# How long to ship a package from the USA to Canada?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-ship-a-package-from-the-usa-to-canada/119591>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 18, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-ship-a-package-from-the-usa-to-canada/119591 "2002-07-18T12:26:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-ship-a-package-from-the-usa-to-canada/119591/1 "2002-07-18T12:26:18Z")

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I ordered something from eBay to be shipped to Toronto from the States (don’t really know where). A friend is coming over here on July 28th, so she will bring it with her. Do you think it will make it to her within 10 days? It’s a PDA, so, a small box shipped via the Postal Service.

Thanks-  
-T

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**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-ship-a-package-from-the-usa-to-canada/119591/2 "2002-07-18T12:32:43Z")

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See whether [this page](http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub524d.htm) from the USPS helps.

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**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-ship-a-package-from-the-usa-to-canada/119591/3 "2002-07-18T12:40:46Z")

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Oh, I found out that it will ship from CT…

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**Author:** ![mikan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@mikan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikan)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-ship-a-package-from-the-usa-to-canada/119591/4 "2002-07-18T13:24:39Z")

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I always used to think the U.S. postal service sucks, until I lived in Canada for a while. Talk about unreliable and unpredictable! Personally, I wouldn’t put good money on that package arriving within 10 days.

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**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-to-ship-a-package-from-the-usa-to-canada/119591/5 "2002-07-18T14:29:50Z")

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I do a lot of eBaying cross-border. I find that it is generally 7-12 _working_ days for any airmail between Canada and the USA (letter size or small packet).

Remember, “working” means Monday through Friday; there has not been Saturday delivery in Canada for about 30 years. The slowdown is almost certainly on this (Canadian) side of the border. The real delay will be if it is stopped and inspected by Canada Customs; about a 50/50 chance that this will happen, and it could add 3 or 4 days to the delivery time.

Your package has a good chance of being in Toronto by the 28th; it’s going to a major destination with its own sorting plant, and it’s a relatively quiet time of year volume-wise for mail. Think good thoughts!

I always smile when US friends/eBay customers rant against the USPS; it really is pretty good in my experience compared to Canada Post (which, to be totally fair, _has_ improved over the last 10 years or so)