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Courier Service Austria: The Top 10 Parcel Delivery Companies in 2026

The top courier service in Austria for most parcels is Österreichische Post, which delivered about 232 million parcels in 2025 and holds roughly 56% of the market. DPD Austria and GLS Austria are the main private alternatives for domestic and EU parcels, while DHL Express, UPS and FedEx cover international express shipping, and specialists like Gebrüder Weiss, GO! Express and NOX NachtExpress handle home delivery, same-day and overnight jobs.

Choosing a courier service in Austria is not only about who is cheapest for one parcel. It decides how fast your orders arrive, how many pickup points your customers can use, and how easily you can send a parcel to Austria from abroad or ship out to the rest of the EU. If you work with more than one courier, a multi-carrier shipping platform and ready-made carrier integrations matter as much as the courier itself.

This guide ranks the ten courier companies that matter most for shipping in Austria, from the national postal operator to niche night-express firms, with what each one is best for, where its network is strongest, and what it costs to get started.

The top 10 courier and parcel delivery companies in Austria for 2026.
The top 10 courier and parcel delivery companies in Austria for 2026.

Key Takeaways

  1. Österreichische Post is the market leader, with about 56% of Austria's roughly 416 million parcels in 2025.
  2. DPD Austria (DPD Direct Parcel Distribution Austria GmbH) moved 64.6 million parcels in 2025 and runs 3,300+ Pickup shops.
  3. DHL and Hermes don't make their own standard parcel deliveries inside Austria: Österreichische Post handles the last mile, while DHL Express keeps its own network.
  4. GLS starts at €3.80 for a small parcel sent online within Austria, making it one of the cheapest options for light shipments.
  5. Running several couriers through one platform lets you create labels and follow shipments for all of them in one place.

The Top 10 Courier Services in Austria at a Glance

Austria's parcel market splits into three groups: the national postal operator, private parcel networks built for B2C e-commerce, and express or specialist couriers that sell speed, time windows or international reach. The table below gives you the short version before the full profiles.

# Courier Type Best for Austrian network
1 Österreichische Post National postal operator Domestic B2C parcels Branches, Post Partners, 24/7 Post Stations
2 DPD Austria Private parcel carrier B2C with delivery time windows 3,300+ Pickup shops, 24/7 lockers
3 GLS Austria Private parcel carrier Low-cost small parcels, EU delivery ~1,000 ParcelShops, ~1,500 lockers
4 Hermes Austria PaketShop network Drop-off and returns 1,600+ PaketShops (last mile by Post)
5 Gebrüder Weiss Logistics group Bulky home delivery, B2B freight Group HQ in Lauterach, 180 locations worldwide
6 DHL Express International express Fast cross-border shipping Own infrastructure, ~600 myflexbox lockers
7 UPS International express Long-haul express shipping UPS Access Points
8 FedEx International express Global priority shipping Drop-off locations nationwide
9 GO! Express & Logistics Courier and express Same-day and city courier jobs Linz station serving all of Austria
10 NOX NachtExpress Night express Spare parts delivered overnight National coverage from Vienna and Upper Austria

Couriers often charge by volumetric weight as well as actual weight, so it is worth checking your typical box sizes with a free volumetric weight calculator before you compare prices. Once you ship with several carriers, ShippyPro Optimizer shows transit times and estimated costs by carrier and region, so you can see which courier performs best on which routes.

About half of Austrias 500 courier firms are based in Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Villach.
About half of Austria's 500+ courier firms are based in Vienna, Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Villach.

Parcel Carriers: The Best Courier Companies in Austria for B2C Delivery

These five carriers move most of the parcels Austrian consumers receive. They compete on price, pickup network size and delivery options more than on raw speed.

1. Österreichische Post (Austrian Post)

Best for: domestic B2C parcels and reaching every address in the country.

Österreichische Post is the default courier service in Austria. In 2025 it delivered about 232 million parcels inside the country, up 3.5% on the year before, which works out to more than 25 parcels per resident (VOL.at). A Branchenradar study puts its share of the whole parcel market at 56%, rising to 63% for parcels sent to private customers. Across the group, including its operations in Southeast and Eastern Europe and Turkey, it handled more than half a billion parcels in 13 countries.

Customers can collect and send parcels at branches, Post Partner outlets and self-service Post Stations that are open around the clock. Österreichische Post is also the last-mile partner for DHL standard parcels and Hermes parcels in Austria (more on that below). Parcel tariffs and add-ons such as bulky goods surcharges are published in the official Post parcel tariff sheet.

