The average is $1,200—but that number alone won't help you budget accurately#

Most articles on car shipping costs will tell you the national average and leave it at that. The problem is that "average" covers an enormous range. A 300-mile open transport shipment and a 2,000-mile enclosed coast-to-coast move both count toward the same average, and they're priced completely differently.

After fifteen years moving vehicles across the country, here's what I can tell you: the real answer depends on five things—distance, vehicle size, transport type, your location, and timing. Get a handle on those five variables for your specific situation and you'll have a number you can actually budget against.

In 2026, the national average for car shipping is approximately $1,200, with typical quotes ranging from $600 for shorter regional moves up to $2,500 for cross-country enclosed transport. The per-mile rate runs $0.40 to $2.60 depending primarily on distance—shorter hauls cost more per mile, longer hauls cost less per mile but more in total. That relationship is the first thing to understand.

How distance affects price: it's not a straight line#

Distance is the single biggest driver of car shipping cost, but it doesn't scale linearly. Carriers have fixed costs on every load—fuel, insurance, driver time, tolls, equipment depreciation—and those costs get spread across the total mileage. On a 300-mile haul, the per-mile cost is high because fixed costs are concentrated over fewer miles. On a 2,000-mile haul, those same fixed costs are diluted across the full run, dropping the per-mile rate significantly even as the total bill grows.

Here's how the per-mile rates break down by distance in 2026 for a standard sedan on open transport:

Under 500 miles: $1.40–$2.60 per mile | Total: $600–$1,000 500–1,000 miles: $1.00–$1.40 per mile | Total: $800–$1,200 1,000–1,500 miles: $0.75–$1.00 per mile | Total: $1,000–$1,400 1,500–2,000 miles: $0.60–$0.80 per mile | Total: $1,100–$1,600 Over 2,000 miles (coast-to-coast): $0.40–$0.70 per mile | Total: $1,200–$2,500

The practical implication: if you're moving 400 miles, don't assume the cost is proportionally less than a 1,200-mile move. Short hauls often cost nearly as much as medium-distance routes because carriers can't make the economics work as efficiently on shorter loads.

Common routes with actual price ranges#

Route-specific pricing reflects real-world carrier economics—route popularity, directional demand imbalance, carrier density in each region, and seasonality. Here are 2026 estimates for frequently quoted routes on open transport:

New York to Florida: $1,200–$1,500. A heavily trafficked snowbird corridor with strong carrier availability. Eastbound and southbound capacity is abundant; prices stay relatively competitive most of the year. Peak pricing hits in fall when snowbird migration demand spikes.

California to Texas: $950–$1,350. One of the highest-volume routes in the country. Strong carrier density in both directions keeps pricing reasonable.

California to Virginia / East Coast: $1,400–$2,200. True coast-to-coast pricing. The westbound return leg is harder to fill than the eastbound run, which can push pricing higher than pure mileage would suggest.

Michigan to Texas: $1,200–$1,600. Solid carrier availability driven by automotive industry freight. January pricing historically runs higher on this corridor.

Florida to California: $1,500–$2,200. One of the more expensive common routes due to directional imbalance—there's stronger demand moving vehicles west to east than east to west on the southern tier.

Chicago to Denver: $800–$1,200. A well-serviced Midwest corridor with decent carrier options year-round.

Rural origins or destinations add $100–$300 regardless of total distance. Carriers price the routing penalty into loads that require them to leave major interstate lanes. If you're within driving distance of a major hub city, meeting the carrier there can eliminate this premium.

Open vs. enclosed transport: the 30–60% premium explained#

Open transport puts your vehicle on a standard two-level carrier with seven to ten other vehicles, exposed to weather and road elements but properly secured. This is how roughly 90% of all vehicles move in the United States, including brand-new $60,000 luxury vehicles coming from manufacturer factories to dealerships. It's safe, economical, and the right choice for most vehicles.

Enclosed transport ships your vehicle in a covered trailer carrying two to five vehicles, protected from weather, road debris, and visibility. It costs 30–60% more than open transport on any given route.

On a $1,200 open transport shipment, that premium translates to $360–$720 extra—bringing enclosed pricing to roughly $1,550–$1,950 for the same route. On coast-to-coast moves, enclosed transport regularly runs $2,000–$3,500 for standard vehicles and higher for multi-vehicle or specialized loads.

When open transport is the right call: Standard vehicles worth under $50,000. Daily drivers, family SUVs, recently purchased used cars, vehicles being relocated for a move. The exposure risk on open transport is real but statistically rare—carriers are professionals, securing equipment is purpose-built, and damage claims from weather or road debris are uncommon on reputable carriers.

