Compare live rates
Enter your postcodes and parcel size to see every carrier that serves Shetland, sorted by cheapest or fastest.
HomeShetland
Send a parcel to Shetland
Compare courier prices to Shetland in one search. From £4.15 on economy, islands surcharges explained, VAT included. Quote in 30 seconds.
Compare
Compare courier prices to Shetland
Shetland is the most remote part of the UK, in the ZE postcode well to the north of the Scottish mainland. Couriers treat it as the Highlands and Islands, and because it is the furthest to reach, it carries the highest islands surcharges and the longest transit times of any UK destination on faster and express services. On a standard economy service, though, the cheapest rate is still the flat national price, from £4.15, because Royal Mail delivers across all of the UK on its standard tracked services without an islands surcharge. That is the single biggest saving on this route, and it is exactly why comparing matters so much here. ParcelMatch compares every carrier that serves Shetland, shows any surcharge inside the quote, VAT included, and needs no account to compare or book.
The gap between a surcharged express service and an economy service that skips the fee is wider to Shetland than anywhere else, so comparing side by side is well worth the few seconds it takes. The same parcel can cost a few pounds on economy or several times that on an express service that adds the UK's highest islands fee, which is why the carrier you choose matters more here than on any mainland route.
Cost
How much does it cost to send a parcel to Shetland?
For a typical 2kg parcel, prices to Shetland start from £4.15 on economy. Here is how the main service types compare, with live figures from the quote engine.
Size and weight set the price first, charged on the larger of the actual and volumetric weight, then speed, then any islands surcharge on the faster courier services, which are highest to Shetland. A large or heavy parcel up to around 30kg starts from about £14.38, though islands surcharges are common on heavy items here, so compare.
Cheapest from£4.15Economy, drop-offRoyal Mail Tracked 48 · 3 to 5 working days
- TrackedRoyal Mail Tracked 24 · 2 to 4 working days£5.30
- Two-day, trackedEvri · 4 to 5 working days£5.89
- Signed for2 to 4 working days£7.12
FromTypical delivery
London3 to 5 working days
Birmingham3 to 5 working days
Manchester3 to 4 working days
Glasgow2 to 4 working days
Delivery times
Delivery times to Shetland from major UK cities
Parcels reach Shetland by sea or air after the mainland leg, and it is the longest transit in the UK. These are typical times.
From Scotland, delivery is quickest, but still allow several days. The exact time shows against each quote.
Couriers
Which couriers deliver to Shetland?
Royal Mail and Parcelforce are the most reliable to Shetland and often avoid an islands surcharge on economy, which usually makes them cheapest by a clear margin.
| Courier | On this route |
|---|---|
| Evri and DPD | Evri and DPD serve the islands on selected services, with surcharges on most faster options. |
| UPS, DHL and FedEx | UPS, DHL and FedEx handle urgent or heavier parcels, with the highest islands surcharges in the quote. |
ParcelMatch shows which carriers quote the route and what each adds. With the surcharge gap wider here than anywhere, a quick comparison can mean the difference between the £4.15 economy rate and a far dearer express service, so it is always worth checking rather than defaulting to habit.
See all carriersSurcharges
Do I pay a surcharge to Shetland?
No customs, since Shetland is part of the UK. On surcharges, the cheapest economy services usually avoid the islands fee, but most express and courier services add one, and it is the highest in the UK because Shetland is the furthest to reach. ParcelMatch shows it in the quote, and because Royal Mail frequently skips it on economy, comparing can save you a large amount on this route.
Before you book
Common mistakes to avoid when sending to Shetland
Shetland carries the UK's highest islands surcharge, so the cost of a few simple slips is larger here than anywhere. These are the ones to watch.
- 01
Defaulting to an express courier that adds the UK's highest islands fee, when Royal Mail economy often reaches Shetland without one at £4.15.
- 02
Guessing the weight instead of weighing the finished parcel, which matters more here as surcharges are common on heavy items.
- 03
Paying for a doorstep collection when a nearby drop-off point would be cheaper.
- 04
Using an oversized box, since price follows the larger of actual and volumetric weight.
- 05
Paying for a faster service with a steep surcharge when the extra day or two of an economy service would not matter.
Large parcels
Sending a large or heavy parcel to Shetland
Standard services handle parcels up to around 30kg and 1.5m in length, and a large or heavy parcel to Shetland starts from about £14.38, though an islands surcharge is common on heavy items, so compare carriers carefully.
For anything bigger, see large parcel delivery.
Packing
How to pack a parcel for Shetland
Pack as you would any UK parcel, since there are no customs requirements, and pack sturdily because the long sea-and-road journey means more handling than any other UK route. Follow these steps before you quote:
- step 01
Measure and weigh the finished parcel, as price follows the larger of actual and volumetric weight.
- step 02
Use a sturdy box slightly larger than the contents, and a double-walled box for anything heavy or valuable.
- step 03
Wrap each item and fill every gap so nothing moves when shaken.
- step 04
Tape all the seams with strong parcel tape, using the H-taping method.
- step 05
Attach the label flat and clear of any seams or edges.
Your choice
Drop-off or collection?
Dropping your parcel at a local shop, Post Office or locker is usually cheaper than a doorstep collection.
Drop-off points also tend to open longer hours, so you can send at a time that suits you. For something heavy, a collection is available on most services for a little more. ParcelMatch shows both in your results.
Routes
Popular routes to Shetland
Send a parcel to Orkney
How it works
How it works
Book in one checkout
Pick a service, add the addresses and pay. Your label lands in your inbox straight away.
Drop off or get collected
Leave it locally or book a collection, then track it on one page.
Why ParcelMatch
Why send to Shetland with ParcelMatch
- Every carrier that serves Shetland, compared in one search, from £4.15
- Any islands surcharge shown upfront, VAT included
- Economy options that often avoid the UK's highest islands surcharge
- No account needed to compare and book
- One tracking page for every courier
How much does it cost to send a parcel to Shetland?
From £4.15 for a 2kg parcel on economy, as Royal Mail does not add an islands surcharge on its standard service. A large or heavy parcel starts from about £14.38, though surcharges are common on heavy items.
Do I pay an islands surcharge to Shetland?
Not on the cheapest economy services as a rule, but most faster and courier services add one, and it is the highest in the UK because Shetland is the furthest to reach. ParcelMatch shows it in the quote, and some carriers skip it.
How long does a parcel take to Shetland?
Most services take 2 to 5 working days, the longest transit in the UK. Delivery is quickest from Scotland, but still allow several days, and the exact time shows against each quote.
What is the cheapest way to send a parcel to Shetland?
Usually Royal Mail economy at £4.15, which often avoids the islands surcharge. Because the surcharge gap is widest here, comparing carriers side by side saves the most on this route.
Do I need a customs form for Shetland?
No. Shetland is part of the UK, so there is no customs paperwork and no VAT complication. You pack, label and send exactly as you would to the mainland.
Why is the surcharge higher to Shetland than other islands?
Shetland is the furthest UK destination to reach, so the sea-and-air leg costs carriers more and the islands surcharge on faster services is the highest in the country. Royal Mail economy still frequently skips it, which is why comparing pays off.
Can I track my parcel to Shetland?
Yes. Every booking includes tracking on one ParcelMatch page, whichever courier carries it, so you can follow it the whole way north.
Ready when you are
Compare prices to Shetland now
Two postcodes and a size is all it takes, from £4.15 with VAT included.
£4.15to Shetland from