Specific Details on using General Delivery in Spain

[Stephan the Painter]

I am spending some time pre-Camino in southern Spain and wanted to ship my camino equipment a few cities ahead to where I’m exploring right now.

But, I looked on this board and all over the Internet and the Correos website and cannot find specific and certain details about using general delivery with the regular post office in Spain.

Specifically what it is called in Spanish, how to address such packages, and how long the post office holds the packages.

A link to a Spanish or English Correos webpage about it would be great. Then I’m sure it’s accurate, because in the forum and articles I read the information varies.

My next stop is an actual post office, but lines can be long and with my basic Spanish it might be difficult.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

You write Lista de Correos, your name and the address of the post office.

I can't find the correct page on the Correos website, so I don't know how long they will keep it. I'm sure you could ask in the office where you send it, though.

 

[Robo]

I am spending some time pre-Camino in southern Spain and wanted to ship my camino equipment a few cities ahead to where I’m exploring right now.

But, I looked on this board and all over the Internet and the Correos website and cannot find specific and certain details about using general delivery with the regular post office in Spain.

Specifically what it is called in Spanish, how to address such packages, and how long the post office holds the packages.

A link to a Spanish or English Correos webpage about it would be great. Then I’m sure it’s accurate, because in the forum and articles I read the information varies.

My next stop is an actual post office, but lines can be long and with my basic Spanish it might be difficult.

I managed just fine using google translate on my phone. The staff were great.

 

[henrythedog]

It used to be 30 days. I can’t imagine that would change.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

It used to be 30 days. I can’t imagine that would change.

Is that from personal experience? Because some places I read it says 14 days. I’ve seen both 14 and 30, hence my confusion.
30 days would be perfect.

 

[ivar]

Is that from personal experience? Because some places I read it says 14 days. I’ve seen both 14 and 30, hence my confusion.
30 days would be perfect.

I am not 100% sure, but I thought it was 14 days... the only exception was the post office in Santiago that used to keep it for 30 days as an exception (now they keep it longer I think).

But I think the general rule is 14 days for post offices around Spain.

 

[henrythedog]

Is that from personal experience? Because some places I read it says 14 days. I’ve seen both 14 and 30, hence my confusion.
30 days would be perfect.

Yes - but of Santiago specifically.

wikipedia gives some guidance on addressing ‘post restante’ items, but unhelpfully says that the duration that they will be held varies!

Poste restante - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[henrythedog]

Stephen

This might not be exactly what you’re looking for; but it’s news to me that you can leave luggage at any Correos office - and/or have it sent to another.

The longest duration referenced on the only English language page is 15 days:

Left Luggage | Correos.es

Leave any item you like at Correos left luggage for storage and safekeeping during a fixed period of time.

www.correos.es

Scroll down to find the reference ‘send your suitcases to another city’

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Stephen

This might not be exactly what you’re looking for; but it’s news to me that you can leave luggage at any Correos office - and/or have it sent to another.

The longest duration referenced on the only English language page is 15 days:

Left Luggage | Correos.es

Leave any item you like at Correos left luggage for storage and safekeeping during a fixed period of time.

www.correos.es

Scroll down to find the reference ‘send your suitcases to another city’

Thanks. I had seen that page, but it seems they consider the general delivery similar to the left luggage. Perhaps because that’s really what I’m doing. Maybe if I was sending it to a different person it would be different?
I just came back from the post office and they also said 15 days. The postman said they’ll keep it longer if there’s no other return address. in explanation, if I use the same general delivery address as my address.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

I am not 100% sure, but I thought it was 14 days... the only exception was the post office in Santiago that used to keep it for 30 days as an exception (now they keep it longer I think).

But I think the general rule is 14 days for post offices around

yes, at the post office they told me 15 days. Maybe getting around it a bit by using the general delivery address as my return address also. But he seemed skeptical, so I guess I can just plan on 15 days.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

The postman said they’ll keep it longer if there’s no other return address. in explanation, if I use the same general delivery address as my address.

I keep on hoping someone will pop up on the board who’s actually done this…?

Darn! This morning I came upon a 2008 post by @ivar where he reported on a conversation with a Santiago postal worker. That was one of the tricks they used to give the Lista deliveries an extra 15 days without ending up on some automated report to the higher-ups in Madrid.

I've tried a number of keyword and date range searches to find it again but I can't remember a keyword that will do it.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

The postman said they’ll keep it longer if there’s no other return address. in explanation, if I use the same general delivery address as my address.

I found Ivar's 2008 post. I caution you to remember that this is what they did in Santiago in 2008 with luggage marked as pilgrim mail.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lista-de-correos-update-request-march-08.3776/#post-21497