InPost Paczkomaty tracking

Automatic parcel lockers in Poland since 2009

InPost Paczkomaty was launched in 2006 as a subsidiary of the Integer.pl group, driven by its founder Rafał Brzoska. The concept of automatic parcel lockers (Paczkomaty, a Polish portmanteau formed from paczka (parcel) and automat (automaton)) emerged a few years later, in 2009, when the company deployed its first machines in Poland. This innovation transformed the parcel delivery landscape in Poland by offering customers the ability to pick up and send parcels 24/7, without direct interaction with a courier.

The first Paczkomat lockers were installed near shops and central points in Polish cities to maximize their use. Thanks to local partnerships, InPost was able to quickly expand this initial network of lockers, confirming the public's enthusiasm for this new out-of-home delivery method as online commerce gained ground.

Throughout the 2010s, InPost expanded its services by adding, among other things: home courier delivery (introduced in 2015) to complement the locker offering. In 2016, faced with the rise of digital and the decline in traditional mail volume, the company refocused entirely on the parcel business. The growth of InPost Paczkomaty then accelerated thanks to major investments: partial IPO in Warsaw in 2015, partnership with Advent International fund in 2017, and then IPO in Amsterdam in 2021. In the same year, InPost made a strategic acquisition by purchasing the French logistics company Mondial Relay, thus strengthening its international presence. This IPO occurred as the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly boosting online commerce, highlighting the interest in contactless deliveries via automatic lockers. Since 2021, the company has continued its expansion in Europe while continuing to innovate in its services.

Operation of automatic lockers

The logistics model of InPost Paczkomaty is based on the use of publicly accessible automatic lockers for parcel delivery and sending. Specifically, senders deposit their parcels in a secure locker or hand them over to an InPost courier. Each parcel is routed through the InPost network to a destination locker chosen by the recipient (usually a locker near their home or on their daily route). Once the parcel arrives in the destination locker, the recipient is notified (via mobile notification, SMS, or email) and can come to collect it at any time, using a unique pickup code or the InPost mobile app.

This operation allows for considerable flexibility: Paczkomaty lockers being available 24/7, customers are no longer dependent on courier delivery schedules. The lockers are located in strategic and easily accessible places (shopping centers, supermarkets, gas stations, train stations, residential areas, etc.), which facilitates the collection or sending of parcels. The Paczkomaty approach also optimizes "last mile" logistics by consolidating deliveries at a single point: the courier drops off several parcels in a centralized locker, reducing individual trips to each home.

Expansion of the locker network

The InPost Paczkomaty network has grown significantly since its inception in Poland. In its home market, InPost has deployed thousands of automatic lockers across the country, in both major cities and more rural areas. At the European level, the company now has one of the largest parcel locker networks in the world. By the end of 2024, InPost operated approximately 44,000 parcel lockers (Paczkomaty) and 30,000 partner pickup points, spread across 9 countries. This vast deployment handles a considerable volume of shipments: in 2022, the InPost group transported over 700 million parcels, a figure that is growing strongly annually thanks to the rise of online commerce.

In addition to Poland, InPost Paczkomaty is present in several European countries. The service has been established in the United Kingdom (where lockers are notably installed in partnership with major retail chains), in Italy, as well as in various Western European countries through the Mondial Relay network. Thanks to the acquisition of Mondial Relay, the InPost group operates networks of pickup points and lockers in France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Portugal. In these countries, the Mondial Relay subsidiary brand remains predominant for traditional pickup points, while the deployment of InPost automatic lockers is carried out progressively. Furthermore, most partner pickup points (Relay Points or PUDO) are located in local shops (stores, convenience stores, gas stations, etc.), allowing customers to collect or drop off their parcels during their daily activities.

