The daily record for postal deliveries reached 1.56 million parcels this month, Austrian Post announced on Tuesday, as the logistics sector enters its busiest time of the year. By comparison, an average day sees around 800,000 parcels delivered.

Looking ahead, Austrian Post expects high volumes of deliveries in the run-up to Christmas. By December 24, up to 54 million letters, Christmas cards and 20 million parcels are expected to be delivered – a 10% increase on last year.

To ensure parcels arrive in time for Christmas, customers are advised to send packages by December 19. The deadline for deliveries to neighbouring countries is a day earlier. Most post offices will extend their opening hours from December 21 to 24 to meet the surge in demand.

The rise in parcel deliveries forms part of a broader trend, with a recent report from Austria’s regulatory authority, RTR, revealing a 10% increase in deliveries during the first quarter of 2024. In total, 92.5 million parcels were delivered.