Sending Postcards from China: International Postage, Addresses and the Post Office

Last checked: 16 September 2026. This guide concerns postcards sent from mainland China to an overseas destination. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have separate postal arrangements; do not assume the same tariff applies.

A postcard is an enjoyable souvenir to send during a China trip, but buying a card, paying postage and handing it into the postal system are three different steps. For a first attempt, our recommendation is to use a staffed China Post counter: bring the written card, show the destination country and ask for international airmail. Let the clerk confirm acceptance and the amount before you buy stamps.

Start with the right counter—not just a green sign

Search your map for 中国邮政 (China Post) or 邮局 (post office), then check whether the location handles letters and postcards. A financial-service location or a souvenir shop with postal-themed merchandise is not automatically the right place to lodge international mail. China's postal group lists 11185 as its postal-service number; a hotel can help you ask which nearby counter accepts your destination and what its business hours are.

The cover photograph shows individual delivery boxes, not a place to post outgoing cards. A China Post logo alone does not establish what a box is for. If you cannot read the instructions on a street collection box, use the counter instead of guessing. This is particularly worthwhile for your first international card or an unusually shaped souvenir.

Save the branch name and address before leaving your hotel. If Chinese map searches or translation are unfamiliar, prepare them with our China phone and navigation setup guide. Allow a separate errand in your itinerary rather than assuming you can find an open counter immediately before departure.

How much does an international postcard cost?

The China Post international letter-post tariff table, dated 29 October 2019 and still available when checked, lists the following per-card rates. These are published references, not a guarantee that every service is currently accepted for every destination.

The CNY 4.50 figure is not the table's airmail rate. Also distinguish the retail price of an illustrated card from its postage. Ask whether any printed postal indicium already pays part of the required amount, rather than assuming every decorative stamp-like image is valid postage.

For budgeting, six cards at the listed airmail rate would mean CNY 30 in postage, plus the cards themselves. Have the clerk price the actual cards and destination before paying. If you want a cash backup for small purchases, see our foreign-card ATM guide; do not assume a particular branch accepts your foreign bank card.

Write the address for the destination country

The Universal Postal Union's addressing guidance recommends following the destination postal operator's format. Ask the recipient to send their complete mailing address, including apartment or unit and postal code where applicable. Copy it carefully; do not convert a foreign postcode into a six-digit Chinese one because the souvenir card has six printed boxes.

The UPU's international-address formatting note explains the importance of a complete, legible address, destination locality and country in capitals, and a country name in an internationally understood language. Keep the delivery address together and visually separate from your message. Use the recipient's own address format rather than forcing every country into a North American street-city-state pattern.

For layout, the Finnish postal operator Posti illustrates the usual top-right stamp position. It is a helpful layout reference, not a source for Chinese tariffs. If a novelty card has little space, show it to the Chinese postal clerk before writing the whole message. Putting it in an envelope can change the postal product and price.

A counter conversation you can save

Write the country name on your phone as well as saying it. For several destinations, group the cards by country and let the clerk check each group. Bring your passport with your other travel essentials in case identification is requested; this is preparation advice, not a claim that every postcard requires passport registration.

Before you hand over the card

• Photograph the finished card for your own record. Keep private addresses out of public social posts.
• Check that the recipient's unit number, postcode and country are readable.
• Have the clerk confirm the postal service, not just sell you a quantity of stamps.
• Keep any receipt or enquiry number provided. A souvenir purchase receipt alone is not evidence of a tracked postal service.
• Ask for a current delivery estimate for that destination; we do not promise a universal number of days.

If arrival by a birthday or deadline matters, explain that before paying and ask what suitable service is available. A physical postcard is a poor place for passwords, passport numbers or anything you would not want visible to others. Send important documents through an appropriate separate service, not by improvising with a souvenir card.

Finally, do not postpone this errand until a tight transfer day. Our China itinerary guide to transfer days explains why small city errands are easier when they have their own time allowance. Mail the card while you still have a spare daytime window, then keep one unposted copy if the design is a souvenir you would regret losing.