Correos del Ecuador
| đŹ Correos del Ecuador | |
|---|---|
| Type | Former state-owned postal service |
| Status | In liquidation (no longer operating) |
| Successor | Servicios Postales del Ecuador (SPE) |
| Alternatives | Private couriers, bus cooperative encomiendas |
Correos del Ecuador (CDE EP) was Ecuador's state-owned postal service. It no longer operates: the company has been in liquidation since 2020, and the government has extended the liquidation deadline several times. Postal services formally passed to a new public company, Servicios Postales del Ecuador (SPE), but its delivery performance has also been poor. For anything that matters, use a private courier or a bus cooperative's encomienda service instead.
Private Courier Alternatives
Private couriers are the most reliable way to send and receive letters and parcels:
- Servientrega â nationwide; good for domestic shipments
- DHL â international express; offices in La Libertad
- FedEx / UPS â through authorized agents in the region
- Urbano Express â growing domestic courier
See Shipping & Couriers for a broader overview.
Bus Cooperative Encomiendas
Most interprovincial bus cooperatives run a Servicio de Encomiendas (parcel service) to the destinations on their routes. It is often a cheap and fast way to send documents or packages within Ecuador.
- Drop the package off at the cooperative's encomiendas office at the terminal and pay by size/weight.
- Encomiendas are normally not delivered to the address. The recipient must pick them up at the cooperative's encomiendas office at the destination, usually with ID (cédula or passport).
- Keep the receipt/guide number and give it to the recipient.
Encomiendas from the peninsula
CLP (Libertad Peninsular) â to Guayaquil, Cuenca, Montañita and OlĂłn.
- La Libertad: Barrio Mariscal Sucre, Av. 3ra between Calles 21 and 22, next to the FernĂĄndez meat supermarket. MondayâFriday 07:00â19:00, Saturday 07:00â18:00. 096 301 7662
- Guayaquil: Terminal de Cargas y Encomiendas (shops B7 and B8), behind the Terminal Terrestre on Av. BenjamĂn Rosales. MondayâFriday 07:00â19:00, Saturday 08:00â18:00. 099 207 4043
- Guayaquil, Terminal Costa (office 6), VĂa Perimetral â Portete: 08:00â17:00. 098 059 2827
- Cuenca, Terminal Terrestre (Av. España, office 2, corridor 5): every day 08:00â10:00 and 14:00â23:58. 099 526 5140
- Montañita (Av. Principal, vĂa a Manta) and OlĂłn (opposite the police post): every day 05:00â18:30
CICA (Costa Azul) â sends to and from its authorised points across Ecuador, together with a partner courier: Guayaquil and DurĂĄn; Quito, SangolquĂ, Pifo and Cayambe; Ibarra, Otavalo and TulcĂĄn; Santo Domingo and La Concordia; Esmeraldas, Atacames, QuinindĂ© and San Lorenzo; Latacunga, Salcedo and Cusubamba; Ambato, Pelileo and PĂllaro; Riobamba. CICA also offers home delivery â ask when you send.
- Parcels at Terminal Sumpa (Ballenita): 098 050 4589
- Santa Elena (at its Lubricentro): 098 117 4250
- Cooperative and national parcels: 098 068 2254
- cica-ec.com
Liberpesa â to Montañita, Guayaquil, Ambato and Quito (as listed in 2024 â confirm before sending). MondayâFriday 08:00â17:00; weekends and holidays 08:00â14:00.
- La Libertad: Av. General EnrĂquez Gallo, diagonal to the CLP petrol station. 099 413 6463
- Montañita: Vicente Rocafuerte between the vĂa a ManabĂ (Ruta del Spondylus) and Segundo Rosales. WhatsApp 096 884 2131
- Guayaquil: Terminal de Encomiendas, office 20. 04 213 0187
- Quito: Terminal Quitumbe, parcels section, corridor 3, office 17. 02 382 4747
- Ambato: Terminal Ingahurco, office 11. 098 410 5969
Trans Manglaralto has a parcels window at Terminal Sumpa for Puerto LĂłpez, Jipijapa and Manta.
Sources: clp.com.ec; cica-ec.com and CICA's Instagram (@coop.cica); Liberpesa's Instagram (@liberpesa); checked November 2026. Hours and phone numbers change â call before you go.
Receiving Packages from Abroad
For expats, receiving packages from home countries can be challenging. High import duties and customs delays are common. Package forwarders such as Jetbox offer warehouse addresses in Miami for forwarding packages to Ecuador.
Incoming international parcels may be subject to customs inspection and possible import duties. Small items under $400 from abroad are typically exempt; larger or commercial quantities may face duties at Aduana.
History
Correos del Ecuador handled domestic and international mail, EMS express parcels, certified mail and P.O. boxes (casillas postales), with its main Peninsula office in La Libertad. Service was generally slower and less reliable than private couriers. In 2020 the government ordered the company's liquidation.