Automated Stations Recognized as Official Post Offices in Germany

In a significant move, Germany has officially recognized automated kiosks as legitimate post offices for the first time, allowing for increased accessibility to postal services. The Federal Network Agency has approved nine locations where these automated systems will replace traditional staffed offices, according to documentation shared with the press.

The automated stations will facilitate various postal services, including parcel drop-off and pick-up, stamp purchasing, and letter mailing. These kiosks, which have been in existence for several years, had not previously been classified as post offices, limiting their contribution to the postal network's obligations.

These newly recognized automated stations are located in various regions across Germany, specifically in North Rhine-Westphalia (Dortmund and Siegen), Bavaria (Hummeltal and Egling), Baden-Württemberg (Steinhausen an der Rottum and Ebersbach an der Fils), Hesse (Aßlar), Lower Saxony (Georgsmarienhütte), and Saxony-Anhalt (Muldestausee).

The postal service is mandated to maintain a physical office in communities with populations exceeding 2,000 residents. Furthermore, in densely populated residential areas, these offices must be located within a two-kilometer radius. However, the postal service has struggled to meet these requirements consistently, with reports indicating that, as of July 2024, there were 141 unstaffed locations where post offices were expected to be present.

This deficiency can largely be attributed to structural changes in the retail landscape, particularly in rural areas where the number of local shops and supermarkets that also offer postal services has dwindled. As a result, the postal service often found itself in a position where it had to resort to temporary solutions, such as setting up containers with limited service hours to comply with previous postal regulations.

In light of these challenges, the recent amendments to the postal legislation have relaxed certain requirements, allowing for the inclusion of automated kiosks in fulfilling the postal network obligations. However, this transition must still receive the approval of the Federal Network Agency, along with input from local representatives, to ensure that the reduction of physical offices does not detrimentally impact small towns and rural communities.

The Federal Network Agency has granted approval for nine automated kiosks, with additional requests for other locations under review. A spokesperson for the postal service expressed support for this initiative, stating that the automated stations represent a user-friendly solution that provides essential mail and parcel services around the clock.