About GLS
GLS group is a major courier for European destinations, the USA, Canada, and many other countries.
GLS stands for General Logistics System and opened its doors in 1989 in Neuenstein, Germany, under German Parcel. In 1999, the Royal Mail Group bought the company and changed its name to GLS.
GLS has now expanded to 41 European countries and other locations worldwide.
GLS tracking
Like all modern couriers who want to stay competitive, GLS order tracking works efficiently and tells you the location of your package with the highest possible accuracy.
How to find your GLS tracking number
Your GLS tracking number is a unique code to track your GLS shipment. Your tracking number can be found on the seller’s website and in the email notification you get after placing an order.
Make sure not to lose any information you get, it’s also a good idea to take screenshots. More than likely, you will also have an email that contains your tracking number.
How to track your GLS location
Once you have your 14-digit GLS tracking number, the order process is simple. You can track your GLC package with Circuit Package Tracker by using the search above.
Enter your GLS tracking number, and Circuit will show you a list of locations with estimated delivery times if your package is in transit.
Lost GLS tracking number
Sometimes accidents happen, and you may lose your GLS tracking number.
To avoid this, photos and screenshots are two great options to keep things organized! Just make sure to hold your camera lens far enough away to capture all the helpful information, such as the date.
How to track a GLS package without a tracking number
You cannot track a package without a tracking number. Check any messages, SMS texts, or emails from the sender. You will likely have an email with your GLS tracking code.
With most package tracking issues, you must contact the sender first, as they are likely to find your tracking number the fastest
You can also GLS customer services if the sender cannot help.
Solving GLS tracking issues
GLS tracking issues can be stressful. Luckily, most problems resolve themselves quickly or are easy to fix.
If the seller has not sent you any notifications about your package, or if you are having trouble finding your GLS tracking number for any reason, you should contact the seller or GLS customer service.
Why you can't track your GLS package
Most of the time, GLS tracking issues come down to time. You may be trying to use your tracking number too soon after the sender has sent you a receipt or confirmation email.
If you’ve placed an online order, you will likely get your GLS tracking number shortly after the company contacts GLSr for pickup.
The GLS courier must scan the barcode on your package before you can track it. Some couriers scan at the pickup point, while others only scan once packages reach a facility.
Wait for two to three business days after placing your order, and GLS will likely update its status.
Why your GLS package is not updating or moving
The most likely cause is that your package has reached a GLS hub or facility and is either still in the delivery vehicle or waiting for further sorting and scanning.
As with every package tracking tool, you won’t get a real-time location when you use Circuit Package Tracker. Instead, you will find an update on the last time GLS scanned your package.
With international orders, another possibility is that customs are holding your package for a scheduled inspection.
If this is the case, your tracking status will likely be “arrival at destination country.” Different countries have different customs arrangements. For example, most EU members do not have customs inspections at the border.
Regardless, if you find that your package stops moving after entering a new country, assume customs have held and are clearing your package. You can contact your local customs office for more information.
GLS tracking status explained
GLS package tracking statuses are straightforward and easy to understand, so you get a clear picture of what is happening.
In transit
GLS does not use the word “transit” to describe a moving package. Instead, GLS uses words like “inbound,” “outbound,” and “out for delivery.”
Words like “inbound” and “outbound,” help you understand the movement of your package. The reason is that your package will probably go through a series of stops on its way to you.
Rather than tell you your package is moving with a word like transit, GLS would instead tell you when your package stops moving and starts again at the various hubs along the way.
Why your GLS package is still in transit
The best comparison to still in transit at GLS would be an “outbound” status that changes to “inbound” for an unusually long time.
First, you should take into account the journey your package is taking. For example, in Europe, travel times between most cities are predictable because all the countries have good roads and infrastructure.
Good roads and reliable travel times do not exist in all countries. Your GLS package could be slowly traveling over a mountain range or through a sparsely populated area with bad roads.
If you can eliminate potential delays, there is also the possibility that your package reaches a GLS hub on a busy day and waits longer than usual before getting sorted and scanned.
