Car Shipping Transit Times from Chicago
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Chicago at a glance
- Typical price
- $390 – $2,135
- Open transport
- $0.37–$1.89 per mile
- Transit time
- 1–4 days
- Trips within Illinois
- $240 – $660
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Get a Chicago car shipping quote
1–2 days
Under 500 miles
Nearby states
2–7 days
500–2,000 miles
Regional and mid-distance
5–9 days
2,000+ miles
Cross-country
11 hours a day
Driving limit
Federal hours-of-service rule
Transit times from Chicago to major cities
Estimated days on the road after pickup, from nearest to farthest.
| Destination | Distance | Standard transit | Open transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | 200 mi | 1–2 days | $240 – $660 |
| Des Moines, IA | 370 mi | 1–2 days | $295 – $815 |
| Kansas City, MO | 490 mi | 1–2 days | $390 – $1,080 |
| Atlanta, GA | 710 mi | 2–3 days | $520 – $1,340 |
| Charlotte, NC | 710 mi | 2–3 days | $520 – $1,340 |
| New York City, NY | 850 mi | 2–4 days | $620 – $1,605 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1,040 mi | 3–5 days | $730 – $1,965 |
| Houston, TX | 1,130 mi | 3–5 days | $790 – $2,135 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 1,740 mi | 4–7 days | $695 – $3,290 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2,090 mi | 5–9 days | $775 – $3,950 |
Pickup window vs. transit time
- Day 0
Book
Compare estimates, choose a company and confirm the price, pickup window and payment terms in writing.
- Before pickup
Carrier assigned
Your order goes to a carrier with space on your route. Busy routes usually fill faster than rural ones.
- A range of days
Pickup window
Pickup happens within an agreed window, not at an exact hour. Drivers usually call ahead to set a time.
In transit
Time on the road depends on distance, weather, other stops and drivers' required rest breaks.
- On arrival
Delivery
Inspect the car against the Bill of Lading and note any new damage before you sign.
What can slow a shipment from Chicago
- Being a crossroads is why quotes here are competitiveA truck running Los Angeles to New York, or Texas to Minnesota, very likely passes through Chicago. That means your car is often filling a slot on a load that was going anyway, and it is the reason a Chicago lane usually beats a similar-distance lane out of a city off the main corridors.
- Salt is the reason people pay for enclosed hereIllinois salts heavily from December through March, and an open carrier puts your car in that spray for the whole trip. For an ordinary daily driver it washes off. For anything with original paint, a restored car or a fresh undercarriage, the enclosed premium in winter is the one time it clearly earns itself.
- Winter access, not just winter weatherSnow routes, permit parking and plowed-in side streets do more to stop a pickup in January than the snow itself. Bungalow blocks on the North and Northwest Sides are the usual sticking point, and a nearby commercial lot solves it in ten minutes.
- Low viaducts are a real routing constraintOlder underpasses across the city are posted well under the clearance a loaded car carrier needs. Drivers route around them, which is why a truck may ask to meet you a few blocks off your street rather than come down it.
Truck drivers may drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, which is why long routes are measured in days, not hours. Source: FMCSA hours of service
Standard vs. expedited shipping
Example: Chicago to Los Angeles.
Standard shipping
5–9 days in transit
- Most cost-effective
- Widest choice of carriers
- Good for flexible schedules
Expedited shipping
Sooner pickup; similar time on the road
- Priority carrier assignment
- Shorter wait for pickup
- Costs more
Delivery dates are estimates. Weather, freeway closures and other stops on the truck's route can add time, so plan a little buffer.
Ready to ship your car from Chicago?
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