Summary
Published studies put a standard car on an open carrier at $875 – $2,365 for a trip of about 1,250 miles, and $1,140 – $3,780 enclosed.
Cost by distance
| Distance | Open transport | Enclosed transport | Open cost per mile | Transit time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 miles | $280 – $770 | $340 – $1,230 | $0.80–$2.20 per mile | 1–2 days |
| 500–999 miles | $550 – $1,420 | $700 – $2,270 | $0.73–$1.89 per mile | 2–3 days |
| 1,000–1,499 miles | $875 – $2,365 | $1,140 – $3,780 | $0.70–$1.89 per mile | 3–5 days |
| 1,500–1,999 miles | $700 – $3,310 | $910 – $5,290 | $0.40–$1.89 per mile | 4–7 days |
| 2,000+ miles | $875 – $4,725 | $1,140 – $7,560 | $0.35–$1.89 per mile | 5–10 days |
Cost by vehicle type
| Vehicle | Price vs. a sedan | Usually shipped on |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan or small car | Baseline | Open carrier |
| SUV or crossover | +6.8% | Open carrier |
| Pickup truck | +38% | Open carrier |
| Luxury, classic or exotic car | +30–60% | Enclosed trailer |
| Non-running vehicle | +$150 – $300 | Open carrier |
Open vs. enclosed transport
$875 – $2,365
Open transport
Standard car, about 1,250 miles
$1,140 – $3,780
Enclosed transport
Same trip, enclosed trailer
+30–60%
Enclosed premium
Across the published studies
Seasonal price swings
Prices move with the season
Summer moving season and the holidays tighten truck space, while mid-January to February is usually the quietest stretch of the year.
Direct Connect Auto Transport reports 2026 versus 2025 running 3% to 8% higher.
- 2026 versus 2025Rates run 3 to 8 percent higher than 2025.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport
- Snowbird routesSnowbird corridors add 5 to 8 percent in season.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport
- Military PCS seasonPCS season runs 5 to 15 percent above off-peak rates.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport
Key takeaways
- Published studies put a standard car on an open carrier at $875 – $2,365 for a trip of about 1,250 miles, and $1,140 – $3,780 enclosed.
- Enclosed transport runs 30–60% above open across the studies.
- Per-mile rates fall with distance, from up to $2.20 a mile under 500 miles to as little as $0.35 2,000+ miles.
- Direct Connect Auto Transport reports 2026 rates versus 2025 running +3–8%.
- Mid-January to February is usually the quietest stretch; summer and the holidays are the busiest.
Methodology
Haulwide doesn't yet have enough shipments of its own to publish averages, so every figure in this report comes from studies published by other companies, named below with their dates and methods. The studies disagree, so prices are shown as the span across them. Transit times follow the federal limit of 11 hours of driving a day.
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
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to ship a car in 2026?
For a typical trip of about 1,250 miles, published studies put a standard car on an open carrier in the range shown at the top of this report. Short trips cost more per mile and cross-country trips less.
Car shipping cost calculatorWhere do these figures come from?
From car shipping price studies published by other companies, each named with its date and method. The sources disagree, so figures are shown as the span across them rather than one price.
Pricing data methodologyCan I cite this research?
Yes. Please credit Haulwide and link to the report page so readers can see the date and methodology.