Shipping from China to Spain: times, customs & tracking
How long parcels take, what customs expects, and how to track every step of the journey.
Typical delivery times
| Service | Working days |
|---|---|
| Economy (Cainiao / AliExpress Standard) | 15–35 |
| Semi-tracked (Yanwen, SunYou, CJPacket) | 12–30 |
| E-commerce express (YunExpress, 4PX) | 8–18 |
| Premium express (DHL, FedEx, UPS) | 3–7 |
Customs & duties
Orders up to €150 include VAT at checkout (IOSS) — no surprise charges for most parcels. Above that, Correos or the courier collects 21% VAT plus customs duties and a handling fee before delivery. Clearance usually takes 1–3 working days.
Tracking tips
The Chinese stage (departure scans) is often slow; meaningful updates appear when the parcel is handed to the airline and again when Correos scans it in Spain. If nothing moves for 10 days after "arrived at destination country", open a case with your seller.
FAQs — China to Spain
How long does shipping from China to Spain usually take?
Economy services typically take 15–35 days door to door; e-commerce express 8–18 days; premium express 3–7 days. Peak season (November–February) can add 1–2 weeks.
Which carrier delivers my AliExpress order in Spain?
Almost always Correos for last-mile delivery, after Cainiao/4PX/YunExpress fly the parcel into Europe. GetPackRoute shows the exact handoff moment.
Will I pay customs on a Chinese parcel?
For orders up to €150 bought on platforms that apply IOSS (AliExpress, Temu, Shein), VAT is already included. Above €150 expect 21% VAT + duties + a customs handling fee.
Why does my tracking say "handed over to airline" for so long?
Once handed to the airline, Chinese carriers stop scanning until the parcel lands. That silence usually lasts 5–15 days and is normal for economy shipping.