UMS Delivery Times by Route
Urgent Mail Service is Pakistan Post’s fast domestic service. How fast it is depends mainly on whether your item travels between major cities or has to pass through smaller post offices on the way.
| Route | Examples | Usual Time | How It Travels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Between Major Cities | Major commercial cities | Overnight | Main air and rail routes |
| Other Large Cities | Other large cities | Ask your GPO | We could not confirm |
| Other Districts and Towns | Smaller towns and villages | 48 – 72 Hours | Local post offices and postmen |
| Remote Areas | Mountain and remote areas | Can take longer | We could not confirm |
Times are in working days. Parcels can weigh up to 30 kg.
Major Cities vs Smaller Places
Why can a UMS parcel between two major cities arrive the next day, while one to a small town takes two to three days?
Between Major Cities
Major commercial cities are linked by main air and rail routes, so mail between them can arrive overnight.
To Smaller Places
Mail to smaller places passes through more offices on the way, such as a district office and then the local post office. Each extra step adds time.
Booking Cut-Off Times at the GPO
To give your item the best chance of arriving overnight, book early in the day. We could not confirm exact cut-off times, so ask at your counter:
Booking earlier in the day gives your item the best chance of leaving the same day.
Ask your GPO when its last mail of the day leaves.
Some GPOs have night post office counters. Items booked late usually leave with the next day’s mail.
What Can Slow UMS Down
UMS is a fast service, but some things can slow it down:
- Winter fog: Thick winter fog can slow road and rail transport in Punjab.
- Correct postcode: A missing or wrong postcode can mean staff have to check the address by hand, which takes longer.
- Sundays: Mail keeps moving on the Railway Mail Service (RMS), but postmen do not deliver on Sundays. An item that arrives on Saturday afternoon may wait until the next working day.
- Weather in the north: Landslides or heavy snow on mountain roads can stop mail reaching places such as Chitral, Gilgit or Skardu for a while.
Collecting From the Post Office
If the receiver wants the parcel as soon as it arrives, ask the GPO about collecting it from the post office.
We could not confirm whether UMS offers counter collection, or how it works. Ask at your GPO when you book. If it is possible, the receiver will usually need the tracking number and their CNIC to collect the parcel.
Ask the counter how to write the address, and include the receiver’s name, mobile number and the post office name and postcode.