The Mail Route You Can Only Reach by Boat

In the heart of Germany’s UNESCO-designated Spreewald Biosphere Reserve, mail carrier Andrea Bunar has spent the last 15 years maintaining a rare and beautiful tradition of delivering post by boat.

Working for Deutsche Post, Bunar employs a hybrid delivery model from April through October to navigate the unique geography of the region.

Her mornings are spent in an electric car delivering packages in the city of Lübbenau, but her afternoons are spent on the water, where she hand-paddles a traditional yellow barge to reach 65 secluded residences in the village of Lehde.

This method allows her to deliver roughly 600 letters and 80 packages a week to homes that are inaccessible by traditional roads.

This eco-friendly and historic approach not only ensures that residents receive their mail but also preserves the cultural heritage of the Spreewald’s intricate canal system.