Can I book an appointment at the counter?
ap-pun-ta-MEN-to — five syllables; stress on the fourth. The double 'p' is geminate — hold the 'p' slightly.
Use this if you want to avoid long queues by booking in advance. Poste Italiane now offers appointment booking through its app and website for many services.
'Prenotare un appuntamento' (to book an appointment) is the standard Italian phrase. 'Allo sportello' (at the counter) specifies the in-person context. Poste Italiane's Posta Priority service and mobile app allow queue reservation, reducing wait times significantly.
Posso prenotare tramite l'app?
Can I book through the app?
Poste Italiane has an app for appointment booking and other services
Qual è il tempo medio di attesa oggi?
What is the average waiting time today?
Checking wait time before deciding to queue or book
C'è una corsia prioritaria per chi ha l'appuntamento?
Is there a priority lane for people with appointments?
Pre-booked customers usually skip the general queue
Italy's post office queues are legendary — the expression 'come la posta' (like the mail) is used to describe anything agonisingly slow. Poste Italiane responded to public frustration by introducing digital queue reservation systems. However, many offices still have very long in-person waits, particularly at month-end when pensions are collected.