From 11.05.2022 onwards, rail transport can be booked in DHL online franking and in the Post & DHL app. Over the course of May, this shipping option is also planned for the Deutsche Post shop.

The rail transport shipping option is available to book at no extra charge in DHL online franking, the Post & DHL app and in the Deutsche Post shop.

For national private customers parcels and small packages (Päckchen) "M". A combination with transport insurance is possible, a pick-up can also be booked. Currently, no other shipping services can be combined.

With online franking, rail transport can be added at no extra charge if the route between the sender and recipient postcode is served via the rail network used by DHL Group. Thus, for short distances, a parcel cannot be transported by rail, but for long distances, such as from Munich to Hamburg, it is possible in many cases. Also, the departure or destination area must not be too far away from the stations of the available rail connections.

With online franking, the postcodes of the sender and recipient are used to check whether the shipment is suitable for our rail transport. Only then will the shipping option be displayed and the customer can decide to choose sustainable transport by rail. When franking in branch/parcel shop, it would mean that parts of the sender's and recipient's address would have to be recorded. This is currently not possible.

A suitable shipping product must be selected.: rail transport can only be offered for national parcels and small packages (Päckchen) "M". A combination with transport insurance is possible, as is the booking of a pick-up. If other services are chosen, a combination with rail transport is not possible.

The transport route must be suitable for rail transport. With online franking, the postcodes of the sender and recipient are used to check whether the shipment is suitable for our rail transport. Only then will the shipping option be displayed and the customer can decide to choose sustainable transport by rail. For example, a parcel cannot be transported by rail for short distances, but on many longer routes, such as from Munich to Hamburg, it is possible in many cases, provided the route is also served by DHL Group's rail network.

Nothing. You can drop off items at all branches/parcel shops, Packstations or with the delivery agent. If you have also booked transport insurance, the existing restrictions apply (no delivery to Packstation, Paketbox).

If you drop off items in a postcode area that does not correspond to the sender's address, this area may not be suitable for rail transport. Your shipment will then be transported by conventional means and delivered to the recipient.

Basically, our internal processes are designed to transport shipments by rail with booked rail transport.In certain cases, however, rail transport may not be possible:

• If under-franking is detected when the item is handed in at the branch/parcel shop and a new shipping label therefore has to be generated, rail transport cannot be selected at the branch.
• Redirection service: if the shipment is redirected, the route may not be suitable for rail transport. It will then be transported by conventional means and delivered to the recipient.
• Return: if the item is returned, it may be transported back to the sender by conventional means.
• If you drop off items in a postcode area that does not correspond to the sender's address, this area may not be suitable for rail transport. Your shipment will then be transported by conventional means and delivered to the recipient.In the event of short-term engineering works on the booked rail route, the transport may have to be transferred to the road.
• Due to the introduction of a new, complex process in the parcel centres, it may happen in rare exceptional cases that a consignment with booked rail transport is transported by road.

Tracking of your parcels with rail transport is of course possible. If the sender has booked rail transport, a train is displayed instead of the truck in the shipment tracking during the main transport section of the journey. You can then assume that the consignment was generally also transported by rail.

All parcels not booked for rail transport will only go by rail if it does not delay the parcels' usual transit time.

With the new shipping option of rail transport, we are giving non-business customers the opportunity to actively control the transport for their shipment (if it is suitable) and thus actively reduce their carbon footprint. In return, the customer allows the shipment to be in transit for up to one day longer.

A shipment with the rail transport service saves on average over 30% of CO₂ emissions over its entire production route by using rail for the long journey between parcel centres, the so-called main run, compared to transport with a conventional truck. Transport by rail itself is completely  sustainable, as we only use trains that are powered by 100% green electricity. As part of our comprehensive sustainability agenda, we are of course also planning to successively reduce the remaining CO₂ emissions.

The unavoidable CO₂ emissions generated during transport will continue to be offset with GoGreen through investments in climate protection projects. This makes the shipment sustainable.

As the most sustainable postal and parcel service provider, we are constantly working to further reduce the CO₂ emissions generated during transport. In addition to many measures and investments, e.g. in emission-free delivery (e.g. electric vehicles), transport by rail is also an important aspect. Currently, we already transport about 6% of all parcels by train. Our long-term plan is to transport 20% of Deutsche Post and DHL in Germany's parcel volume by rail. In addition to all our efforts to make parcel delivery as CO₂-free as possible, non-business customers can also make a difference. With the shipping option of rail transport, we are giving customers the opportunity to actively control the transport for their shipment (if it is suitable) and thus actively reduce their carbon footprint by allowing their shipment to remain in transit for one day longer.

We currently do not offer a comparable service for business customers. However, we are currently also developing solutions for business customers in which the customer's shipments can be produced with reduced CO₂ emissions.Around 6% of all shipments are already transported by rail.