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How To Ship A Car Across The Country

A coast to coast move runs about 2,500 miles and eats a week of your life behind the wheel. Here is what it costs to ship a car across the country instead, how long it takes, and exactly what happens at every step. Over 50,000 vehicles moved and 15 years of doing it.A coast to coast move runs about 2,500 miles and eats a week of your life behind the wheel. Here is what it costs to ship a car across the country instead, how long it takes, and exactly what happens at every step. Over 50,000 vehicles moved and 15 years of doing it.

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Shipping a Car Across the Country, in Short

If you only read one part of this page, read this one.

  • What it costsAbout $1,650 on an open carrier for a route over 1,000 miles, and $2,250 once you pass 2,500 miles. Enclosed runs $2,250 to $3,250 on those same routes.
  • How long it takesRoughly 7 to 10 days on the truck for a coast to coast run, plus a 1 to 5 day window between booking and pickup.
  • How it worksGet a quote, book the order, hand the car over and sign the bill of lading at pickup, then inspect and sign again at delivery. About 10 minutes of your time in total.
  • Who moves itNumber 1 Auto Transport is a licensed auto transport broker. We match your route with a vetted carrier that already runs it and lock your price so the number does not move.

Most people ship a car across the country for one of a handful of reasons. A job that moved, military orders, a student heading to school, or a snowbird season starting up. The process is the same for all of them. What changes is the timing and what you pay, and every one of those cases falls under our car shipping and delivery services.

How to Ship a Car Across the Country in 4 Steps

The whole thing takes about 10 minutes of your attention. Here is each step and what you are responsible for. If you want the longer version, read how car shipping works.

  1. Get Your Quote

    Give us the year, make, and model, your pickup and delivery ZIP codes, and roughly when you want the car picked up. Your quote comes back as a real number, not a teaser rate that climbs later. Our Price Lock Guarantee means the figure you accept is the figure you pay.

  2. Book the Order

    Once you approve the price, your route goes out to our carrier network and we match you with a vetted carrier that already runs that lane. We check active operating authority, insurance on file, and safety record before anyone touches your car. You can verify any carrier or broker yourself through the FMCSA SAFER system.

  3. Pickup and Inspection

    The driver calls ahead to set a time and a spot that a truck can actually reach. Walk the car together and note every existing scratch, dent, and chip on the bill of lading. You both sign. Take your own photos before it loads, because that paperwork is your record if anything comes up later.

  4. Delivery and Final Walkthrough

    The driver calls a day out with an arrival window. Inspect the car against the bill of lading you signed at pickup, sign off, and pay the balance. On a standard cross-country route, most customers see 7 to 10 days between pickup and delivery.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car Across the Country?

Shipping a car across the country costs about $1,750 to $2,250 on an open carrier and $2,650 to $3,450 in an enclosed trailer. Distance drives the number more than anything else, but the vehicle, the route, and the month you ship all move it. For pricing on shorter hauls, see our full car shipping cost breakdown.

Average car shipping cost by route distance
Route distanceAverage open carrier costAverage enclosed carrier cost
Less than 500 miles$850$1,350
500 to 1,000 miles$1,400$1,850
1,000 to 2,500 miles$1,850$2,850
Over 2,500 miles$2,250$3,250
Average open carrier cost by vehicle type and distance
Vehicle typeLess than 500 miles500 to 1,000 miles1,000 to 2,500 milesOver 2,500 miles
Sedan$750$1,350$1,850$2,200
Compact SUV$800$1,400$1,950$2,300
SUV$850$1,450$2,000$2,450
Truck$1,000$1,650$2,400$2,900

All pricing on this page is an estimate, not a quote. Auto transport rates move daily with carrier supply, fuel, season, and the exact route, and your vehicle can price above or below these ranges. The only way to get accurate pricing is to fill out a quote or call 855-422-4141. Your quoted number is then locked under our Price Lock Guarantee.

What Moves the Price

  • Distance

    Longer routes cost more in total but far less per mile. A 2,500 mile run is not five times the price of a 500 mile run, which is why cross-country shipping is better value than most people assume.

  • Pickup and Delivery Spots

    Carriers live on interstates. A pickup in a major metro costs less than one 60 miles down a two-lane road, because the truck has to leave its route to get you.

  • Open or Enclosed

    Enclosed adds roughly 40 to 60 percent. That premium buys a covered trailer, fewer cars on the load, and gentler loading angles for low clearance vehicles.

  • Vehicle Size and Weight

    A lifted truck or a three-row SUV takes more deck space and more weight allowance than a sedan. Read more on sedan, SUV, and truck pricing.