The thing to remember is that there is probably just a delay, and your package is coming. Sometimes GLS deliveries take longer than usual, but most packages arrive safe and sound.
How long a GLS package can stay in transit
Sending times always depend on how far the order has to travel, but there is a general maximum amount of time a journey takes.
The reason is that the journey might combine air and land travel and take many hours. The longest journeys tend to be those that combine air travel and extensive road travel.
These travel times happen because many countries have one major hub city. A package may arrive in a hub city after a flight. However, the next leg of the journey is by road.
If your package has to go through several hubs, transit takes longer. Even with these stops, GLS usually makes all deliveries within five to seven business days.
Most GLS deliveries take 24 hours or less. However, sometimes traveling between European countries takes up to 48 hours.
Pending
A status that shows a package is pending usually happens at an inspection point, like customs. Most GLS packages do not have a customs inspection because they stay in European countries with open borders.
Why your GLS package may be pending
At locations where there is a customs inspection, such as the United States and Canada, the status updates to let you know customs got your package If the status does not change for a day or more, then you can ask GLS customer services for help.
Since GLS does not use the word “pending” as a tracking status, you can assume that every status update is pending some action before the next update. The most common statuses are “inbound” and “outbound” between GLS locations.
GLS tracking delivery times
GLS delivery times are consistent everywhere as they operate during standard business hours, from 8 am to 5 pm.
As with most cross-border couriers, GLS transfer some packages to country-partner couriers for international orders. So having compatible business hours makes sense.
GLS tracking delivery times: What time will your package arrive
Monday through Saturday, GLS delivers between 8 am and 10 pm. If you are waiting on standard delivery, the time your package arrives depends on how close you are to the hub and the number of deliveries before yours.
Most people get their package before 5 pm. Many GLS deliveries fall between 11 am and 2 pm.
How late GLS delivers
GLS has regular business hours at all locations. These business hours mean that the latest you will usually get a package is around 5 pm.
In certain instances, like island deliveries, these times can change. However, most people will get their package during regular working hours.
International GLS delivery times
Since most GLS deliveries stay in Europe, international delivery times are the same as the above times covered in how late GLS delivers. Most European locations are less than a day away and no more than two days away.
GLS completes all of these orders within normal business hours. This policy does not change for delivery locations outside of Europe.
Lost and missed GLS deliveries
Successful couriers rarely lose packages. However, there are many places where you can lodge complaints that a company must be reliable.
What happens if you miss a GLS delivery
If you miss a GLS delivery, the courier driver will leave you a card with more information, such as whether it has been left with a neighbor.
You can also choose to have your package delivered to a GLS ParcelShop if you know you won’t be there to collect it.
GLS will also attempt delivery again. GLS attempts two deliveries and then holds a package for eight days for pick up.
What to do if you haven't got your GLS package
Sometimes you only have to wait another business day, and your package will arrive. Contact the sender first if you think something stopped your package from arriving.
The sender has the power to launch an investigation and can find your package more easily than you. You can also contact GLS support to start an investigation if using the sender is not an option.
GLS tracking FAQs
Here are answers to some of the most common GLS tracking FAQs.
Is GLS delivery fast?
Yes, GLS sends to many locations and delivers within 24 hours. When transit takes longer, GLS delivery usually happens within 48 hours.
With some international locations, delivery can take longer. The maximum delivery time for international locations is usually within five to seven business days or a week to a half.
Can I track a GLS package by address?
With most couriers, the only way you can track a package with GLS is with a tracking number.
If you do not have your GLS tracking number, the easiest way to get this is to contact the sender. You can also contact GLS support if the sender cannot help.
Contacting GLS support is no more or less reliable than contacting the sender. The difference is that the sender usually responds faster.
How do I know if my GLS package is stuck in customs?
The best way is to use your GLS tracking status to find out if customs has cleared your package. Customs usually clear packages on arrival or the next day.
Something might be wrong if your package does not clear customs for two days. An efficient customs department will send you a notification to let you know they are holding your package.
You also can contact the sender, GLS support, or your local customs office for more information.