Ambitious international expansion

After establishing its success in Poland, InPost Paczkomaty began an ambitious international expansion at the end of the 2010s. The deployment of automatic lockers in the United Kingdom and Italy marked the first steps of this internationalization. For example, by 2019 InPost had already installed over 800 automatic lockers in Great Britain and around 300 in Italy, thus laying the foundations of its network beyond Poland. In 2021, the acquisition of Mondial Relay — a major player in parcel distribution in France and neighboring countries — propelled InPost among the leading logistics networks in Western Europe, adding nearly 10,000 Relay Points in France and about 4,000 in neighboring countries to the group's network. This acquisition allowed InPost to integrate thousands of new pickup points and benefit from an established infrastructure in these markets.

InPost is simultaneously pursuing its development in other strategic markets. In the United Kingdom, the company has continued to expand its Paczkomaty network and has invested in local logistics companies to strengthen its capabilities (for example, acquiring a majority stake in the delivery company Menzies in 2023). In Central Europe, InPost collaborates with partners to offer its services beyond its direct subsidiaries. The overall goal of InPost Paczkomaty's international development is to create a unified network of parcel lockers across Europe, enabling seamless cross-border parcel sending and receiving. Since 2024, the group has been offering cross-border shipments between several countries in its network, facilitating exchanges for customers and e-merchants across the continent.

In 2025, InPost also announced the acquisition of the British delivery company Yodel to strengthen its position in the UK market. However, the completion of this operation was still pending due to ongoing legal procedures, illustrating the challenges and ambition of the group in its conquest of major European markets.

Varied delivery options

InPost Paczkomaty offers a range of delivery services tailored to the different needs of its customers. The main options available include:

• Standard locker delivery (The parcel is sent to a Paczkomat locker chosen by the recipient, who can collect it at their convenience. This basic service ensures secure and fast delivery of the parcel to the designated automatic locker.
• Express delivery) For urgent shipments, InPost offers an express option that speeds up the processing and transport of the parcel. The delivery time is thus significantly reduced compared to a standard shipment, thanks to priority given to this parcel throughout the logistics chain.
• Home delivery (by courier) (In addition to its locker network, InPost operates a classic courier service with couriers who deliver the parcel directly to the recipient's address. This modality meets the preferences of some customers or situations where locker delivery is not possible.
• International delivery) InPost Paczkomaty allows parcels to be sent abroad by relying on its European network. Customers can send and receive parcels between the different countries covered by InPost, simplifying cross-border exchanges. This international service relies on cooperation between the group's subsidiaries and local partners to transport parcels beyond national borders.
• Facilitated returns - The InPost Paczkomaty network is also used for merchandise returns, for example in the context of online commerce. A recipient can easily return an unwanted parcel by depositing it in an InPost locker with the return label provided by the online merchant, or by handing it over to a partner relay point. This return service simplifies reverse logistics and encourages customer satisfaction in case of a need for return.

Supported parcel formats

Thanks to the modularity of its lockers, InPost Paczkomaty can accommodate a variety of parcel formats. The automatic lockers generally have several compartments of different sizes to accommodate small packages as well as large parcels. The largest locker format can receive parcels measuring up to approximately 41 × 38 × 64 cm, with a maximum weight of about 25 kg. Smaller parcels fit into smaller compartments, with, for example, lockers designed for packages a few centimeters thick.

If a shipment exceeds the size or weight limits of a standard locker, InPost then offers home delivery service. In practice, this means that particularly heavy or bulky parcels (over 25 kg or exceeding the maximum dimensions) will be entrusted to a classic courier rather than placed in a locker. Furthermore, as with any carrier, certain categories of items are prohibited from shipment (hazardous materials, illegal goods, etc.), in accordance with the service's general conditions.

Advanced technologies for logistics

The success of InPost Paczkomaty relies on advanced technological infrastructure. Each automatic locker is equipped with a computer system and a secure interface (touch screen or scanner) allowing parcels to be deposited or collected independently. The lockers are connected to InPost's central system to update the delivery status in real-time and ensure parcel tracking. When a parcel is deposited or collected, the information is instantly recorded and communicated to the recipient and sender.