  • Pros: biggest market share, 24/7 Post Stations, 63% of parcels to private recipients
  • Cons: tariff sheets are updated several times a year, so prices need regular checking

2. DPD Austria

Best for: B2C parcels where customers want a precise delivery window.

DPD Austria trades legally as DPD Direct Parcel Distribution Austria GmbH and is registered in Leopoldsdorf, just outside Vienna. It moved 64.6 million parcels in 2025, up 3.6% (Gebrüder Weiss annual results). Its network includes more than 3,300 Pickup parcel shops in Austria plus 24/7 parcel lockers, and it connects to around 160,000 Pickup points across Europe (DPD Austria).

DPD's Predict notifications keep recipients updated, and through myDPD they can redirect a parcel to a Pickup shop or 24/7 locker while it is on the way. DPD Austria also offers Primetime time-window services on weekdays and Saturdays. Parcels delivered to a Pickup shop are held for seven calendar days.

  • Pros: 3,300+ Pickup shops, Predict notifications, Primetime time windows
  • Cons: Pickup shops follow each shop's own opening hours

3. GLS Austria

Best for: low-cost small parcels and next-door EU markets.

GLS Austria employs about 300 people across 12 locations and runs roughly 1,000 ParcelShops and 1,500 parcel lockers in Austria (GLS Austria). The wider GLS Group moved 977 million parcels in fiscal year 2025/26 and covers around 50 countries, so cross-border delivery to neighbouring countries such as Germany is a core strength.

GLS is also one of the few couriers that publishes clear consumer prices. An XS parcel within Austria starts at €3.80 online and €4.00 at a ParcelShop.

  • Pros: published prices, ~50-country network, ~1,500 lockers in Austria
  • Cons: 31.5 kg maximum per parcel

4. Hermes Austria

Best for: convenient drop-off and returns.

Hermes Logistik GmbH, based in Schwechat, has offered parcel services to private customers in Austria since July 2007. Its strength is its network of more than 1,600 Hermes PaketShops, which customers can use for drop-off, collection and as an alternative delivery address (Hermes Austria). Hermes doesn't run its own last-mile delivery in Austria: Österreichische Post delivers Hermes parcels to the door (Paketda).

  • Pros: 1,600+ PaketShops for drop-off, collection and returns
  • Cons: home delivery is handled by Post, not Hermes

5. Gebrüder Weiss

Best for: home delivery of larger items and B2B freight.

Gebrüder Weiss is an Austrian logistics group headquartered in Lauterach, Vorarlberg. In 2025 it reported revenue of €2.73 billion, about 8,600 employees and 180 company-owned locations. Its Austrian home delivery business handled 1.36 million consignments in 2025. Its GW pro.line home service covers furniture and electrical appliances, with two-person delivery teams and installation options (ÖVZ). Its parcel service is also a part-owner of DPD Austria, so it shapes the parcel market from two sides.

  • Pros: two-person delivery and installation for bulky goods, B2B freight
  • Cons: built for business shipments rather than single small parcels

Product & Resources

Product

Multi-Carrier Shipping Platform

Create labels for Austrian Post, DPD Austria and other carriers from one dashboard.

Explore the platform →
Product

Carrier Integrations

Connect 200+ carriers, including Austrian Post, DPD Austria and GLS Austria.

See all integrations →
Product

Track & Trace

See shipments from your carriers in one overview, filtered by status or carrier.

Discover tracking →
Guide

Shipping Resources

Guides, reports and templates for e-commerce shipping across Europe.

Browse resources →

Ship with Every Austrian Courier from One Place

Connect your Austrian and international carriers and create labels from one place. Try ShippyPro free for 14 days.

Express, International and Specialist Couriers in Austria

The second group sells speed, reach or special handling. These are the couriers to call when a parcel has to cross an ocean, arrive the same day or be waiting in a workshop before the morning shift.

6. DHL Express

Best for: fast international shipping, especially for business customers.

DHL's Austrian story is often misunderstood. Its standard parcel business was taken over by Österreichische Post on 1 August 2019, so DHL standard parcels and DHL parcels sent into Austria from abroad are delivered by Post. DHL Express is not affected: it runs its own infrastructure in Austria and focuses on business customers, with door-to-door express delivery to more than 220 countries and territories (DHL Austria). For collection, DHL Express works with partner locker operators, including around 600 myflexbox locations across Austria (DHL Austria).

⚠ Warning: Don't expect a DHL van for domestic parcels

If you book a DHL standard parcel to an Austrian address, Österreichische Post makes the final delivery. The same goes for Hermes parcels. Mention this in your shipping policy so customers aren't surprised when a Post driver turns up.

