The affordable way for students to ship boxes, luggage, and personal items to and from university in Portugal and across Europe.
Airline excess baggage fees can cost €30–€100 per bag. Renting a van for moving into student accommodation is expensive. Cargosender gives students an affordable alternative — ship your boxes and bags ahead for a fraction of the cost, with door-to-door collection so you don't have to carry anything to a post office.
Shipping a 20 kg box by economy courier costs €8–€15 — a fraction of most airlines' excess baggage fees.
Courier comes to your home or student accommodation. No lugging boxes to a post office.
Know exactly where your things are. Email updates at every stage of the journey.
Add protection for laptops, cameras, and other valuables. Cover up to €5,000.
Ship boxes of books, bedding, kitchenware, and personal items ahead to your new student accommodation.
Don't carry everything on public transport. Ship boxes home at the end of term.
Moving to another EU country for Erasmus? Ship your luggage and essentials ahead so you travel light.
Send textbooks between home and university. Ship your laptop safely in an insured express parcel.
Bikes, surfboards, golf clubs, and sports gear — specialist freight options for large items.
Parents can send care packages with home comforts, food, and seasonal items to students anywhere in Portugal or Europe.
Use a sturdy double-wall box. Pack tightly so nothing moves inside.
Enter weight, dimensions, from and to postcodes above.
Pay online. Print the label on any printer and tape it to the box.
Courier comes to you. Done — focus on studying.
The heavier and bigger the box, the more it costs. Students typically save money by splitting into two smaller boxes.
Within Portugal: cheapest. EU country (Spain, France, Germany): moderate. UK: customs fee applies post-Brexit.
Economy (2–5 days) is cheapest — perfect for advance shipping before term starts. Express costs more but arrives faster.
Use a proper double-wall box, not a thin supermarket carton. Well-packed boxes are less likely to be damaged.
Included in the price you see. No hidden extras.
Economy shipping 5–7 days before you move is much cheaper than express when you're running late.
A 60×40×40 cm box is the sweet spot. Bigger boxes cost more in volumetric weight than the extra space is worth.
For non-fragile items, one well-packed 30 kg box can be cheaper than three 10 kg boxes — fewer base charges.
The price you see in the Cargosender quote is the total price — including all carrier charges, fuel surcharges, and VAT. There are no hidden fees added after you book. What you see is what you pay.
In most cases, yes. Ryanair charges €45–€60 for a 20 kg checked bag. Shipping the same weight by economy courier within Portugal costs €8–€15. Even to Spain or France, a 20 kg box costs €15–€25 — much less than airline fees.
Yes. Student halls are a valid delivery address. Make sure to include the room number and full postcode. Some halls have a central parcel reception — check with your hall before booking.
Laptops are fragile and valuable. Pack in the original box if possible (or dense foam), add bubble wrap, and place in a sturdy outer carton. Always add insurance when shipping a laptop.
Yes. Parents in the EU can book on Cargosender to send a package to their student in Portugal. No customs needed within the EU. Packages from non-EU countries (UK, USA, Brazil) go through customs — check what can and cannot be sent.
A standard 60×40×40 cm box (available at any supermarket or stationery shop) is ideal for most student moves. Heavier items like books benefit from smaller, heavier boxes — large, heavy boxes are more expensive to ship and harder for the courier to handle.
Cheap door-to-door parcel delivery for students. No account needed.