  • Time of Year

    Summer is the busiest stretch for household moves and prices climb with demand. Snowbird lanes tighten in October heading south and again in April heading north.

  • How Fast You Need It

    A flexible pickup window gets you the better rate. Expedited service costs more because a carrier has to reshuffle a load to fit you in.

How Long Does It Take to Ship a Car Across the Country?

A coast to coast shipment typically takes 7 to 10 days on the truck. Add a 1 to 5 day pickup window on top of that, which is the stretch between the day you book and the day a carrier loads your car.

Typical transit time by route distance
Route distanceTypical time on the truckExample lane
Less than 500 miles1 to 2 daysAtlanta to Miami
500 to 1,000 miles2 to 3 daysChicago to Dallas
1,000 to 1,500 miles3 to 5 daysDenver to Seattle
1,500 to 2,000 miles4 to 6 daysBoston to Houston
2,000 to 2,500 miles5 to 7 daysPhoenix to New York
Over 2,500 miles7 to 10 daysLos Angeles to Boston

These are estimates, not guaranteed dates. Weather, road closures, and federal hours of service limits all affect a truck on a long run. No honest broker will promise you a delivery date on a 2,500 mile lane.

Booking one to three weeks ahead gives you the widest pickup window and usually the better rate. If you are on a tight deadline, ask about the fastest way to ship a car and what expedited service costs on your lane. For more on how carriers set their schedules, see our guide to pickup and delivery times.

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Number 1 Auto Transport is a licensed auto transport broker, not a carrier. MC-796224 · USDOT 2336907. We match every shipment to FMCSA compliant carriers.

Open vs Enclosed Transport for a Cross-Country Move

Roughly nine out of ten cars move on open carriers. The question is whether your car is the exception.

  • Open auto transport carrier loaded with vehicles on a cross-country route

    Open Car Shipping

    Two-level trailers that haul up to 10 vehicles at a time. It is the cheaper option by a wide margin and the one with the most trucks running, so it books faster. Your car rides exposed to weather and road grit, the same way it would if you drove it yourself. For a daily driver, that is a fair trade.

  • Enclosed car carrier used for classic and exotic vehicle transport across the country

    Enclosed Auto Transport

    Fully covered trailers carrying two to seven cars. Many use a lift gate or a shallower ramp angle, which matters when the car sits low. This is the pick for classic cars, exotics, and anything where a single rock chip is a real problem.

Open vs enclosed on a cross-country route
ComparisonOpen carrierEnclosed carrier
Cost over 2,500 miles$2,250$3,250
Cars per loadUp to 102 to 7
Weather and road debrisExposedFully covered
Truck availabilityWidest, books fastestFewer trucks, book earlier
Low clearance loadingStandard rampsLift gate or shallow ramps
Best forDaily drivers, family cars, trucks and SUVsClassic, exotic, luxury, show cars, low clearance

Both options carry the carrier's cargo insurance for the full trip. Enclosed does not buy you more coverage. It buys you less exposure.

Driving It Yourself vs Shipping It: The Real Cost

A 2,500 mile drive looks cheap right up until you add the days. Here is a rough side by side on a coast to coast route.

  • A 2,500 mile move, two ways
    What it costsDriving itShipping it
    FuelAbout $400In the quote
    Lodging, 3 nights$300 to $600None
    Food on the road$150 to $300None
    Days it takes you4 to 6None of yours
    Miles added to the car2,5000
    Out of pocketOver $1,000$2,250 open carrier
  • Car being loaded for shipping across the United States instead of driving it cross country

    Driving comes out cheaper on paper, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. What that number leaves out is everything you pay in something other than dollars. Close to a week of your time. Two thousand five hundred miles of wear that shows up later in tires, brakes, fluids, and resale value. And the odds of a breakdown 900 miles from anyone you know.

    The gap narrows fast if you are flying to the new place anyway, once a plane ticket replaces three hotel nights and six tanks of gas. We break the math down further in our guide on driving versus shipping a car.

How to Prepare Your Car for a Cross-Country Shipment

Twenty minutes of prep prevents almost every dispute that happens at delivery. Work this list the day before pickup.