7. UPS (United Parcel Service)

Best for: international express shipments outside Europe.

United Parcel Service is a global express carrier with a network in Austria. Recipients can use UPS Access Points, which come in three forms: retail partner shops, self-service lockers and UPS Customer Centers (UPS Austria). With UPS My Choice, they can redirect eligible parcels to an Access Point and get delivery notifications.

8. FedEx

Best for: international express and economy shipping within Europe.

Since 2019, FedEx has used TNT's European road network for its FedEx Intra-Europe Economy service, which delivers within the EU in two to five business days (Post & Parcel), alongside its faster international express services. Its Austrian location finder lists drop-off points in towns from Dornbirn to Vienna, so senders outside the big cities are still covered.

9. GO! Express & Logistics

Best for: same-day, city courier and direct transport jobs.

GO! is a courier service built for urgent jobs: city courier rides, direct transport, same-day delivery, GO! Overnight and worldwide express. It is part of a network of about 100 stations in Europe, and its Linz station in Pasching serves Linz, the rest of Austria and international destinations (GO! Austria). It also handles special shipments like dangerous goods and legally secured delivery.

10. NOX NachtExpress

Best for: spare parts and urgent B2B goods delivered overnight.

NOX Austria describes itself as the market leader in night express, with national coverage from two branches in Vienna and Ried im Traunkreis and about 50 employees (NOX Austria). Its customers are mostly in automotive, agriculture, engineering, high tech and life science, and services include DayExpress, NightTimeExpress, dangerous goods and customs clearance.

💡 Pro Tip: Match the courier to the parcel, not the other way round

A practical setup is one parcel carrier for everyday domestic orders (Post, DPD or GLS) plus one express carrier for international or urgent orders. Post, DPD and GLS all run pickup shops and parcel lockers, so offering a pickup option at checkout gives customers an alternative to waiting at home.

Domestic vs. Cross-Border: Which Courier Service in Austria Fits You?

Your shipping profile matters more than any ranking. Here is how the choice usually plays out:

🇦🇹
If you mostly ship within Austria

Prioritise reach and pickup options. Österreichische Post covers every address, DPD Austria adds time windows and Predict, and GLS is hard to beat on price for light parcels. Hermes adds 1,600+ PaketShops for drop-off and returns.

🌍
If you ship abroad or send parcels to Austria

Prioritise EU networks and customs support. GLS and DPD are strong for neighbouring EU countries, while DHL Express, UPS and FedEx handle long-haul and time-critical shipments. If you send a DHL standard parcel to Austria, expect Post to deliver the last mile.

How Big Is the Austrian Parcel Market?

Austria is a small country with a busy parcel market. The Branchenradar study puts total volume at about 416 million parcels in 2025. Here is how the main figures fit together:

Metric (2025) Figure Source
Total parcels in Austria ~416 million Branchenradar, via VOL.at
Österreichische Post parcels in Austria ~232 million (+3.5%) Österreichische Post
Post market share, all parcels 56% Branchenradar
Post market share, private recipients 63% Branchenradar
Post market share, business recipients just over 31% Branchenradar
DPD Austria parcels 64.6 million (+3.6%) Gebrüder Weiss

Combined, Post and DPD moved about 297 million parcels in 2025, which suggests the two carry roughly seven in ten Austrian parcels. The figures come from different sources, so treat that share as an estimate. The rest is shared by GLS, the express carriers and smaller networks.

Austrias 2025 parcel market about 416 million parcels, with Post at 56%.
Austria's 2025 parcel market: about 416 million parcels, with Post at 56%.

How Much Does It Cost to Send a Parcel in Austria?

Prices depend on size, weight, destination and whether you book online or at a shop. Business senders negotiate their own rates, so public prices are only a starting point. GLS publishes one of the clearest price lists, which makes it a useful benchmark for postage within Austria and to neighbouring countries (GLS parcel prices):

GLS parcel size Size rule (longest + shortest side) Within Austria (online / shop) To Germany (online / shop)
XS max. 35 cm €3.80 / €4.00 €10.60 / €10.90
S max. 50 cm Higher tier, see GLS price list
M max. 65 cm Higher tier, see GLS price list
L max. 80 cm Higher tier, see GLS price list

Every GLS parcel can weigh up to 31.5 kg. Österreichische Post publishes its own tariffs as PDF sheets that change during the year, with surcharges for bulky goods, so always check the latest version before quoting shipping costs to customers. For international express with DHL, UPS or FedEx, prices are quoted per shipment or per business contract.

