Our car shipping cost calculator makes it easy to find out how much it will cost to move your car anywhere in the United States. Just enter a few details, and you’ll get an instant estimate without any guesswork. Whether you are relocating or sending a car to someone, this tool helps you plan ahead and compare prices, so you can ship your car safely and on time.
The cost of shipping a car in 2025 can vary based on several key parameters, including distance, transport type, and the car’s condition.
For open car shipping, short local distances of 1–500 miles average about $1.85 per mile, or around $555 for a 300-mile trip.
Medium distances of 500–1500 miles average $0.91 per mile, or roughly $910 for 1000 miles.
Long-distance trips over 1500 miles cost about $0.59 per mile, or $1,180 for 2000 miles.
Enclosed shipping generally costs more, and other variables—such as delivery route, seasonal demand, and pick-up or drop-off locations—can influence the final quote. Understanding these details helps you get an accurate shipping estimate and plan your budget effectively.
It is a simple and convenient method to estimate your car shipping rates using the AWZ Auto Transport car shipping cost calculator. The users receive a fast quote based on required information like pickup and delivery points, type of vehicle, and shipping. Giving accurate details will reward you with an accurate price quote for your needs.
The calculator is also very helpful and helps you compare transport modes such as open carriers and enclosed carriers. Knowing how to use the calculator will ensure your car shipping experience goes smoothly, conveniently, and at a pleasant cost.
Auto transport is the professional service of moving vehicles from one location to another across the United States. Licensed auto transport companies specialize in safely relocating cars, trucks, and motorcycles using specialized carrier trailers.
This service is essential for various situations, including online vehicle purchases, long-distance moves, military relocations, and seasonal migrations. Auto transport companies offer two primary shipping methods:
Professional auto transport ensures your vehicle arrives safely at its destination without adding unnecessary mileage or wear and tear from long-distance driving.
When shipping your vehicle across the country, choosing between open and enclosed transport is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Each service offers distinct advantages depending on your vehicle type, budget, and protection needs.
Open Car Trailer: Open car trailers are the most popular and cost-effective vehicle shipping method, carrying multiple cars on exposed multi-level carriers. While vehicles remain unprotected from weather elements, this service offers excellent value, faster scheduling, and widespread availability for standard passenger vehicles across all destinations nationwide.
Enclosed Auto Transport: Enclosed auto transport provides premium protection using fully covered trailers that shield vehicles from weather, road debris, and dust. This specialized service costs more but offers maximum security with climate-controlled environments, making it ideal for luxury cars, classics, and high-value vehicles requiring extra care.
Expedited Car Shipping: Expedited car shipping prioritizes your vehicle for faster pickup and delivery, typically reducing standard timeframes by 30-50%. This premium service costs additional fees but ensures quicker transport through dedicated routing and priority scheduling, perfect for urgent relocations, time-sensitive purchases, or emergency vehicle transportation needs.
Pickup and delivery distance is one of the main drivers with regard to cost. More distance will decrease the rate per mile, but the total cost will increase. Shipping a shorter distance costs more per mile than shipping long distances costs cheaper overall.
High-demand high-volume routes tend to be less expensive since there are carriers available. Least-used routes or most distant destinations can be expensive since carriers have less cargo in that direction.
Time is a cost consideration since changes in seasonal demand impact transport prices. Summer and winter vacations are high season, in which prices are high, but low season is low. Booking ahead ensures good rates.
More weight and space are taken up by heavier vehicles such as trucks and SUVs and therefore more expensive shipping. Exotic and luxury cars also need special care and additional shipping fees.
Open car transport is the most economical since it transports several cars on one carrier. Enclosed transport is less exposed to adverse weather and road conditions but very costly, and suitable only for high-end cars.
Non-running vehicles are more expensive to ship since they require more equipment to load and unload like a winch or a forklift. Running vehicles are easier to ship and therefore are cheaper.
Special care has to be taken while loading and unloading low ground clearance vehicles so that they are not damaged. They might need special equipment to transport them safely, which will cost more to send than regular cars.
Large city to large city is cheaper because they are generally carrier saturated. Rural or where there is less transportation service can generate higher costs due to less demand and more miles the carriers have to drive.
Demand for car shipping is seasonally affected. Off-peak seasons of summer and end-of-year seasons witness prices at their maximum too as peak demand ensues. Winter weather conditions can even impact routes and thus prices and delivery time.
The Professional car transportation industry has developed by leaps and bounds as online automobile selling business develops and higher cross-state transport is observed. Automobile shipping companies increasingly rely on are utilized by growing numbers of firms and individuals for cost-effective as well as safe movement of vehicles. There exist two market key players: brokers and carriers. Brokers are persons who find a carrier on behalf of a client to deliver his cars. Carriers do the actual delivery. Some of the recent industry trends involve rising demand for enclosed car transport, particularly luxury cars, environmentally friendly transport, and technological innovations in AI and automation in motor vehicle tracking and pricing. They are transporting automobile shipping solutions to consumers all around the nation with improved accessibility, efficiency, and safety.
With advancing technology, auto shipping firms are enhancing the credibility of service and customer satisfaction. Vehicles can be tracked online in real-time, instant quotes for car shipping can be given, and carriers and shippers can have enhanced communication through the use of web-based platforms, hence enhancing efficiency and customer insight.
Car shipping prices primarily rely on the distance covered and transport mode. Small distances of 1-500 miles average out at approximately $1.85 per mile for open shipping and $2.53 per mile for enclosed shipping. Medium distance of 501-1500 miles averages out at approximately $0.91 per mile for open shipping and $1.25 per mile for enclosed shipping. Long haul shipping of 1500+ miles is the most cost-effective, averaging out at $0.59 per mile for open shipping and $0.84 per mile for enclosed shipping.
Shipping time is distance, route, and weather dependent. Cross-country shipping is 7-10 days and shorter routes are 2-5 days.
It is distance, vehicle size, transport mode, and season dependent. Get an exact quote with our instant quote option.
Some carriers permit personal items to accompany it, but not in large numbers. Ask your carrier for details.
Yes, insurance is attached to all our shipments. Ask about the policy to view the extent of coverage provided.
Open is less expensive and more widely used, and enclosed provides an additional level of protection, ideally used on high-end or older cars.
You or an agent must be present to drop off and pick up the car, sign documents if required, and check the car.
Wash your vehicle, take out personal items, check the fluids, photograph any existing damage on the vehicle, and have your gas tank at a quarter or below.
Yes, we give you tracking updates so you can see your car make its way and when it should arrive.
Although extremely unlikely, should this occur, notify us when picking up your car and inform us immediately so the claims process may be initiated.
