Hong Kong's postal system is efficient and inexpensive. Airmail letters to anywhere in the world should take three to eight days. The Kowloon Central Post Office in Yau Ma Tei is open weekdays 9:30 to 6 and Saturday 9:30 to 1. The General Post Office in Central is open Monday to Saturday 8 to 6 and Sunday and holidays 9 to 5. All other post offices are open weekdays 9:30 to 5 and Saturday 9:30 to 1.
Airmail sent from Hong Kong is classified by destination into one of two zones. Zone 1 covers all of Asia except Japan. Zone 2 is everywhere else. International airmail costs HK$2.90 (Zone 1) or HK$3.70 (Zone 2) for a letter or postcard weighing 20 grams or less. To send a letter within Hong Kong, the cost is HK$1.70. The post office also has a dependable overnight international courier service called Speedpost.
Main Postal Branches
Hong Kong General Post Office. 2 Connaught Rd., Central, Hong Kong, n/a Hong Kong. 2921–2222; www.hongkongpost.hk.
Kowloon Central Post Office. 405 Nathan Rd., Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, n/a Hong Kong. 2928–6247; www.hongkongpost.hk.
Shipping Packages
Packages sent via airmail to the United States can take up to two weeks. Airmail shipments to the United Kingdom—both packages and letters—arrive within three to five days, while mail to Australia often arrives in as little as three days.
You are probably best off shipping your own parcels instead of letting shop owners do this for you, both to save money and to ensure that you are actually shipping what you purchased and not a quick substitute—though most shop owners are honest and won't try to cheat you in this way. The workers at Hong Kong Post are extremely friendly and will sell you all the packaging equipment you need at unbelievably reasonable prices. Large international couriers in Hong Kong include DHL, Federal Express, and S.F. Express, which also has an international forwarding service.
Express Services
DHL. 2400–3388; www.dhl.com.hk.
Federal Express. 2730–3333; www.fedex.com/hk_english.
S.F. Express. Kowloon, n/a Hong Kong. 2730–0273; www.sf-express.com.
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