening, or when it seems appropriate and then connects and hits send to everyone in an email distribution list he had set up for that purpose. Sometimes I included some pictures we took. I used to sends postcards within the first few days of arriving in a county. Now I only send to my mother and people that don't bother too much with email. I have a 6 year old nephew that enjoys postcards.

Thanks for all the responses. The idea of attaching photos via email sounds appealing. I guess I never thought of it because I don’t travel with a lap top. But maybe I can upload them to a local desktop and then delete them afterwards…

Lina,

I always send postcards, about every day, and always either have an airmail sticker on them or write "air mail" in German or French, even if the Austrians prefer Flugpost to Luftpost, or sometimes just in English. It takes from England, France, or Germany usually 4 to 7 days. For a card from England to the US (based on last summer's trip), it's 62 pence, from Germany--one Euro, from France--90 cents, from Austria--1,40 Euro. These are the rates I got from the post offices over there. Austria's postage was the most expensive.

I set aside a portion of my trip's budget for buying and sending post cards. For keeping in touch, I use a local phone card at a pay phone or call from an internet cafe/call shop. The cell phone, i-phone, laptop--I don't bring over.

When I was in France 5 years ago, stamps for postcard were 99 cents each (Euros). I found I could go to an internet cafe and get a couple of coffees plus 30 minutes on the internet for about 3 euros. (downside was using french keyboard) When you factor in the cost of the postcards, and sending one email to 12-15 people, the emails saves a lot of euros! This trip, I'm taking my laptop & will send emails with my own pictures.