Are you tracking your package on DHL, and see a message saying ‘arrived at delivery facility?’
Normally, seeing anything with the word ‘delivery’ in it is reason for excitement!
But what does this actually mean, and how long will it be until your package is delivered? Additionally, what should you do if DHL gets stuck on this message?
In this article, I’ll be answering all of these questions and more!
What Does ‘Arrived At Delivery Facility’ Mean On DHL Tracking?
When you see a message that says ‘arrived at delivery facility’, this means that your DHL package has arrived at the DHL location closest to where it will be delivered.
So, if you have a DHL facility within or close to your town, than your package is likely there.
In other words, it is at its final stop before actually being loaded onto a delivery vehicle, and given to a driver to actually deliver to your address!
Thankfully, this means that it may not be long before you actually receive it.
How Long Will It Be Until My Package Is Delivered?
So, exactly how long should you expect it to take before your package from DHL arrives?
Once it’s reached the ‘arrived at delivery facility’ message, packages can end up being delivered as early as 1 business day after this message has appeared.
This is because there is usually no further steps that the package has to go through that would cause delays. Plus, it’s in DHL’s best interest to get the package out of there and actually delivered to you as quickly as possible.
That being said, one of the issues with DHL is that it’s not very popular, at least in the United States.
This means that there aren’t a whole lot of DHL facilities that actually handle delivery, nor are there are a lot of drivers working for them relative to other shipping companies like UPS or Fedex.
So, if DHL has other packages that need to be delivered first, they may prioritize these packages and delay the delivery of your package until it’s closer to its original scheduled or promised date. This is particularly common for packages that arrive early.
For the best estimate on when your package will arrive, refer to the estimated delivery date on the top of the tracking page – it will take all information DHL has available into account, and is usually very accurate.
Why Is My Package Stuck On ‘Arrived At Delivery Facility?’
If tracking has been stuck on ‘arrived at delivery facility’ for several days – or even longer than a week, this can be very alarming!
So, what should you do?
If it’s only been a few days, the best thing you can do is to be patient. As just mentioned, DHL may reprioritize packages, or even wait until a higher volume of packages have arrived at their facility before actually making deliveries.
Again, this is because DHL ships such a low volume of packages. In lower areas, there may be just a handful of deliveries a day, with long driving distances in between them.
If it’s been stuck for a long time however, it may be a good idea to call the local DHL facility that has your package.
Alternatively, you can contact DHL directly by clicking here.
What Does ‘Arrived At Terminal Location’ Mean?
When you’re tracking your DHL package, you may see a message that says ‘arrived at terminal location’ around the same time that you’d see ‘arrived at delivery facility.’
But what does it actually mean?
For all intents and purposes, these can be thought of as exactly the same thing.
DHL uses the terms ‘facility’ and ‘terminal’ interchangeably. So, there is no real difference between these two messages.
In both cases, your package is currently at the DHL facility that is closest to you, where it will ultimately head out for delivery shortly.
Conclusion
Whether DHL has claimed your package has arrived at a delivery facility or a terminal location, this both means the same thing – your package is almost here!
Delivery facilities are responsible for actually moving the shipment from DHL, to your door. So, it’s only a matter of time before it’s loaded onto a DHL delivery van and delivered to your address.
I hope that this article has answered all of your questions, and you’re package will arrive shortly. If you have any other questions about DHL, please ask them using the comment form below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister