International courier, import and freight services
Rapid Despatch arranges international courier and freight for UK businesses through DHL, UPS and FedEx and specialist agents, from four branches in Hampshire and Berkshire or by nationwide collection, with the customs paperwork generated at booking.
Documents, parcels, pallets and freight, collected anywhere in the UK and shipped worldwide. International parcel and delivery services by express air, European road, air and sea freight, plus imports and urgent on-board courier. This is a business shipping service with a person choosing the route, not a drop-off parcel counter.
Why the quote needs more than a country
An international quote depends on far more than the destination.
Contents, value, reason for export, country of origin, commodity code, dimensions, weight, deadline and delivery terms all shape what’s available and what it costs. Get that right at the start and you avoid most customs holds, re-rating, returned goods and surprise charges.
Ring any of our four branches, or use nationwide collection when the shipment starts somewhere else. We compare DHL, UPS and FedEx express services, European road, air and sea freight and dedicated vehicles against each other for each job, rather than putting every job with the same carrier.
Choosing the route around the shipment
Express international courier
Express air suits documents and parcels that need to reach major international destinations fast. On DHL, UPS and FedEx express services, next-working-day delivery is often available to major European cities and New York on shipments booked before the cut-off. We’ll confirm that against your postcode and your contents rather than leave it as a claim. Express doesn’t shortcut customs.
European road courier
Express and economy options across much of Europe. Economy road is a sensible choice when air speed isn’t worth paying for. From our Hampshire and Berkshire branches, Rapid Despatch also runs dedicated vehicles into Europe: one driver, one vehicle, collection to delivery, with crossings, tolls, driver hours and route conditions costed in. See same-day and dedicated services.
International air freight
Takes larger consignments and routes where a parcel service won’t work. Typically involves collection, export handling, airport processing, the airline movement, customs clearance and final delivery. Chargeable weight can be calculated on volume rather than actual weight, so complete dimensions matter more here than almost anywhere else.
Sea freight
For larger, non-urgent international movements where capacity and cost beat transit time. It needs planning around collection, export paperwork, port handling, customs, destination charges and final delivery. A port-to-port figure isn’t the landed cost, so we’ll be clear about what the quote does and doesn’t include.
Import collection
We can collect overseas and deliver into the UK. As the importer you’ll still need to supply accurate information and understand duties, VAT and your customs responsibilities. We coordinate the transport and documentation route; customs makes the clearance decision.
On-board international courier
For small, extremely urgent consignments, Rapid Despatch arranges an on-board courier: a person collects the item, travels with it on a scheduled flight and completes or coordinates the handover. It suits critical components, medical equipment and documents where the cost of delay dwarfs the cost of a seat on a plane. More on our specialist services page.
What we need for an international booking
Full legal names, addresses, postcodes, telephone numbers and email contacts.
“Parts”, “samples” and “gift” are the three descriptions most likely to get your shipment stopped. State what the item is, what it’s made from and what it’s used for. “Two stainless-steel machine brackets for repair” tells customs something. “Engineering parts” doesn’t. Whatever you write should match the invoice, the packing list and your own records. US customs publishes a list of acceptable and unacceptable goods descriptions that is the clearest short guide to this anywhere.
Piece count, packaging type, dimensions and weight.
Customs needs a value it can defend, including for samples, returns and temporary exports.
Classification and origin drive duties, controls and declarations. See how we handle the customs paperwork.
Agree who pays carriage, duties, taxes and destination charges before shipping. See how we handle the customs paperwork.
Customs rules change, and the right treatment turns on the actual goods and the actual trade movement. We give practical shipping guidance. Where a rule is stated we link the official source.
Sending parcels to Northern Ireland
EU low-value import changes
Accurate documentation and international delays
How we handle the customs paperwork
When you book, the commercial invoice and customs data are generated through our online booking system from what you enter. We check the booking, flag what is obviously missing and guide you on what customs will ask for. You remain responsible for the accuracy of the descriptions, the values and the classifications, because those are the exporter’s or importer’s legal responsibility and we will not invent a commodity code from an incomplete product description.
You also choose the duty terms at booking. DAP (Delivered at Place) means the recipient pays duties and taxes on arrival. DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) means you pay them and we bill you. Agree which one applies with your recipient before you ship, because a surprise import charge is the most common reason a shipment sits at a destination depot.
