GLS delivery times overview

GLS Delivery Times at a Glance

How long a GLS parcel takes comes down to two things: the service you book and the postal codes at each end. Standard GLS service runs Monday to Friday, and a ground parcel's transit time depends on its route, which GLS's transit time calculator estimates from your origin and destination postal codes. When it's urgent, GLS Express flies parcels from Ontario and Quebec to major cities across Canada by the next business day. Every time GLS shows is an estimate that can change without notice, so the surest answer comes from checking your own route.

Mon to Fri standard delivery days
Next day GLS Express, by air
By postal code ground transit times

Source: GLS Canada, Frequently Asked Questions, viewed 4 Nov 2026

How long GLS takes to deliver

How Long Does GLS Take to Deliver?

On the ground, there is no single answer for all of Canada. GLS doesn't publish a day range for its ground parcels, because the time depends on where the parcel starts and where it is going.

When the next business day matters, GLS Express is GLS's air service. It picks up in 12 cities in Ontario and Quebec, including the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, London, Montréal, Laval and Sherbrooke, and delivers the next business day to 20 cities in 8 provinces, from Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg to Halifax, Charlottetown and St. John's. Some exceptions apply, and GLS plans to add more locations. The full city list is on GLS's parcel service page.

Two other options can be faster or simpler. Same-day delivery is available for an extra fee in some locations, though GLS doesn't publish which ones, so check with GLS before you count on it. In Quebec and Ontario, MaxPak prepaid packs go overnight anywhere in the two provinces (some exceptions apply), with prices in our GLS shipping rates guide.

To see how GLS fits against other carriers for the same parcel, compare your options on Secureship.

Source: GLS Canada, Parcel service, viewed 4 Nov 2026

GLS weekend delivery

Does GLS Deliver on Weekends?

Saturday delivery is available only in Quebec and Ontario, and only to places GLS serves directly. It is an option you add for an extra fee when the shipment is created: Saturday is selected on the waybill at origin, arranged with GLS Customer Experience, and the parcel gets a Saturday sticker. The same option covers a Saturday pickup or holding a parcel for pickup on a Saturday. The fee is flat to the larger cities on GLS's list, such as Metropolitan Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec and the Greater Toronto Area, and is priced by distance elsewhere in GLS's direct network.

Mon to Fri standard service
Saturday Quebec and Ontario, extra fee
Sunday not published

Outside Quebec and Ontario, GLS delivers Monday to Friday, and it doesn't publish Sunday delivery anywhere in Canada. If a parcel has to arrive on a weekend, compare carriers before you ship.

Source: GLS Canada Parcel Rules and Regulations (Tariff 100), effective 1 Jan 2026

GLS holidays and peak season

Holidays and Peak Season

GLS is closed for both pickups and deliveries on statutory holidays, and some closures depend on the province: Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day closes GLS in Quebec only, while Remembrance Day closes it everywhere except Ontario and Quebec. A parcel in transit over a holiday or a weekend won't show tracking updates until GLS reopens. GLS publishes the year's dates on its holiday schedule, so check it before a long weekend.

From October 19, 2026 to January 15, 2027, GLS adds a peak-season surcharge to residential parcels and parcels that need special handling, on top of its standard fees. Our GLS shipping rates guide explains where it fits in the price.

Weather and big events can also slow deliveries in a region. GLS posts these on its service alerts page, which is the first place to look if a parcel seems late.

Source: GLS Canada, Holiday schedule 2026

Check GLS delivery time for your route

Check the Real Delivery Time for Your Route

The time a GLS parcel takes comes from your two postal codes and the service you choose, which is why it needs a live lookup rather than a printed table. For a GLS estimate on your route, enter both postal codes in GLS's transit time calculator. Then compare GLS with every other major carrier for the same parcel on Secureship, with prices side by side, before you book.

Check the Real Delivery Time for Your Route

Enter your shipment details and compare GLS with every other major Canadian carrier for the same parcel.

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Frequently Asked Questions About GLS Delivery Times

What time does GLS deliver?

GLS doesn't publish a delivery-hour window for parcels. If the time matters, book delivery by appointment for an extra fee: the driver arrives within 30 minutes before or after the time you set. The shipper can also add details for the driver in the special instructions when the shipment is created. If you need a delivery time you can plan around without an appointment, compare carriers that publish delivery times on Secureship.


Does GLS require a signature?

At businesses, yes. At homes, no. GLS's standard service asks for a signature on business deliveries and leaves residential parcels without one, taking a photo as proof of delivery instead. Dangerous goods always need a signature. If you know nobody will be there to sign, contact GLS before the delivery day.


Does GLS use Canada Post?

GLS doesn't name Canada Post or any other delivery partner. It delivers through its own network, and its Tariff 100 keeps the right to hand a shipment to another carrier or subcontractor when that is needed to meet its service requirements.


Does GLS offer same-day delivery?

Yes, in some locations, for an extra fee. GLS doesn't publish where same-day is available or what it costs, so call GLS Customer Experience at 1 888 463 4266 to check your addresses before you count on it. If same-day isn't available on your route, compare the fastest options from every carrier in one quote.


How long does GLS Express take?

The next business day. GLS Express is an air service that picks up in 12 cities in Ontario and Quebec and delivers to 20 cities in 8 provinces, from Vancouver to St. John's (some exceptions apply). If your parcel starts outside those pickup cities or is going somewhere not on the list, compare next-day options from other carriers.


Is GLS open on statutory holidays?

No. GLS closes for pickups and deliveries on statutory holidays, and a few closures apply only in some provinces. Check GLS's holiday schedule for this year's dates before you ship around a long weekend.


Sources

All delivery information on this page is sourced from official GLS Canada documentation. Actual transit times vary by route. Last updated: November 5, 2026.