Going out to China is a different job from bringing goods back, and the paperwork is the part that decides whether the parcel arrives. The published anchor is the same page in both directions: Parcel2Go prices five named services for China and the cheapest was 10.99 pounds on the day it was read. What changes on the outbound leg is that you complete the declaration, Chinese import rules decide what is admissible, and the recipient pays anything due.
What is published, and what is not
Parcel2Go's China page priced five named services on the day it was read, the cheapest at 10.99 pounds for the parcel the page quotes by default. That is the only published per-destination figure for China in this record. Royal Mail publishes international zones rather than a China page, so its detailed grid, 24 rows of service by size with online and branch prices, applies to sending inside the UK only. Parcelforce publishes a China directory page with service and customs guidance and no price. So one number exists, and it is a floor rather than a quote.
The declaration decides whether it clears
Chinese customs is unforgiving about vague descriptions. Contents must be named specifically, with a value and a stated reason for export, and entries such as gift, sample or goods are a common cause of a parcel being held or returned. Personal imports face quantity limits, and some categories that move freely elsewhere are restricted, including certain foodstuffs, cosmetics, printed matter and anything with a battery. Check the current restrictions for the exact item before booking rather than after, because a refused parcel is normally returned at the sender's cost.
What the price does and does not cover
The 10.99 pounds is a per-consignment figure for a default parcel and covers carriage. It does not cover Chinese import duty or VAT, which fall on the recipient above the local threshold, nor the carrier's clearance handling fee. It also does not reflect your parcel's dimensions. Long-haul services price on the greater of actual and volumetric weight, so measure the packed box before pricing anything, and expect a real quote for a real parcel to sit above the published floor.
Choosing between the services on offer
Five services on one page means five transit windows as well as five prices, and the cheapest is normally the slowest with the least tracking detail. For documents and low value items that spread rarely matters. For anything time sensitive or worth more than the default liability, the extra few pounds buys both a committed window and a higher cover limit, and cover has to be bought at booking rather than added later once something has gone wrong.
Questions people ask about ship to china from uk
How much does it cost to send a parcel to China from the UK?
The published floor in this record is 10.99 pounds, the cheapest of five services on Parcel2Go's China page read on 10 September 2026, for the parcel that page quotes by default. Your own quote depends on the packed box's weight and dimensions.
What can I not send to China?
Restrictions are broader than most senders expect and cover certain foods, cosmetics, printed matter and items containing batteries, alongside the usual dangerous goods. Check the current list for your specific item before booking.
Who pays import charges on a parcel into China?
The recipient, above the local threshold, plus the carrier's handling fee for clearing it. None of that is inside the published carriage price.
Does Royal Mail publish a price for China?
No. It publishes international zones rather than per-country pages. Its detailed published grid covers sending inside the UK.