When enclosed transport is worth the premium: High-value vehicles over $75,000. Classic cars, exotics, fully restored vehicles, collector cars with significant value beyond market price. Vehicles with fresh paint or show-quality finishes where road chip damage is a genuine concern. Any vehicle you'd describe as irreplaceable.

The math for most people is straightforward: if the $400–$700 premium for enclosed transport is small relative to your vehicle's value, pay it for peace of mind. If you're shipping a $22,000 Honda CR-V, open transport is the right answer.

How vehicle size moves the price#

Carriers work within trailer weight limits and space constraints. A larger, heavier vehicle takes more of both, which is why size adds directly to shipping cost.

Standard sedan: Baseline pricing. Everything in the distance and route tables above assumes a standard sedan.

Compact SUV or crossover: Add roughly $100–$150 over sedan rates on most routes. The size difference is meaningful but not dramatic.

Full-size SUV, pickup truck, or minivan: Add $200–$400 over sedan rates. Full-size trucks can run 35–40% more than a standard car to ship because of their footprint on the trailer and their weight impact on carrier fuel economy.

Extended cab trucks, oversized vehicles, or vehicles with lift kits: Add $300–$600 or more. Oversized vehicles can take up space that would otherwise carry two smaller vehicles, and carriers price accordingly.

Inoperable vehicles: Add $150–$300 on any route. Non-running vehicles require winch equipment to load and unload, specialized handling, and more carrier time at pickup and delivery. Disclose this when booking—carriers who discover a vehicle won't run at pickup may refuse the load or add fees on the spot.

Timing: how much the calendar actually costs you#

Seasonality has a real and quantifiable effect on car shipping prices. Spring and summer are peak season—demand spikes as families relocate for school, military PCS moves concentrate, and snowbirds return north. Prices during this window run $200–$500 higher on popular routes than the same routes in fall or winter.

Peak season (May–August): Highest prices of the year. Carrier capacity fills fast. Booking two to four weeks ahead on popular routes, and five to six weeks ahead on high-volume corridors during June and July, is the minimum to secure reasonable pricing and good carrier options.

Shoulder season (March–April, September–October): Moderate pricing, better carrier availability than peak. Some of the best value windows of the year.

Off-peak (November–February): Generally the lowest prices of the year. The caveat: winter weather on northern routes adds a variable. Carriers crossing mountain passes or the northern plains in January or February can face delays from weather. For southern routes in winter, off-peak is a straightforward win.

Holiday weekends (Thanksgiving, Christmas week, New Year's) can spike pricing sharply in both directions—high demand from people who want to move cars around the holidays, combined with limited carrier availability as drivers take time off.

The simple version: if you can ship in October instead of June, you'll likely save $150–$400 on a typical mid-distance route with no other changes to your booking.

Door-to-door vs. terminal-to-terminal: is the savings real?#

Terminal-to-terminal service requires you to drop your vehicle at a carrier terminal and pick it up at the destination terminal, rather than door-to-door pickup and delivery. In theory it's cheaper. In practice the savings are often $50–$100, and the logistics cost you more than that.

To save $75 on a terminal-to-terminal shipment, you typically need to: arrange a ride to the terminal for drop-off, arrange a ride from the destination terminal after arrival, potentially wait for a terminal availability window, and deal with vehicle storage risk while it sits in an open terminal lot.

The majority of shipments go door-to-door for good reason. If a 75-foot carrier truck can physically navigate to your pickup and delivery addresses—which they can for most residential and commercial locations—door-to-door is standard service at no meaningful cost premium. Terminal-to-terminal makes sense in specific situations: if your origin or destination location is genuinely inaccessible to large trucks, or if a terminal happens to be extremely convenient to your schedule. Otherwise, the $75 savings isn't worth it.

Expedited shipping: what it costs and when it's worth it#

Standard car shipping books pickup within a one-to-seven day window after your requested date. Expedited shipping guarantees pickup within 24–48 hours and costs $200–$400 on top of base rates.

Expedited shipping speeds the pickup, not the transit. Once your vehicle is loaded, it still travels at the carrier's pace to the destination—trucks don't drive faster for expedited customers. What you're paying for is priority placement in the carrier dispatch queue.

Worth it when: you have a hard departure date, received last-minute orders, or are buying a vehicle from a private seller who needs it moved quickly. Not worth it when: you have flexibility in your pickup window and booked with reasonable lead time. Standard booking with two to three weeks of lead time almost always gets you picked up within the requested window without paying the expedited premium.

