Just a word of caution to anyone who needs to send parts to Iran: DHL may not be the best way to go. I had a 7kg box of parts sent from the UK to Iran. I used Parcel2go.com to get quotes. TNT was £2 cheaper than DHL for an express service, but I went with DHL because I perceived them to be the better known and therefore more reliable company.

My parts left the UK on Tuesday and arrived Tehran on Thursday. Not too bad; but unfortunately the problems have now started.

Today (Saturday) I received a call requiring me to pay 640,000 Rials (about €35) for the customs fees. Strange, as I included my Carnet de Passage and all documents to prove the parts would leave the country shortly (installed on my bike). I paid the fee by depositing money into a DHL account held at an Iranian bank. No explanation has been given as to why I had to pay this fee.

Worse still, DHL have now given my box to Iran Post for delivery from Tehran to Kerman. I have no idea why this was done, and now I have no way of tracking the box. Hopefully the box will not go missing (fingers crossed), but if it does my trip is over because my Pakistan visa will expire before I can get the bike running again. Of course DHL will then tell me it is not their fault, because they did their bit getting it to Tehran and it is Iran Post that is to blame.

Completely unsatisfactory service. My advice: send it TNT, although I haven't used them I doubt they could provide a worse service than DHL.

Before I start my little rant, good luck with getting your parts and the continuation of your trip. I'm envious.

DH-Hell seem to be developing their reputation by the day for being complete sh!t. This discussion happened recently on the HUBB: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...arts-dhl-60245

I experienced them in South America 10 years ago: Chapter 17 The Big Trip (the manager of the Cusco DHL franchise experienced a browning sensation in his trousers (unconfirmed ) when I pinned him to the wall and was 2 seconds away from remodelling his face, while persuading him to get in his car and drive to the airport to collect my "very delayed" parcel: He did indeed immediately take his car keys and returned 40 minutes later with my parcel....)

I never had the same lack of service with any other courier. Many are very good. TNT got a parcel of automotive parts from Germany to me in Cairo in 3 days, including clearing the notorious customs at Cairo airport at very minimal extra fees!

Good luck,
Chris

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Just had a call from DHL, after sending an unhappy email or two. Their reply "to maintain a service with remote areas they enter into sub-service contracts... blah blah... 5 minutes later... in this case our sub-service contract is with the Iran Post..."

Seven minutes on the phone to tell me they got my box to Tehran and then put it in the post!!!

Last time I use DHL for this trip (and hopefully last time I'll need to).

Thanks Chris, I totally agree: Boycott DHL!!