Minneapolis, MN car shipping
Car Shipping in Minneapolis, MN
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- Independent company rankings
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$290 – $2,705
Typical price
Sedan, open transport
1–5 days
Transit time
Most major cities
Los Angeles, Milwaukee
Top destinations
$240 – $660
Trips within Minnesota
Published range for an in-state trip
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About car shipping in Minneapolis
Minneapolis is the northern end of I-35, which runs unbroken to the Mexican border, and that gives it a strong north-south spine with real carrier traffic on it. The complication is a winter that goes further than the one in Chicago or Detroit: cold deep enough to affect the car itself, and city rules that move every parked vehicle in the city when it snows.
- The northern terminus of I-35, with a busy corridor south
- Deep cold affects the car, not just the schedule
- Snow emergency rules clear and reposition parked cars citywide
- Heavy salt through the winter, as everywhere in the upper Midwest
- Main highways
- I-35W, I-94, I-494
- Typical transit
- 1–5 days
- In-state trips
- $240 – $660
Car shipping rates from Minneapolis
Estimated from published industry figures for a standard car. Your quote depends on season, vehicle and exact addresses.
| Destination | Distance | Open transport | Enclosed transport | Transit time | Route page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 1,830 mi | $730 – $3,460 | $950 – $5,535 | 4–8 days | Minnesota to California |
| Milwaukee, WI | 360 mi | $290 – $790 | $350 – $1,265 | 1–2 days | Minnesota to Wisconsin |
| Houston, TX | 1,270 mi | $890 – $2,400 | $1,155 – $3,840 | 3–6 days | Minnesota to Texas |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1,430 mi | $1,000 – $2,705 | $1,300 – $4,325 | 3–6 days | Minnesota to Florida |
| Des Moines, IA | 280 mi | $240 – $660 | $290 – $1,055 | 1–2 days | Minnesota to Iowa |
| New York City, NY | 1,220 mi | $855 – $2,305 | $1,110 – $3,690 | 3–5 days | Minnesota to New York |
Winter weather affects pickup, not just price
No source publishes monthly prices by city, so this is what the studies say about timing.
Storms and mountain passes can delay a truck that is already on the road, so a wider pickup window matters more here than a slightly lower quote.
Published price adjustments
- Pickup truckPickups cost about 38% more to ship than standard cars.Source: Move.org
- SUVAt 500 miles, an SUV averaged $743 against $696 for a car.Source: Move.org
- Non-running vehicleAdd $150 to $300 for a vehicle that does not run.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport
Transit times from Minneapolis
Typical days on the road after pickup.
- Fargo, ND · 260 mi1–2 days
- Des Moines, IA · 280 mi1–2 days
- Milwaukee, WI · 360 mi1–2 days
- Chicago, IL · 430 mi1–2 days
- Atlanta, GA · 1,090 mi3–5 days
- New York City, NY · 1,220 mi3–5 days
- Houston, TX · 1,270 mi3–6 days
Popular routes from Minneapolis
Car shipping companies serving Minneapolis
Researched companies ordered by Trustpilot rating, adjusted for review count. Not ranked by city data.
Pickup areas around Minneapolis
Where trucks reach easily, and where a meeting point helps.
- Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, WoodburyWide roads off I-494 and I-694. Straightforward.
- Uptown, Northeast, St Paul neighborhoodsNarrow streets, worse in winter; meet on an arterial.
- Along I-35 and I-94Where long-haul carriers stage.
Good to know in Minneapolis
- One long spine southI-35 runs from here to Des Moines, Kansas City, Dallas and the border, and I-94 crosses it heading for Chicago and Milwaukee. Those two lanes are the ones with genuine competition. Anything heading west from Minneapolis crosses a lot of empty country and gets priced as its own trip.
- Cold does things snow does notA car that has ridden on an open deck through a Minnesota January may need a jump on delivery, and its tire pressures will read low. Neither is damage and neither is the carrier's fault. If the car has been sitting before pickup, say so, because a vehicle that will not start changes what the driver needs to load it.
- A snow emergency moves every car in the cityWhen Minneapolis declares one, parking rules change street by street over three days and cars get ticketed and towed. No pickup survives that intact. Between December and March, ask how the company handles a booking that lands on a snow emergency day before you pick the date.
- Suburbs load easily; the city less soThe outer ring has the wide streets and big lots carriers want. The older neighborhoods around the lakes and in St Paul have narrow streets with parking on both sides, and in winter the plowed snowbanks take another few feet off them.
- Moving to MinneapolisIf you're moving from another state, you'll generally need to register your vehicle in Minnesota. Check Minnesota's motor vehicle agency for deadlines and inspection rules.
Other Minnesota cities
Starting prices on popular routes.
Helpful guides for Minneapolis
Why ship from Minneapolis?
- Carriers already serving Minnesota
- Door-to-door pickup where trucks can reach
- Open and enclosed transport options
- Published price ranges you can compare before booking
- Common for relocations, students, military moves and car purchases
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a car from Minneapolis?
Published figures put a standard car on an open carrier at about $290 – $2,705 from Minneapolis to other major cities, depending on distance, season and vehicle. Shorter trips, such as to Fargo, run about $240 – $660.
Car shipping cost calculatorHow long does it take to ship a car from Minneapolis?
About 1–2 days to Fargo and 4–8 days to Los Angeles, plus the pickup window before the car is loaded.
How long car shipping takesCan the truck pick up at my home in Minneapolis?
Often, yes. On narrow, busy or restricted streets, the driver may ask to meet at a nearby open lot where a full-size carrier can load safely.
Door-to-door car shipping
Should I ship open or enclosed from Minneapolis?
Open transport suits most everyday cars and costs less. Consider enclosed for luxury, classic or exotic cars, or anything with fresh paint.
Open vs. enclosed shippingIs my car insured when shipping from Minneapolis?
Licensed carriers must carry liability insurance, and most carry cargo coverage for the cars they haul. Ask for the certificate of insurance before pickup.
Car shipping insuranceWhat's the cheapest way to ship a car from Minneapolis?
Choose open transport, be flexible with dates, book one to three weeks ahead and meet the truck near a main highway if your street is hard to reach.
Cheapest way to ship a car
Where these figures come from
Published industry studies, not Haulwide shipments. Checked Sep 16, 2026.
- SGT Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
Published Sep 9, 2026. 30 months of the company's own shipping data (January 2024 to June 2026) across all 50 states and 1,581 state-to-state lanes, limited to completed single-vehicle open transport deliveries and mix-adjusted for distance.
- Move.org(opens in a new tab)
Published Mar 4, 2026. Nearly 800 broker quotes analyzed, priced for a running 2025 Toyota Camry with a one-week lead time using October 2025 quotes.
- Kelley Blue Book(opens in a new tab)
Published Jan 12, 2026. Quotes requested from eight transport companies for a 2025 Honda Accord on three routes from Orlando, on standard open carriers.
- Direct Connect Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
No publication date given. The company's own carrier data for an operable sedan on open transport; the page states no publication date.
- RoadRunner Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
Published Sep 1, 2026. The company's completed shipment history, which it describes as over 1 million vehicles delivered across 30+ years, updated September 2026. Its nationwide average is $1,215 at a median distance of 987 miles and a median $1.23 per mile.
The sources disagree, so figures are shown as the span across them rather than a single price. Pricing methodology
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