How to Choose a Courier Service in Austria

Use these four steps to narrow the list down to the one or two couriers that fit your shop:

1
Map your destinations

Split your orders into domestic, EU and non-EU. Domestic-heavy shops lean towards Post, DPD or GLS, export-heavy shops towards express carriers.

 
2
Check your parcel profile

Note typical weights and sizes. GLS publishes low starting prices for XS parcels, Post charges surcharges for bulky goods, and large items like furniture may suit a specialist like Gebrüder Weiss.

 
3
Decide on delivery options

Choose whether you need pickup points, time windows, Saturday delivery, cash on delivery or overnight service.

💡 Pickup points and lockers give customers an alternative to waiting at home for a delivery.
 
4
Compare real rates and test

Ask for business quotes from two or three couriers and run a test period before committing your full volume.

Manage Every Courier in Austria from One Platform

Once you work with more than one courier, the hard part is no longer picking a carrier, it's managing several accounts, label formats and tracking pages at once. ShippyPro connects to 200+ carriers, so you can run your Austrian couriers and your international ones side by side. See the full list on the ShippyPro integrations page.

For Austria specifically, ShippyPro integrates with three of the carriers in this list, according to the ShippyPro Help Center:

  • Austrian Post (AT Post): once your AT Post sales representative activates the API connection on your account, you can ship Parcel Austria, Next Day, Small Parcel, Premium Select and international parcel services, with pickup points, customs documents, multi-parcel shipments and tracking (Help Center).
  • DPD Austria: supports pickup points, cash on delivery, return labels, pickup booking, multi-parcel shipments, Primetime services and DPD's Predict notifications, with PDF or ZPL labels (Help Center).
  • GLS Austria: connects through the standard GLS connector, with cash on delivery, proof of delivery, multi-parcel shipments and tracking (Help Center).

Once your carriers are connected, the Track & Trace overview lists your shipments by their latest carrier status, and you can send automated shipping notifications by email, SMS or WhatsApp when a tracking status changes. For returns, Easy Return gives customers a return portal and emails them a label, for carriers that support return labels. Later, Invoice Analysis compares what a carrier billed you against your contract and flags unexpected surcharges.

Courier Service Austria: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best courier service in Austria?

For most domestic parcels, Österreichische Post is the most widely used courier service in Austria, with about 56% of the market in 2025. DPD Austria and GLS Austria are the strongest private alternatives, and DHL Express, UPS and FedEx lead for international express.

What is the cheapest way to send a parcel within Austria?

For small, light parcels, GLS is one of the cheapest options, starting at €3.80 for an XS parcel booked online. Business senders usually get lower rates from Post, DPD or GLS by negotiating a contract based on volume.

Who delivers DHL parcels in Austria?

Since 1 August 2019, Österreichische Post delivers DHL standard parcels in Austria, including those sent from abroad. DHL Express still runs its own network in Austria for express shipments.

What is DPD Direct Parcel Distribution Austria GmbH?

It is the legal name of DPD Austria, registered in Leopoldsdorf near Vienna. It moved 64.6 million parcels in 2025 and runs more than 3,300 Pickup shops in Austria.

How do I send a parcel to Austria from abroad?

Most international carriers deliver to Austria, either with their own network (DPD, GLS, UPS, FedEx, DHL Express) or through Österreichische Post as the last-mile partner. Within the EU no customs declaration is needed, but parcels from outside the EU need customs paperwork.

Which courier is best for same-day delivery in Vienna?

Same-day and city courier jobs are the speciality of express firms like GO! Express & Logistics, which offers city courier, direct transport and same-day services across Austria.

Can I pick up parcels outside opening hours in Austria?

Yes. Österreichische Post runs Post Stations open around the clock, DPD Austria offers 24/7 parcel lockers, GLS has about 1,500 lockers, and DHL Express uses around 600 myflexbox lockers.

Can I use more than one courier service in Austria at the same time?

Yes, and many online shops do. A multi-carrier platform like ShippyPro, which connects to 200+ carriers including Austrian Post, DPD Austria and GLS Austria, lets you create labels and follow shipments for all of them from one dashboard.

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ShippyPro Team

ShippyPro is the complete shipping software for online and offline retail. With Label Creator, Track & Trace, Easy Return and Analytics features, our software simplifies your shipping operations. ShippyPro integrates with over 180 carriers and 80 sales channels, making it compatible with a wide range of products and use cases.