Jump to section:
What is cross-country car shipping?
How much does it cost to ship your car cross country?
How can I ship my car across the country?
How long does cross-country car shipping take?
Conclusion
 

What is cross-country car shipping?

 
Cross-country car shipping is when someone chooses to have their car transported from one side of the country to the other. Having your car shipped from California to New York would be considered cross-country car shipping as would shipping a vehicle from Miami to Seattle.
 
One reason people choose to have their car shipped across the country instead of driving it themselves is because it saves a lot of time and energy. Consider the example we used above where the starting point was California, and the destination was New York. It would take approximately fifty-eight hours of total driving if your average speed was fifty miles per hour. So, if you drove twelve hours per day, it would still take almost six days of driving to get there. When you ship your car cross-country, you can simply get on a plane and enjoy a five-hour total flight.
 
It can also end up saving you money as well. When you consider the cost of gas, food, occasional lodging and the opportunity cost of missing work, you can see how shipping your car can actually end up helping you save. Using the California to New York example from above again, consider the following. The average cost of a hotel stay in the US as of July 2021 was $140. The average cost of gas in the US in October 2021 was $3.39 per gallon. The average cost of dining out was about $10 per meal in 2021 in the US. So, for a cross-country trip from California to New York which takes five nights and six days, it would break down the following way:
 

• Hotel cost – 5 stays at $140 = $700
• Gas cost = $390 (calculated using this site)
• Food cost – $10 x 3 meals per day x 5.5 days = $165

 
That adds up to $1,255. That does not even factor in the depreciation your car suffers from putting thousands of miles on it or how much money you lost out on by not working for six straight days.
 

How much does it cost to ship your car cross-country?

 
The cost to ship your car across the country will depend on several variables. These factors include the exact distance that you are shipping your car, what time of year you are shipping your car, what type of car you are shipping, and how much fuel costs at the time of shipping amongst other things.
 
These factors change constantly. So, be sure you get your quote as close to booking as possible. If you wait several weeks between getting your free quote and booking, prices could possibly change. Believe it or not, the further that you ship your car the cheaper it will be per mile. However, the cost for longer shipments will obviously be greater than smaller ones.
 
At the time this was being written in October 2021, a quote from RoadRunner Auto Transport estimated the cost for shipping a vehicle on the California to New York route would be $1,245 which is cheaper than our breakdown of driving the car yourself which we illustrated above.
 

How can I ship my car across the country?

 
It is actually very easy to ship your car across the country. You just need to call an auto transport company like RoadRunner, discuss your shipping details with a car shipping expert, schedule your transport and then do some simple preparation for your car to be picked up such as removing personal items and cleaning the exterior.
 

How long does cross-country car shipping take?

 
Cross-country car shipping usually takes between one and two weeks. This is because the car needs to be hauled across the country on an auto transport carrier. During transit, unpredictable factors such as traffic and weather play an important role on the actual final transit time for your shipment.
 
As of October 2021, some estimated shipping times are as follows:
 

• From New York, New York to Los Angeles, California the estimated transit time is seven to nine days.




• From Miami, Florida to San Francisco, California the estimated transit time is eight to ten days.




• From Montpelier, Vermont to Seattle, Washington the estimated transit time is eight to ten days.




• From Atlanta, Georgia to Salem, Oregon the estimated transit time is seven to nine days.

Remember, these transit timeframes are estimates and can be affected by a variety of factors including inclement weather as well as traffic.
 

Conclusion

 
If you are moving across the country for any extended period of time, shipping your car during the move is a very cost-and-time effective option. Just make sure that you book your shipment at least four weeks in advance of the date you would like your vehicle picked up to help ensure you secure a spot on the carrier. If you are looking to ship your car anywhere in the United States, Puerto Rico or the Caribbean call us today for a free instant quote at (888)777-2123!