How the process runs
We review the route and deadline
We check origin, destination, contents, size and required delivery date, then weigh express, economy, road, air, sea and dedicated options against each other. If the deadline can’t be met, we’ll tell you what can.
Documentation is identified
You supply the commercial invoice, values and descriptions. We check the booking and flag anything obviously missing. Restricted goods, licences and destination-specific controls have to be resolved before collection, not at the airport.
Collection and export are arranged
We collect from our branch regions or anywhere else in the UK. Goods need to be packaged for the route and ready before the cut-off. International networks involve more handling than a same-day dedicated vehicle, so the packaging has to survive terminals and transfers.
Tracking and customs are monitored
Tracking shows the shipment moving through the service. A customs scan isn’t automatically a problem; it’s often just part of the route. When customs does ask for something, a fast accurate reply from the exporter or importer usually prevents a long delay.
Delivery and proof
After clearance the shipment goes out for final delivery, and proof of delivery follows the service. If you need a named recipient, a delivery booking or a specific site process, tell us before despatch.
What the shipment is covered for
Goods in transit insurance is provided for UK and European movements. Beyond Europe, the carrier’s or agent’s cover applies instead, and the limits are theirs rather than ours. Tell us the value before booking if you need more cover than the standard arrangement, because it usually can be arranged in advance and cannot be added afterwards.
Restricted goods and packaging
Restricted, hazardous and unusual goods
Not every carrier or route takes every commodity. Batteries, aerosols, chemicals, biological material, medicines, food, alcohol, valuables and controlled technology can need declarations, specific packaging, licences or a specialist service. Some destinations prohibit things that move around the UK without a second thought.
Declare the contents before booking. If you have safety data sheets, dangerous-goods classifications or permits, send them. Hiding or mis-describing restricted contents creates a safety risk, and it creates a customs problem and a bill. Same principle for temperature-sensitive, fragile and high-value goods: “medical” doesn’t mean temperature-controlled.
Packaging for international transport
International parcels go through automated systems, airports, depots and delivery vehicles. Use a rigid outer container, proper internal cushioning and sealing that suits the weight. Stop the contents moving inside the box, protect the edges and strip old labels off.
Pallets need to be stable, secured and safe to handle. Don’t overhang unless it’s been specifically accepted. Heavy items need packaging that can carry their own weight. If wood packaging regulations apply at the destination, confirm compliance before we collect.
Why use us for international delivery
A person picks the route
An online rate is useful right up to the point where it doesn’t tell you the deadline misses the cut-off, the item is restricted, or a different mode would protect the goods better.
Support when something needs chasing
International shipments sometimes need extra documents or action from the recipient. We stay the shipping contact and help coordinate the response, instead of leaving you to interpret a tracking scan.
International courier FAQs
It depends on origin, destination, contents, cut-off, service and customs. On DHL, UPS and FedEx express services, next-day is often available to major European cities and New York on suitable shipments. Road, freight and remote destinations take longer. We confirm the route-specific estimate when we quote.
The commercial invoice and customs data are generated through our online booking system from what you enter. How we handle the customs paperwork.
You choose at booking. How we handle the customs paperwork.
There isn't one answer, and anyone who gives you one is selling a single carrier. It depends on the route, the contents, the deadline and the size of the consignment. We compare DHL, UPS and FedEx express services, European road, air freight, sea freight and dedicated vehicles for each job, and we will tell you when a cheaper or slower option is the sensible one.
Usually economy road within Europe, or sea freight for larger consignments where the date allows it. Two things drive the price more than people expect: chargeable weight is often calculated on volume rather than actual weight, so a light bulky box prices like a heavy one; and getting the description, value and commodity code right first time avoids re-rating and customs charges that cost more than the saving.
Yes. Nationwide collection for international shipments, with direct support from our four branches.
Yes. We arrange overseas collection and UK delivery. As importer you must provide the information and authority needed for UK customs clearance and pay any charges due.
Yes, by road, air or sea freight. Send pallet dimensions, weight, stackability, contents, value and loading details.
A person who accompanies a small urgent consignment on a scheduled flight and manages the handover. It's a specialist option for deadlines that justify the cost.
No, and neither can anyone else. No courier controls a customs authority. We select the right service, check the booking information and respond to requests quickly. But inspections, missing information and destination rules can all add time.
Get an international courier quote
Send the collection postcode, destination country and postcode, contents, value, dimensions, weight and required arrival date. Attach the commercial invoice or packing list if you have it.