  • Wash the car. A clean surface makes existing damage easy to spot and record at inspection.
  • Photograph everything. Every panel, the roof, the wheels, and the odometer, with the date visible.
  • Leave about a quarter tank. Extra fuel is dead weight that costs money and buys nothing.
  • Pull the toll tag. Otherwise it bills you for every gantry the truck passes on the way across.
  • Empty the cabin. Carriers are not licensed to haul household goods, and personal items left inside are not covered.
  • Fold the mirrors, drop the antenna. Remove roof racks, bike racks, and any spoiler that is not bolted down.
  • Check battery, tires, and fluids. The car has to start and roll on and off the truck under its own power.
  • Flag any leaks. A leaking car can drip onto the vehicle below it, so the carrier needs to know before loading.

If the car does not run, say so when you book. It is not a problem, but it changes the equipment. Read our notes on shipping a non-running vehicle and the full car shipping prep checklist.

What We Ship Across the Country

Cross-country lanes carry more than sedans. If it has wheels or a hull, there is usually a carrier for it. Companies moving staff can also look at corporate relocation car shipping.

Vehicles staged for cross-country auto transport including a military PCS car shipment

  • Classic and Collector Cars

    Enclosed trailers, soft straps, and drivers who have loaded a car with no bumper before.

  • Exotic and Luxury

    Lift gate loading for low clearance, and single-car or two-car loads when the value calls for it.

  • Motorcycles

    Crated or strapped on a dedicated cradle, open or enclosed, coast to coast.

  • Heavy Equipment

    Flatbed, step deck, and RGN carriers for tractors, excavators, and oversized loads.

  • Boats and Trailers

    Powerboats, sailboats, and yachts on the right trailer with the permits the route needs.

  • Military PCS Moves

    Base to base across the country, with military discounts and orders-friendly scheduling.

  • College Students

    Semester timing, campus-area delivery, and a student discount on the quote.

  • Snowbird Season

    North to south in the fall, back again in the spring, booked before the lanes fill up.

  • Auction and Dealer Cars

    Copart, Manheim, and IAAI pickups, including salvage and non-running units.

Ship a Car Across the Country From Any State

We deliver to all 50 states and Washington DC, coast to coast. Choose your state to see routes, timelines, and pricing for your area.

Many reasons make us one of the top car transport services companies for state to state auto transport. For instance, every driver we assign is vetted, has a clean driving record, and is in good standing with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Shipping a specific lane? See New York to California, New York to Texas, or coast to coast auto transport.

Frequently Asked Questions

More answers live on our auto transport FAQ page.

  • How much does it cost to ship a car across the country?

    Most cross-country shipments run $1,750 to $2,250 on an open carrier and $2,650 to $3,450 enclosed. A sedan sits at the low end of that range and a full-size truck at the high end. Every figure here is an estimate. Fill out the quote form for accurate pricing on your actual route and vehicle.

  • What is the cheapest way to ship a car across the country?

    An open carrier with a flexible pickup window and terminal-friendly locations near a major interstate. Booking two to three weeks out helps, and shipping outside the summer peak helps more. Avoid rural pickup points if you can meet the driver somewhere a full-size truck fits.

  • Does insurance cover damage when shipping my car across the country?

    Yes. Every carrier we assign has active cargo insurance on file, and your vehicle is covered while it is on the truck. The bill of lading you sign at pickup is what documents the car's condition, so photograph it and read the form carefully before signing at both ends.

  • How long does it take to ship a car across the country?

    Plan on 7 to 10 days on the truck for a coast to coast route, plus a 1 to 5 day window between booking and pickup. Shorter runs move faster. A 1,000 mile lane usually takes 3 to 5 days. Weather and hours of service rules can shift any of it, so these are estimates.

  • How do I pay for cross-country car shipping?

    Most orders take a deposit by card when you book, with the balance due at delivery. Carriers commonly take cash, a certified check, or a money order for that final payment. Your dispatcher confirms exactly what your assigned carrier accepts before the truck arrives.

  • Can I leave personal items in the car?

    Keep it light or leave it empty. Carriers are licensed to haul vehicles, not household goods, and anything inside the cabin falls outside cargo coverage. Some carriers allow up to 100 pounds in the trunk. Ask first, because weight over the limit can be refused at pickup.

  • Can you ship a car that does not run?

    Yes, as long as it rolls, steers, and brakes. Non-running vehicles need a carrier with a winch, so tell us when you book rather than at pickup. It adds to the price and narrows the truck pool, which is why advance notice matters on a cross-country lane.

Ready to Ship Your Car Across the Country?

Join the 50,000+ customers who trusted us with their vehicles. Get your locked price in minutes, or talk to a real person right now. Military and college discounts available.

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Every shipment is fully insured, bumper to bumper, and moves with a carrier we have checked for active authority and current coverage. Licensing details are listed higher on this page.