Cainiao Tracking

Cainiao tracking follows the journey of cross-border parcels shipped through Cainiao, the logistics network owned by Alibaba. If you bought from AliExpress — or from Temu or SHEIN — there’s a good chance Cainiao is moving your order. Its handy feature is that it shows the whole journey under one number, then hands the parcel to a local postal service or courier for the last mile. So don’t worry if updates go quiet for a while: that’s usually just your parcel crossing borders, not a lost package.

How to Track a Cainiao Package

1. Copy the tracking number from your order page or shipping email. Cainiao numbers often start with LP followed by a long string of digits (for example LP00612345678901).
2. Enter it above, or open the official Cainiao global tracking page.
3. Check the current status, origin, destination, and progress — Cainiao shows each step of the journey.
4. When the parcel reaches your country, look for the local delivery carrier named in the tracking.
5. If Cainiao shows a final-mile handoff, switch to that local carrier’s page for delivery updates.

Not sure Cainiao is even the right carrier? Just paste the number into the box above and we’ll point you to the correct one. If the number doesn’t work at all, our guide on a tracking number that isn’t working walks through the usual causes.

What Cainiao Is and How Long It Takes

Cainiao isn’t your local mail carrier — it’s a logistics platform that coordinates warehouses, airlines, and delivery partners on behalf of Alibaba’s marketplaces. The shipping option you chose at checkout is the biggest factor in how long it takes:

• AliExpress Standard Shipping (Cainiao): the most common choice — typically 15–30 days to the US and UK.
• AliExpress Saver / Cainiao Super Economy: the cheapest and slowest, often 20–45 days.
• Premium / expedited Cainiao lines: faster dedicated routes, roughly 7–15 days.

These are typical ranges, not guarantees. Customs and peak sales (Singles’ Day, Black Friday, Chinese New Year) can add one to three weeks. During Chinese New Year, expect a longer pause while China’s logistics network slows for one to two weeks.

Cainiao Tracking Statuses Explained

• Order received / Seller is preparing: the label exists but the parcel hasn’t been collected yet.
• Accepted by carrier / Picked up: Cainiao now has the parcel and the number is live.
• Departed from sorting centre / Export: it’s left the origin hub for the international leg.
• Arrived at destination country: it’s in your country and may head into customs. See what customs clearance means.
• Handed over to local carrier: Cainiao’s international job is done; your national post or a courier delivers from here.

Why Cainiao Tracking Is Not Updating

Quiet spells are normal. Cainiao tracking often pauses during warehouse processing, linehaul (airline) transport, export, customs, or the handoff to a local courier — and some steps only update when the next partner scans the parcel. If it’s been a while, our guide on tracking that isn’t updating explains what’s worth doing and what’s just normal waiting. If the parcel seems frozen mid-journey, package stuck in transit covers that specific situation.

Common Cainiao Tracking Problems

• The seller created a label, but the parcel hasn’t been picked up yet — wait for the first “accepted” scan.
• The package is moving internationally with limited scans (normal for economy shipping).
• It’s waiting on customs clearance, which can take a few days.
• The destination courier hasn’t received it yet, so local tracking is still empty.
• Your marketplace order page and the carrier page show different update times — the carrier page is usually the most current.
• Tracking says delivered but nothing arrived — see delivered but not received.

When Cainiao Hands Your Parcel to a Local Carrier

Cainiao almost never delivers to your door itself. Once your parcel arrives, delivery is completed by your national postal service or a final-mile courier — for example USPS in the United States, Royal Mail in the UK, Canada Post, or Australia Post. When you see “handed over to local carrier,” the Cainiao record may stop updating while the local carrier shows the final “out for delivery” and “delivered” scans. If nothing moves for a long time after arrival, ask that local carrier, or read where is my package for the next steps.

Tracking Cainiao Orders From AliExpress, Temu and SHEIN

Cainiao carries a lot of marketplace orders, and the marketplace is your fastest route to a fix:

• AliExpress: track from your order and keep an eye on the Buyer Protection countdown — open a dispute before it expires if the parcel is very late or stuck.
• Temu: if it’s slow, our guide on Temu tracking not updating covers what to expect and when to ask for a refund.
• SHEIN: similarly, see SHEIN tracking not updating.

Whatever the store, contact the seller first and raise a dispute before the buyer-protection window closes — that’s what protects your refund.

Cainiao and Other China Cross-Border Carriers

Cainiao often works alongside other Chinese logistics services, and your parcel may pass between them. If your tracking mentions a different name, these guides may help: China Post, Yanwen, 4PX, and YunExpress.

Cainiao Tracking FAQs