How to Use an Overnight Courier for Urgent Deliveries

Sep 4, 2025
How to Use an Overnight Courier for Urgent Deliveries

When fast delivery is essential, overnight courier services help ensure critical items arrive the next business day. For small businesses, a missed shipment can cause delayed orders, stalled production, or unhappy customers.

Overnight delivery reduces these risks by providing reliable, next-day shipping for time-sensitive parcels. From urgent contracts to last-minute e-commerce orders, it delivers the speed and certainty needed when there’s no room for delay.

As demand rises across Australia, especially in trade, logistics, and online retail, overnight couriers have become an indispensable part of meeting tight deadlines and customer expectations.

Why Choose an Overnight Courier?

Need something delivered urgently? An overnight courier guarantees next-business-day arrival, covering both metro cities and many regional areas across Australia. These services suit tradespeople, retailers, and offices handling time-critical shipments.

Why choose overnight delivery?

  • Fast delivery: Next-day delivery keeps your operations moving.
  • Reliable carriers: Carriers like DHL, Toll, and StarTrack offer consistent turnaround times.
  • Easy booking: Book online, compare quotes, and track deliveries in real time.
  • Flexibility: Costs vary by parcel size, destination, and urgency.

With Couriers & Freight, comparing reliable overnight courier options takes just minutes without the usual back-and-forth.

Need It There Tomorrow? Book an Overnight Courier

Get next-business-day delivery with trusted carriers like DHL, Toll, and StarTrack. Compare quotes and book in minutes through Couriers & Freight.

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What Is an Overnight Courier?

An overnight courier is a delivery service that guarantees your shipment arrives by the next business day, typically the day after collection. For instance, a parcel picked up on Monday is usually delivered by Tuesday. This makes it ideal for urgent, time-sensitive deliveries where reliability is critical.

In Australia, overnight courier services cover metro-to-metro routes as well as many regional destinations. Well-known carriers such as Toll, StarTrack, and DHL are trusted for their ability to deliver consistently and quickly across the country. For international destinations, services like DHL Express offer overnight-style shipping for urgent outbound parcels.

Most overnight services include real-time tracking, proof of delivery, and flexible pickup times, providing customers with full visibility and control. If you're running a business or managing time-critical shipments, an overnight courier helps ensure your items arrive on time without the stress of missed deadlines.

Alt text: A freight truck is driving down the road as the sun sets.

When Should You Use an Overnight Courier?

An overnight courier is the best option when delays are unacceptable, whether it's meeting a deadline, preventing downtime, or keeping a customer satisfied. These services are designed for time-sensitive deliveries where next-business-day arrival is non-negotiable.

In corporate setting, they’re used to send legal contracts or financial documents that require a swift turnaround.

In manufacturing and trades, they’re vital for getting spare parts delivered fast, avoiding lost production hours and missed project milestones.

In the healthcare sector, overnight couriers ensure the timely delivery of critical items like medical samples, prescriptions, or equipment to clinics, laboratories, and patients.

Retailers and e-commerce stores also rely on them for last-minute orders, urgent supplier shipments, or high-value packages that must arrive on time to maintain customer satisfaction.

Common items sent via overnight courier include:

In each case, it’s not just about speed. It’s about meeting expectations without compromise.

How Much Does Overnight Shipping Cost?

The cost of overnight shipping depends on a few key factors, and knowing these can help you find the most cost-effective service:

  1. Parcel weight and size: Larger or heavier items are more expensive to move.
  2. Delivery distance: Metro routes are often cheaper than rural or interstate deliveries.
  3. Courier and speed: Premium providers or guaranteed express options (like overnight express) may cost more.
  4. Extras: Insurance, delivery confirmation, or signature-on-arrival can affect pricing.

As a general guide, overnight shipping for a 2kg parcel from Sydney to Melbourne typically costs $25–$40, depending on the provider and service level.

If you're looking for the cheapest overnight shipping that still meets your deadlines, Couriers & Freight lets you compare side-by-side quotes instantly, so you can choose the fastest overnight shipping without paying more than you need to.

How to Book an Overnight Courier Easily

Booking an overnight courier with Couriers & Freight is fast and hassle-free. Instead of contacting carriers one by one, you can compare DHL overnight shipping, Toll, StarTrack, and even USPS overnight delivery, all in one platform.

