My daughter is studying in Rome for a semester and I am going to meet her in May. We would like to ship home one of her suitcases home instead of dragging it around with us on trains and buses throughout Italy. Any suggestions on the least expensive way to do so? Length of time for shipping is not an issue.
Thanks! Cindy
This recent thread might be helpful or at least a place to start?
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/shipping-a-suitcase-from-italy-to-canada
I always use Mailboxes Etc. not the cheapest but they will give you choices of shippers, and are very reliable.
Thank you. Are they easy to find in Rome?
When our son studied in Spain the extra he had really had little value so he gave most if it away. Shipping is expensive so you need to be sure that the stuff she is shipping is worth the shipping price. As a ballpark, a forty pound suitcase could run a hundred euro or more. If the stuff has limited value you can try the local post office but the price could still be in 50 euro plus range. And, of course, it has to go through US customs on the way home.
Which city are you flying out of?
Just to add -- as someone who lives over here, the most economical way to get something of that value back to the States, I find, is to pay the extra baggage fee when flying home. (Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear, but shipping is expensive.)
There are listings for Mailboxes Etc locations on their webpage. I would call or have your hotel call to verify opening times (I had a bit of a wild goose chase once in Roma, but I have shipped about a dozen times without any problem).
Are you going to fly home from Rome? Any chance you'll be staying in a Rome area hotel the night before your flight? If so, it's quite possible that that hotel would be willing to hold the bag for you, if you take it to them before your travels around Italy together. And then, of course, you could take it yourself on the flight; even a $40-50 excess baggage fee would be far less than the cost of shipping.
UPS would be an option, there are a number of locations in Rome, one is near the Vatican, Metro stop: Cipro. As others as said, paying a baggage fee would be cheaper, you could store the bag in Rome until you return (if returning to Rome of course).
