China Post Tracking: Track Your China Post Package Online
CARRIAGE TRACKING – All-in-One Courier Tracking Service
China Post Tracking
For China Post tracking, paste your 13-character tracking number (for example RA123456789CN) into the tracker above. Once the parcel reaches your country, the same number usually works on the local postal service’s site, such as USPS in the US or Royal Mail in the UK. Untracked “ordinary” small packets may stop updating after they leave China.
Ordered something from a Chinese online store? There’s a good chance it’s travelling with China Post, especially if you bought from AliExpress, eBay sellers in China, or other cross-border marketplaces. The tricky part is that China Post tracking can go quiet for days, and then the parcel shows up again under your local post office.
This guide explains how to track a China Post package, what the different tracking number prefixes mean, how long delivery takes, and what each status means.
What Is China Post?
China Post is the national postal service of the People’s Republic of China. The current service was established in 1949. It’s a state-owned enterprise headquartered in Beijing, and it represents China in the Universal Postal Union (UPU). That UPU membership is why China Post parcels are delivered abroad by your own national post.
It’s one of the largest postal networks in the world, with hundreds of thousands of postal outlets and more than 700,000 employees. Its international services include letter-post small packets, registered airmail, parcels (air, SAL and surface), and EMS, its express service.
China Post Tracking: How to Track Your Package
China Post Tracking via Carriage Tracking
Because the parcel changes hands at the border, tracking with Carriage Tracking lets you see both the Chinese and local stages in one place.
Tracking on the Official China Post Website
You can also enter your number on China Post’s official site (english.chinapost.com.cn) or, for EMS shipments, on the EMS website. The Chinese-side scans tend to appear there first.
Tracking With Your Local Post Office
Once the parcel lands in your country, your national post takes over. In the US, you can usually enter the same number into USPS tracking. In the UK, it’s typically Royal Mail. The local carrier often shows more detail for the last few days of the trip.
China Post Tracking Number Format
Most China Post numbers follow the international UPU format: 2 letters + 9 digits + “CN”, 13 characters in total. The first letter tells you the type of service. If you’re not sure where to find your tracking number, check your order details on the store’s website.
Starts with | Service | Tracking detail |
|---|---|---|
R (e.g. RA…CN, RB…CN) | Registered airmail | Main events from China to delivery, usually with a signature |
E (e.g. EA…CN, EE…CN) | EMS express | Full tracking with frequent scans |
L (e.g. LX…CN, LZ…CN) | Tracked small packet / ePacket-type services | Limited but usually trackable to delivery |
C (e.g. CP…CN) | Parcel post | Limited, with long gaps |
U (e.g. UA…CN) | Ordinary (unregistered) small packet | Often only trackable inside China |
A number that ends in a different country code (such as SG, NL or GB) was issued by another postal service, even if the seller is in China.
How Long Does China Post Take to Deliver?
China Post delivery times vary a lot by service, destination and season. Typical estimates:
Chinese New Year, Singles’ Day (11 November) and the run-up to Christmas can add weeks. For budget marketplace orders, our Temu shipping time guide shows how similar cross-border routes compare.
China Post Tracking Statuses Explained
Status | What it means |
|---|---|
Collection / Posting | The post office received the parcel from the seller. |
Dispatching / Departure from inward office | It’s moving between Chinese processing centers. |
Opening | A bag of mail is being processed at a sorting center. Your parcel isn’t opened. |
Arrival at outward office of exchange | It has reached the international exchange office in China. |
Departure from outward office of exchange | It has left China, or is handed to the airline. |
Arrival at inward office of exchange | It has arrived in your country. |
Held by customs / Customs clearance | Import customs is checking it. |
Delivered / Final delivery | Your local post has delivered it. |
The longest silence usually comes between leaving China and arriving in your country. It’s normal for China Post tracking to show no new scans for one to three weeks during this stretch.
China Post Tracking Not Updating?
China Post vs Private Couriers From China
China Post is usually the cheapest option, but not the fastest. Many sellers now use cross-border logistics companies such as SFC Service for e-commerce routes, or express carriers like DHL for urgent or high-value orders. Orders to Latin America are often handed to regional specialists such as MailAmericas for final delivery.
If you have the choice at checkout, paying a little more for a tracked option is worth it for anything you’d struggle to replace.
China Post Customer Service
For marketplace orders, the seller is China Post’s customer and booked the courier service, so they’re the fastest route to a refund or reshipment. For delivery problems after the parcel arrives in your country, contact your local post office.
Other Carriers at Carriage Tracking
Waiting on orders from several countries? Browse all carrier tracking services and track them from one page.
