Courier Instructions for Flower Delivery in Russia: A Practical Guide
Courier instructions are the short note you add to a delivery order so the courier can find the recipient and hand over the parcel without delays: the exact address with entrance, floor and flat, the entry code or how to get past the gate, the best time to arrive and anything the courier must or must not say. For flowers, a clear note matters more than for most parcels, because a bouquet cannot wait in a warehouse until tomorrow.
In our shops in Saint Petersburg, the questions we hear most from customers abroad are about exactly this field on the order form: how detailed it should be, whether English is fine, and what happens if the recipient is not at home. Below we answer them in the order a courier actually uses the information, from finding the building to the moment the bouquet changes hands.
The Address Block: More Than Street and House
A Russian address that looks complete on paper often is not complete for a courier. Large residential blocks have several buildings under one house number, marked as korpus or stroenie, and each building may have six or more entrances. Write the street, house number, building, entrance number, floor and flat, even if some seem obvious to you. In new districts on the edge of the city, add a landmark such as a shop, a school or the colour of the building, because navigation apps sometimes place the pin in the wrong courtyard.
Entry codes are the second thing couriers ask about. Many entrances have an intercom where you dial the flat number, but some use a code or a key fob only, and gated courtyards may have a separate barrier. If you know the code, write it. If you do not, write that the courier should call the recipient on arrival, and make sure the phone number is correct and includes the country code if it is not a Russian number.
For offices, hospitals, hotels and universities, the address alone is not enough. Add the company name, the floor or department, the reception desk and any pass procedure, and say whether the recipient will come down or whether the bouquet can be left with security. Business centres in the city often do not let couriers past the turnstiles, so a note like "call the recipient, she will come to reception" saves twenty minutes.
Timing Notes the Courier Can Actually Use
Customers often write "in the morning" or "before lunch", which is too vague to plan a route around. It is better to choose one of the delivery options and then add a short note only if something limits it. In large cities we offer express delivery 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, delivery at an exact time with a margin of about 30 minutes, time windows of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 and 18-21, and pre-orders from 1 to 30 days ahead.
Use the instructions field for constraints the courier cannot guess: "recipient leaves for work at 08:30", "do not ring before 10:00, a baby is sleeping", "she is at the dacha until Saturday". These details let us adjust the slot instead of arriving at the wrong moment. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, so a late-evening or early-morning surprise is possible here; in other cities, plan within the standard windows.
If the date is a birthday or anniversary that falls on a busy holiday such as 8 March or 14 February, place the order in advance. A pre-order fixes your slot and gives you time to correct the address or phone number if something turns out to be wrong. More on the exact information to prepare is in Courier Delivery in Russia: Exact Details You Must Provide.
Bouquets we can deliver
Language, Names and Phone Numbers
Instructions in English are accepted. Keep them short and literal: our team reads every order and passes the essential points to the courier in Russian. Avoid idioms and abbreviations, write numbers in digits and repeat the flat number in the instructions even if it is already in the address field. A detailed overview of what we accept on the form is in English Delivery Instructions on the Order Form: What We Accept.
Write the recipient's name the way it appears on the door or the intercom, ideally in Russian Cyrillic if you know it, plus a Latin version. Couriers check names at the door, and "Masha" may be listed as Maria Ivanovna on a hospital ward list. If the recipient uses a nickname within the family, add it in brackets so the courier knows who to ask for.
The recipient's phone number is the single most important item. The courier calls about 15 minutes before arrival, and that call usually solves any problem with codes, gates or a wrong entrance. If the recipient does not answer calls from unknown numbers, write a second contact, for example a neighbour or a family member who will be at home.
Surprise, Anonymity and What the Courier Says
By default the delivery is anonymous: the courier does not name the sender. If you want to stay unknown, simply leave the card unsigned or sign it with a hint only the recipient will understand. If you do want your name mentioned, say so in the instructions, for example "tell her it is from her son in Berlin". The card with your text is free and goes with every bouquet.
For surprises, the 15-minute call can be a problem, because it gives the plan away. You can ask the courier to call a different person, such as a partner or colleague who is in on the surprise, and that person makes sure the recipient is at home. Write the helper's name and number, and the courier will coordinate with them instead.
Be careful with notes that conflict with each other. "Do not call, it is a surprise" combined with no entry code and a gated courtyard leaves the courier with no way in. If you are unsure which combination works for a particular building, call us at 8 (812) 507-67-05 before placing the order and we will help phrase the instructions.
When Nobody Opens the Door
This is the second most common question in the shop after entry codes. If the recipient is not there, we agree a second delivery the same day or hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge, and the second option always requires your consent. You can give that consent in advance by writing it in the instructions: "if not at home, leave with the concierge on the ground floor".
Some situations are better avoided from the start. Do not ask to leave the bouquet on a doormat or hang it on a door handle: in winter flowers freeze in the stairwell within an hour, and in summer they dehydrate. If the recipient works shifts or travels often, choose a time window when you know they are home, or send flowers to the workplace.
Our guide What Information the Courier Needs to Deliver Your Flowers has a checklist you can copy. And if you only know the recipient's phone number but not the exact address, read Send Flowers Without an Address: What a Courier Really Needs before ordering.
Ordering From Abroad With Pyat Tsvetov
Pyat Tsvetov has worked in Saint Petersburg since 2011 and has three of its own shops, on Ilyushina Street, the Obvodny Canal Embankment and Srednerogatskaya Street. We deliver flowers across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
You can pay online on the site by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, which is what most customers living abroad use. Choose a bouquet in the bouquets catalogue, fill in the address and courier instructions as described above, and pick the delivery option that suits the occasion. For any questions about a specific address or timing, call 8 (812) 507-67-05. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What should I write in courier instructions for flowers?
The full address with building, entrance, floor and flat, the entry code or a request to call on arrival, any time limits, and whether the courier may name you. Add a second contact if the recipient may not pick up.
Can I write delivery instructions in English?
Yes. Keep them short and literal; our team reads every order and passes the key points to the courier in Russian.
Will the courier tell the recipient who sent the flowers?
No, delivery is anonymous by default. If you want your name mentioned, state it in the instructions or sign the free card.
What happens if the recipient is not at home?
We agree a second delivery the same day, or hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge with your consent. You can give that consent in advance in the instructions.
Does the courier call before arriving?
Yes, about 15 minutes before arrival. For a surprise, you can ask the courier to call a helper instead of the recipient.
Ready to send a bouquet?
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