Package in Transit – What Does It Mean?
TL;DR
- “In transit” means your package is moving along its delivery route but not yet delivered.
- Delays may occur due to customs clearance, incorrect address, package size, or weather conditions.
- A package can stay in transit for 24 hours to 7-9 days depending on the service and route.
- If your package is stuck in transit for more than 48 hours, contact the courier for updates.
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Parcel stuck in transit: definition and solutions
One of the most frequent tracking statuses when shipping packages is “in transit”, but what does it mean when a package is in transit?
Find out what are the reasons for delays in transit times and what to do when your package is stuck in transit.
Quick access:
- In transit definition
- Parcel stuck in transit
- Possible reasons
- How long can it stay in transit?
- What to do?
Parcel in transit: what does it mean?
Most courier companies will show the status “package in transit” when the package you are tracking is moving along its delivery route.
“In transit” can mean that the package has just left the collection warehouse, is in between two hubs, or is already on its way to the destination warehouse.
What does “package stuck in transit” mean?
While the status “in transit” means your parcel is moving, sometimes your package may no longer be progressing towards its destination, and it is either kept in one of the courier company’s depots for further checks or may be lost.
Why is my package still in transit?
Many situations can justify a delay in transit times and may be the reason why the tracking status didn’t change.
- Customs clearance – In case of international shipments, the parcel may undergo customs procedures, and they might cause delays due to any issues with the contents of the shipment or whenever the required documentation is missing.
- The package is oversized/overweight – Packages are measured in the courier company’s warehouse. If they notice that it is heavier or larger than stated, they could either return it to the sender or ask to pay additional surcharges to deliver it.
- Changes in the order – If you asked the courier to change the destination address, this may cause delays in the planned delivery. It might take a while for the change to be processed, especially if the package was already in transit.
- Improper packaging – In case of poorly-packed shipments, the courier may not be able to handle or deliver it. Furthermore, improper packaging may cause damages or loss.
- Wrong or incomplete address – This is the most common cause for undeliverable shipments. To avoid this problem, we suggest to always double-check that the provided information is correct.
- Weather conditions or traffic – External factors such as traffic jams, difficult weather conditions or holidays may cause delays in the transportation and in the delivery of the parcel.
- Lost package – The tracking of your parcel may be “stuck in transit” for many days because the shipment is lost or was sent to the wrong warehouse.
In most of the cases, the tracking would be updated from “parcel in transit” to the relevant status.
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How long will my parcel stay in transit?
Transit and delivery times depend on different factors such as distance between collection and delivery addresses and the service booked.
Your parcel can take as little as 24 hours in case of domestic or express shipments and up to 7-9 days in case of longer routes.
It is important to keep in mind that the delivery time provided in the booking phase is just an estimation. The actual time a parcel will be in transit may be a couple of days shorter or longer than the original estimation.
Check the transit time for each service:
- Express parcel delivery
- Regular parcel delivery
- Express document delivery
- Road freight transit times
What to do if my package is stuck in transit?
If your shipment shows the status “in transit” with no changes or updates for more than 48 hours, it may be that one of the above-mentioned issues occurred.
In case the parcel is in transit for a long period of time we suggest that you contact the courier company or the sender to get updates about your shipment.
If your parcel sent with Eurosender is stuck in transit, do not hesitate to contact our friendly customer support team.
The most common tracking statuses
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About the author
Marcel Nahtigal is Head of Marketing at Eurosender, specializing in digital strategies to enhance customer connections in logistics.
