Send parcel to Taiwan

Addresses in Taiwan: what are "section", "lane" and "alley"?

A Taiwanese address can be written entirely in Latin characters, and that is the norm for international shipments. The structure, however, has a peculiarity that throws you off at first: the main roads are divided into numbered sections ("section", "duan" in Chinese), and from each section branch lanes ("lane", "xiang") and sub lanes ("alley", "nong"), down to the house number ("number", "hao"). The order runs from the general to the detail: postal code, city, district, road with the section, lane, alley and house number, and finally the recipient name. Example with a fictitious name: "Wang Xiaoming, No. 7, Lane 50, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 10448, TAIWAN". The postal code indicates the district fairly precisely, but it is section and lane that really bring the courier to the door. Always add the phone number with the +886 prefix, because many Taiwanese prefer pickup at a convenience store near home, and the courier arranges the point by message.

Taiwan and the convenience stores: how the last mile really works

In Taiwan the convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart and others) are everywhere, with one of the highest densities in the world relative to population, and they have become the island's logistics infrastructure. A huge share of domestic deliveries does not arrive at home but at a convenience store chosen by the recipient, open around the clock, where the parcel is collected with a code. For senders from Italy this means two practical things. First: delivery in Taiwan is among the most reliable in Asia, because the last mile is widespread and digitalised. Second: it is worth agreeing with the recipient whether they prefer delivery to the address or pickup at the point, because in many cases the latter is simply more convenient for the recipient, especially in apartment buildings in large cities without a concierge.

Who ships from Italy to Taiwan? Microchips and the high end

The first route is technical and industrial, and the most substantial. Taiwan is the world's heart of semiconductors, and around the science parks of Hsinchu, Taichung and Tainan revolves an ecosystem of international suppliers. Italian companies in precision mechanics, components, instrumentation and materials regularly ship samples, spare parts and equipment to these hubs. The second route is the high end Made in Italy: Taiwan has a mature market for luxury, fashion and wine with good spending power, concentrated in Taipei around the large department stores, and Italian brands ship products, samples and displays. The third route is cultural and personal: Italian professionals, academics and musicians living in Taiwan, plus a small but active Taiwanese community in Italy, mainly in Milan and Rome, that keeps a flow of family parcels going.

Lunar New Year, typhoons and a note on labelling

The most critical moment for logistics is the Lunar New Year, between late January and mid February: the island comes to a standstill for about a week, factories and offices empty out, and most Taiwanese return to their home towns. For shipments with deadlines near those dates it is best to be at least two weeks early. The second factor is meteorological: the typhoon season, roughly from July to October, can suspend flights and slow deliveries when a typhoon hits the island directly, usually for a short and contained period. A practical note on labelling: state the destination country simply as "Taiwan", which is the wording recognised by shipping and tracking systems and the most straightforward choice to avoid ambiguity in automated systems.

From Milan to Taipei: how long and which customs

With Europacco a shipment from Italy to Taiwan generally takes 7 to 9 working days to the main destinations. Taipei and the New Taipei conurbation are the most predictable hubs, together with Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Hsinchu, all well served. As it is a compact island, internal differences are small compared with other Asian countries, while for the smaller islands such as Penghu and Kinmen an additional transport leg to the final destination should be allowed for. There is no customs union between the European Union and Taiwan, so every shipment is subject to a full check, with possible duties and import taxes payable by the recipient. Taiwanese customs, however, are among the most efficient and digitalised in Asia, and commercial goods need an invoice in English with HS codes, a precise description and a realistic value. The times stated do not include any customs hold. After placing the order on europacco.com tracking covers the whole route, including pickup at the convenience store when the recipient chooses that option.