The price of sending a parcel with Czech Post is about to get higher

State-owned postal carrier Czech Post (ČP) has announced its plans to increase prices for parcel shipments – one of its most popular services – through delivery service Balíkovna next month. According to Czech Post spokesman Ivo Vysoudil, this change is part of an ongoing transformation, with Balíkovna set to become a separate entity by 2025. 

The cost of sending a standard-size parcel via Balíkovna will rise from CZK 75 to CZK 77 on April 1. However, people officially registered as Balíkovna customers will pay a reduced rate of CZK 69 – registration is free, and you can do it here. Vysoudil ruled out near-term price increases for other services. Sending a medium-sized parcel directly via ČP costs more, at CZK 119.

Another new service is the possibility of sending parcels via Balíkovna by simply depositing them in delivery boxes rather than going to brick-and-mortar stores. This is part of ČP’s plans to reduce staff involvement and digitize and streamline its services as it bids to recover from significant financial losses in recent years.

ČP and Balíkovna’s separation stems from the former’s desire to mediate digital communication with the state for those citizens and act as an extended arm of some public administration authorities. “ČP will be able to provide services at lower costs for the state and with greater comfort and accessibility for citizens,” said Interior Minister Vít Rakušan earlier this year.

On July 1, 2023, ČP bumped the cost of mailing a letter to CZK 27 for a standard letter and CZK 34 for a priority letter. This was the third price hike in the past eight months from ČP, following similar increases in November and February. In 2022, the price of sending a standard letter was CZK 19, and a priority letter was CZK 26. 

Despite a 40-percent decrease in the number of people using ČP services compared to 2019, the company still delivers around 1.8 million pieces of mail daily in the Czech Republic. Last summer, the company closed hundreds of branches nationwide to stay afloat.