bpost vs PostNL vs DHL: Who Wins the Last Mile in Belgium?

bpost vs PostNL vs DHL vs Record Express: Who Wins the Last Mile in Belgium?

TL;DR: bpost is the incumbent national carrier with full country coverage and next-day delivery (95% of parcels on-time bpost.be); Record Express is the specialist for urgent B2B and medical logistics (same-day/night deliveries, pharma, legal) recordexpress.be; PostNL leverages ~800 Belgian pickup points ingrid.com and offers standard Benelux service (≈48h) postnl.be; DHL is best for express and international (with local DHL parcels often delivered via bpost’s network reddit.com).

In practice, bpost and PostNL’s networks (3,000+ pickup points for bpost, 800 for PostNL ingrid.com) dominate Belgium, while DHL excels on speed and Record Express on urgent/niche sectors. All four invest in greener fleets – bpost already delivers 21% of parcels emission-free press.bpost.be,

PostNL runs ~70% electric/bio vehicles postnl.nl, DHL is increasing EVs (≈37.6% globally dhl.com) and even uses e-cargo bikes in cities zagdaily.com, while Record Express uses route-optimised vans and urban EV pilots to meet LEZ rules lez.brussels.

Pricing transparency varies: PostNL lists domestic rates (from €5.60 postnl.be), bpost uses online calculators, Record Express quotes vary by urgency/sensitivity, and DHL Express is typically pricier. Returns are supported by all (bpost even handles DHL returns reddit.com), DHL’s strength is B2B/logistics, bpost/PostNL focus on broad B2C, and Record Express on regulated B2B/medical niches.

The choice depends on speed vs. cost vs. special needs (e.g. medical deliveries, which often use carriers like Record Express).

How does each carrier’s coverage network compare in Belgium?

Answer: bpost covers virtually every address in Belgium (as the national postal operator), with ~3,000+ post offices, parcel lockers and pickup points ingrid.com. PostNL (a Dutch carrier) has built a presence via ~800 Belgian pickup points ingrid.com and delivers within the Benelux, relying on local partners. DHL has an international network, but its domestic parcel volume in Belgium is typically routed through bpost’s network reddit.com ingrid.com. Record Express covers Belgium nationwide too, but with focus on hospitals, labs, and urgent B2B routes rather than consumer parcels.

1. bpost: Full nationwide coverage (urban & rural) by law, with thousands of service points. Every day ~10,000 mail carriers cover 500–800k parcels press.bpost.be.
2. PostNL: About 800 pickup locations in Belgium ingrid.com; strong in cities and for Benelux shipments, with home delivery within Belgium after drop-off at these points.
3. DHL: Uses DHL Parcel/Bpost partnership – most DHL shipments in BE finish via bpost’s network reddit.com. DHL Express (for premium/air) has limited street coverage; DHL Parcel points (~2,500 in BE, per 2018) complement bpost’s footprint press.bpost.be.
4. Record Express: Nationwide reach for urgent/medical/secure deliveries; smaller footprint but covers hospitals, labs, corporates and courts. Not consumer parcel-focused recordexpress.be.

Note: Both PostNL and bpost cooperate on cross-border routes (the Benelux Deliverers alliance press.bpost.be). Ingrid’s industry analysis notes “PostNL and bpost have strong networks across Belgium” ingrid.com.

How do their delivery speed and service options compare?

Answer: bpost’s standard parcels arrive next business day (within Belgium) and they guarantee 95% are on-time bpost.be. PostNL’s standard service promises delivery within 48 hours in Benelux postnl.be. DHL’s core strength is express: DHL Express offers same-day/overnight international delivery, while DHL Parcel (the e-commerce arm) in Belgium often routes via bpost, effectively matching bpost’s one-day cycle for domestic shipments bpost.be reddit.com. Record Express offers time-critical same-day, night deliveries and custom time-slots, mainly for B2B/medical sectors.

1. bpost: Standard (Next-day) and Express options. Aim to deliver nationally by the next working day bpost.be; also offers same-day and time-slot services at extra cost.
2. PostNL: Standard Benelux (2-day). Website promises delivery “within the Benelux within 48 hours” postnl.be. Express (1-day) is less promoted; focus is on cross-border EU/e-commerce.
3. DHL: Express (international) – e.g. documents worldwide in ~24h parcelparcel.com. DHL Parcel domestic is effectively next-day via bpost reddit.com. DHL also has premium options like timed deliveries or weekend.
4. Record Express: Same-day and night delivery specialist. Offers time-slot guarantees for hospitals, pharma, labs and urgent B2B shipments recordexpress.be.

Additional: Trunkrs and other couriers offer some same-day in cities, but DHL’s Express leads speed for both import/export, while Record Express dominates urgent/medical domestic.

How reliable and punctual are bpost, PostNL, DHL, and Record Express?

Answer: All carriers advertise high on-time delivery. bpost’s national network achieves 95% on-time bpost.be. PostNL performs consistently across Benelux, DHL Express is punctual for international shipments, and Record Express is trusted in hospitals/labs for critical same-day/night runs.

1. bpost: 95% of parcels delivered in indicated time slot bpost.be.
2. PostNL: Consistently high service; Track & Trace supports reliability postnl.be.
3. DHL: DHL Express guarantees punctuality worldwide. DHL Parcel aligns with bpost’s network reliability.
4. Record Express: Reliability benchmark for time-critical medical/B2B deliveries. Specialised chain-of-custody and punctual night routes recordexpress.be.

Which carriers offer the most sustainable (green) delivery options?

Answer: All four are investing in greener fleets. bpost operates Belgium’s largest EV van fleet (2,200+), PostNL has ~70% vehicles on electricity/bio, DHL targets 60% EV globally by 2030, and Record Express optimises small fleets with route-planning and EV pilots.

1. bpost: Zero-emission by 2030, 2,200+ electric vans and 500 e-bikes press.bpost.be.
2. PostNL: Net-zero by 2040, 70% electric/renewable fleet postnl.nl.
3. DHL: GO Green services, e-cargo bikes in Antwerp, 37.6% EV fleet dhl.com.
4. Record Express: Smaller fleet but greener per parcel ratio; uses optimised routing and urban EV pilots for LEZ compliance lez.brussels.

How strong are their tracking and technological offerings?

Answer: All carriers use digital tracking. bpost has the My bpost app, PostNL offers Track & Trace APIs, DHL has GPS-driven ETA systems, and Record Express provides specialised tracking for medical/legal deliveries with strict proof-of-delivery.

1. bpost: Real-time app notifications, pickup point management.
2. PostNL: Track & Trace with merchant integration.
3. DHL: Precise ETAs, GPS tracking, customs updates.
4. Record Express: Secure chain-of-custody tracking, custom portals for labs/corporates recordexpress.be.

How transparent is pricing, and how do returns and B2B/B2C services compare?

Answer: Pricing transparency differs: PostNL publishes rates, bpost uses calculators, DHL Express is premium-priced, and Record Express offers tailored quotes for urgent/regulated deliveries.

• B2C: bpost and PostNL dominate casual consumer parcels. DHL is less relevant. Record Express not focused on consumer.
• B2B: DHL excels in international logistics, bpost/PostNL serve SMEs, and Record Express is the go-to for pharma, hospitals, legal and urgent business needs.
• Returns: bpost/PostNL easy consumer returns; DHL Express requires accounts; Record Express handles B2B/medical returns, not casual e-commerce.

Summary: PostNL cheapest for casual domestic, bpost most ubiquitous, DHL best for global express/B2B, and Record Express for urgent/regulated B2B or medical sectors.