Alt text: Overnight Courier Quote page

Just enter your pickup and delivery details to receive instant quotes from multiple providers. You’ll get a clear view of prices, delivery windows, and service levels, so you can choose the overnight courier service that best fits your timeline and budget.

Once booked, payments are securely processed online, and you receive real-time tracking and delivery updates to always know where your parcel is.

Whether you're shipping across Australia or sending something urgent overseas, Couriers & Freight makes booking faster, more transparent, and easier.

Book Your Overnight Courier in Minutes

When timing is critical, an overnight courier ensures your shipment arrives without delay. Whether you’re sending urgent business documents, medical samples, or last-minute orders, next-day delivery helps you stay on track and meet customer expectations. 

With Couriers & Freight, you can compare trusted carriers like DHL, Toll, and StarTrack, get quotes instantly, and book your overnight courier service in just minutes.

Start today and discover the fastest, most reliable overnight delivery option for your business or personal shipments.

Need It There Tomorrow? Book an Overnight Courier

Get next-business-day delivery with trusted carriers like DHL, Toll, and StarTrack. Compare quotes and book in minutes through Couriers & Freight.

Get a Quote Now
robert lynch headshot

Robert Lynch

Founder of Australia’s largest outside hire company Couriers & Freight, Robert Lynch is a seasoned business leader in the shipping industry with over 20 years of experience. His expertise spans from outside hire, taxi truck, and last-mile services to freight management, freight forwarding and warehousing. 

Robert has also incorporated technology into his business through custom software to enhance growth and efficiency. Robert is a valuable resource for business owners looking to improve their logistics operations.

Connect with Robert Lynch on LinkedIn.

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MHP

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$16.50

$14

$15.50

$0

$15.50

$14.75

$0

$0

$0

$0

MHP Large Item

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$16.50

$75

$62

$62

$60.10

$14.75

$0

$0

$0

$0

Residential Pickup

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$6

$0

$9

--

$9

$10.60

$0

$0

$0

$38.50

Reidential pick up 30-99kgs

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$63

$0

$9

$0

$9

$74.15

$20

Won't carry

Won't carry

$38.50

Residential pick up 100kgs+

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$198

$0

$9

$0

$9

$158.87

$50

Won't carry

Won't carry

$38.50

Residential Delivery up to 29kgs

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$6

$0

$9

--

$9.00

$10.60

$0

$0

$0

$38.50

Residential Delivery up 30-99kgs

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$63

$0

$9

$0

$9

$74.15

$20

Won't carry

Won't carry

$38.50

Residential Delivery 100kgs+

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$198

$0

$9

--

$9

$158.57

$50

Won't carry

Won't carry

$38.50

Tail Lift Pick up 50-99kgs Sydney / Melbourne

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$45

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Tail Lift Pick up 100-299kgs Sydney / Melbourne

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$85

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Tail Lift Pick up 300-499kgs Sydney / Melbourne

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$120

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Tail Lift Pick up 500kgs + Sydney / Melbourne

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$250

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Tail Lift Delivery 50-99kgs Sydney / Melbourne

No Surcharge*

$45

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Tail Lift Delivery 100-299kgs Sydney / Melbourne

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$85

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Tail Lift Delivery300-499kgs Sydney / Melbourne

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$120

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Tail Lift Delivery 500kgs + Sydney / Melbourne

No Surcharge*

$250

$50-$250

$88

$88

$88

$44.07

$120

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Dead weight over 32KGS carton freight

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$16.50

$75

$70

$70

$70

$14.75

$0

Won't carry

Won't carry

$0

Oversize Surcharge 1.20 - 1.54

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--

$0

$0

$0

$0

$5.40

$10

$15

Won't carry

$0

Oversize Surcharge 1.55 - 1.85

No Surcharge*

$17

$20

$0

$0

$0

$11.93

$10

$15

Won't carry

$0

Oversize Surcharge 1.86 - 2.20

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$37

$40

$0

$0

$0

$11.93

$10

Won't carry

Won't carry

$0

Pallet Surcharge

No Surcharge*

--

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

Won't carry

Won't carry

$0

Hand Unload Fee Carton

No Surcharge*

--

$0

$70

$70

$70

$47

$0

Won't carry

Won't carry

$61.50

Western Australia Regional Surcharge

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%10

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

*Surcharges may apply to areas/deimensions not listed

**Prices correct of 16th September 2024

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