What quotes actually include—and what they don't#

Most car shipping quotes include door-to-door pickup and delivery, basic cargo insurance (coverage for the vehicle during transport), and standard open transport handling. What they often don't include:

Enclosed transport is almost always quoted separately. If you call and ask for a "quote," you'll likely receive open transport pricing by default. Specify enclosed if that's what you need.

Oversized vehicle surcharges may not show until your vehicle's dimensions are confirmed. If you have a lifted truck, a vehicle with roof racks, or anything non-standard, mention it upfront.

Remote location fees may not appear in an online quote generated from ZIP codes alone. If your pickup or delivery is rural, off an interstate, or requires the carrier to make a significant detour, expect an adjustment.

Personal items in the vehicle are not covered by carrier cargo insurance. Most carriers allow up to 100 pounds in the trunk below the window line, but those items travel entirely at your risk with zero insurance protection. Factor this in if you're tempted to use the car as extra cargo space.

Getting quotes: what to ask for, what to watch out for#

Get quotes from three to five companies. Quote platforms like Montway, Sherpa, SGT Auto Transport, AmeriFreight, and uShip are the major brokers for the CONUS market and provide a reasonable spread of pricing. For any specific company, also verify their USDOT and MC numbers on FMCSA.gov before booking—licensed and insured carriers are not optional, they're the baseline for accountability if something goes wrong.

A quote that's significantly lower than the others—more than $200 below the cluster of competing quotes—warrants skepticism. Carriers who cannot profitably service a load at the quoted price will either deprioritize it until a better load comes along (causing delays) or pass it to a lower-quality subcarrier. Low-ball quotes are how many car shipping horror stories start.

Ask specifically:

• Is this an open or enclosed quote?
• Is this a guaranteed price or an estimate that could change at booking?
• What is the pickup window (not just a date, but a range)?
• What is your claims process if there's damage?
• Are you a broker or a direct carrier?

The broker vs. direct carrier distinction matters for accountability in claims. Brokers connect you with the carrier network and often secure better pricing through volume. Direct carriers own their equipment and drivers. Both can provide excellent service; both can provide poor service. The question is who you call when something goes wrong.

Shipping vs. driving: the real cost comparison#

For moves under 500 miles, driving is almost always cheaper than shipping. The math is clear: fuel, maybe one meal, and a few hours of your time.

For moves over 1,000 miles, the calculation gets more interesting. KBB estimates the true cost of driving a vehicle 1,000 miles at roughly $500 when you account for fuel (approximately $87 at current national average prices), one night lodging ($100), food, and wear and tear. Car shipping the same 1,000 miles on open transport runs $800–$1,200.

Driving is still cheaper in pure dollar terms at 1,000 miles—but it adds 1,000 miles to your odometer, consumes three to four days of your time, and carries wear-and-breakdown risk on the road. For a vehicle on a lease where excess mileage carries a penalty, the calculation shifts further toward shipping.

For cross-country moves over 1,500 miles, the cost comparison tightens further. Driving 2,000 miles involves four to five days, multiple nights of lodging, significant wear, and fatigue. Shipping runs $1,100–$1,600 on open transport. If you can fly to your destination and let the carrier handle the vehicle, the price difference is often within $300–$400 of what you'd spend driving—and you arrive rested without adding two weeks of wear to your car.

The complete pricing summary#

Distance	Open transport	Enclosed transport	Per-mile range
Under 500 miles	$600–$1,000	$900–$1,500	$1.40–$2.60
500–1,000 miles	$800–$1,200	$1,100–$1,800	$1.00–$1.40
1,000–1,500 miles	$1,000–$1,400	$1,400–$2,100	$0.75–$1.00
1,500–2,000 miles	$1,100–$1,600	$1,500–$2,400	$0.60–$0.80
2,000+ miles	$1,200–$2,500	$1,700–$3,500	$0.40–$0.70

Add $200–$500 for peak season (May–August). Add $200–$400 for expedited pickup. Add $150–$400 for full-size trucks and SUVs. Add $150–$300 for inoperable vehicles. Subtract $150–$400 for off-peak timing (November–February on most routes).

Final thoughts#

Car shipping pricing is more predictable than most people expect once you understand the variables. Distance and vehicle size drive the base number; timing adjusts it by $200–$500 depending on the season; route popularity and direction affect it further; and transport type determines whether you're at the bottom or top of the range.

The most expensive mistakes people make: booking last-minute during peak season, accepting a quote that's dramatically below the market without questioning why, and not disclosing vehicle condition or size upfront. The most effective ways to save: book two to three weeks ahead, ship in fall or winter if possible, use open transport for standard vehicles, and get multiple quotes from established carriers so you know what market rate actually looks like before you commit.