InPost also offers a comprehensive mobile app that enhances the user experience. Available on smartphones, the InPost Mobile app allows customers to track their parcels in real-time, receive arrival notifications, and even open certain lockers remotely via a QR code or secure Bluetooth connection. This digitization of the service greatly facilitates delivery management for users. Moreover, the data collected by the system (parcel volumes, pickup frequencies, etc.) allows InPost to optimize its operations, for example by adjusting locker delivery routes and preventing saturation of certain points.

Ecological and sustainable innovations

InPost Paczkomaty focuses on continuous innovation to improve its offering and reduce the ecological footprint of logistics. In 2024, the company launched a new model of autonomous lockers powered by solar energy. These new-generation Paczkomaty, equipped with photovoltaic panels and batteries, can be installed without connection to the electrical grid. A pilot program deployed these autonomous lockers in Poland as well as in several European cities (for example in London, Florence, and Lille), demonstrating their effectiveness in various conditions. This innovation allows for expanding the network by installing lockers in previously inaccessible locations while reducing conventional energy consumption.

InPost also seeks to extend the concept of its automatic lockers to new uses. For example, the InPost Fresh service offers specific lockers with refrigeration to allow the delivery of fresh food or groceries. Such initiatives illustrate InPost's desire to continuously innovate and diversify its offerings while maintaining the principle of convenient and flexible delivery for customers.

The success of the InPost Paczkomaty model has inspired other logistics players to adopt similar solutions. Several national postal services and private companies, in Europe and elsewhere, have begun deploying their own networks of automatic parcel lockers, demonstrating the emergence of the secure locker as a new standard for last-mile delivery.

InPost's commitment to sustainable development is also reflected in other initiatives. The widespread use of Paczkomaty lockers significantly reduces CO₂ emissions on the last mile. According to data provided by the company, delivering a parcel via a Paczkomat locker reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 98% compared to home delivery. Furthermore, the company is investing in the electrification of its transport vehicle fleet and the installation of electric charging stations for its utility vehicles. InPost S.A. has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040, an ambition recognized by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) which validates the company's decarbonization trajectory. InPost is also among the very few logistics companies in the world to have its net-zero emission strategy validated by the SBTi initiative.

Improving user experience

The value proposition of InPost Paczkomaty is based on a simplified and reliable customer experience. Users benefit from great freedom for receiving their parcels: they can choose the pickup point that suits them best and are no longer obliged to stay at home waiting for a courier. Locker pickup is quick (it only takes a few seconds to open the door and retrieve the package) and can be done whenever the customer has time, including outside office hours. In general, the parcel remains available for a few days in the Paczkomat after its arrival, giving the recipient a comfortable margin to collect it before a possible return to the sender is initiated.

The reliability of the service is an essential aspect of the customer experience, and it is reflected in the detailed tracking system implemented by InPost Paczkomaty. Each parcel has a unique tracking number that can be consulted at any time online, allowing its journey to be tracked from the initial deposit to the final delivery and ensuring complete transparency for both the sender and the recipient. This detailed tracking provides complete transparency and reassures both the sender and the recipient.

In Poland, the InPost Mobile app has over 10 million active users, demonstrating the massive adoption of the service by the public. The security of parcels is also guaranteed by robust lockers, electronically locked, preventing risks of theft or damage. Finally, the dense network of Paczkomaty and partner points ensures extensive coverage, which improves the overall speed of deliveries and customer satisfaction, whether they are individuals or online merchants. Given this popularity, many e-commerce sites now offer delivery via InPost Paczkomaty in their options when ordering. This shipping method has thus become essential in Poland, where it is among the preferences of online shoppers, and its adoption is gradually extending to other covered countries as the InPost network grows.

Main parcel tracking statuses

Below are the main tracking statuses used by InPost Paczkomaty, along with their description: