Guide

How to identify a courier and track an international shipment

A tracking number is a fingerprint. The prefix, length, and character set almost always reveal which carrier handles the parcel and what to expect at each stage. This guide walks through the formats you'll actually see and how to follow a shipment from pickup to delivery.

1. Identify the courier from the tracking number

Most global carriers use predictable formats. A few common ones:

• Fast Go Courier — starts with FGC followed by 9–12 digits.
• DHL Express — 10 digits, sometimes prefixed with a service code.
• FedEx — 12 or 15 digits, all numeric.
• UPS — starts with 1Z, 18 characters total.
• USPS — 20–22 digits, often beginning with 92 or 94.
• China Post / EMS — 13 characters ending in CN (e.g. LX123456789CN).
• Royal Mail — 13 characters ending in GB.

If none of the formats match, check the shipping confirmation email — the sender usually names the carrier and links to the correct portal.

2. Follow the shipment in real time

For Fast Go Courier parcels, paste the number into our tracking page. You'll see:

• Origin and destination cities
• Current location and status
• Estimated delivery date
• Full status history with timestamps
• A live route map from origin to destination

3. Understand what each status means

• Label created / Pre-shipment — the shipper generated the label; the carrier hasn't picked it up yet.
• Picked up / In transit — the parcel is moving through the carrier's network.
• Departed / Arrived facility — normal hub scans; not a delay.
• Customs clearance — international only. Duties or missing paperwork may pause the shipment for 1–5 business days.
• Out for delivery — with the driver, usually delivered same day.
• Delivered — signed for or left at the address on file.
• Exception — action required (address issue, refused, damaged). Contact the carrier directly.

4. When to reach out

If the tracking hasn't updated in more than five business days, or the parcel has been in "customs clearance" for longer than a week, contact the carrier with your tracking number and shipper reference. Fast Go Courier customers can reach us on the contact page or by WhatsApp.