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Open Car Transport Pricing

Average Open Car Transport costs by distance and vehicle type, what affects the price and how it compares with other options.
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Open Car Transport at a glance

Cost per mile
$0.70–$1.89 per mile
Typical total
$875 – $2,365
Transit time
3–5 days
Best for
Everyday cars, SUVs and pickups

Free · No obligation · About a minute

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Where is your car going?

Transport type

Most affordable · Best for everyday cars, SUVs and pickups

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$0.70–$1.89 per mile

Average cost per mile

Published figures, about 1,250 miles

$875 – $2,365

Typical total cost

Standard car, about 1,250 miles

3–5 days

Transit time

Varies by distance and route

Everyday cars, SUVs and pickups

Best for

Open Car Transport pricing by distance

Average price per mile per vehicle. Rates vary by season, route popularity, vehicle condition and carrier.

Open Car Transport price per mile by distance and vehicle type
Distance rangeSedanSUVPickup truck
Under 500 miles$0.80–$2.20 per mile$0.85–$2.35 per mile$1.10–$3.04 per mile
500–999 miles$0.73–$1.89 per mile$0.78–$2.02 per mile$1.01–$2.61 per mile
1,000–1,499 miles$0.70–$1.89 per mile$0.75–$2.02 per mile$0.97–$2.61 per mile
1,500–1,999 miles$0.40–$1.89 per mile$0.43–$2.02 per mile$0.55–$2.61 per mile
2,000+ miles$0.35–$1.89 per mile$0.37–$2.02 per mile$0.48–$2.61 per mile

The span across the published studies listed below. SUV and pickup rates apply the published size adjustments. Short trips cost more per mile because loading and dispatch costs are spread over fewer miles.

Open vs. Enclosed Car Shipping: pricing

Most popular

Open transport

$0.70–$1.89 per mile

  • Lower cost
  • Widely available
  • Suitable for most vehicles
  • Faster to schedule pickup

Extra protection

Enclosed transport

$0.91–$3.02 per mile

  • Covered from weather and debris
  • Ideal for luxury, exotic and classic cars
  • Fewer vehicles per trailer
  • Liftgate loading on many trucks

When prices move

No source publishes monthly prices for this service, and the seasons that move them are the same for all of them.

When car shipping is cheapest

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

What affects open car transport pricing?

  • DistanceLonger trips cost more in total but less per mile.
  • Vehicle sizeBigger, heavier vehicles use more space and weight on the trailer.
  • Route popularityBusy interstate corridors are cheaper than remote routes.
  • SeasonSummer and snowbird seasons raise demand and prices.
  • Carrier availabilityFewer open trucks nearby means a higher price to attract one.
  • Pickup flexibilityFlexible dates let a carrier fit you in on a cheaper day.

What a quote should include

  • Transport from pickup to delivery
  • Fuel and tolls
  • The carrier's cargo insurance
  • Door-to-door service where a truck can safely reach

Ask before you book

  • Is this an estimate or a confirmed price?
  • How much is the deposit, and when is it charged?
  • How is the driver paid at delivery?
  • What does it cost to cancel or reschedule?
Car shipping cost per mile

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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