Cross-Country Car Shipping
Coast-to-coast auto transport without the drive. Door-to-door service to and from Alabama, fully insured, typically 7 to 10 days in transit.
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- Fully insuredYour vehicle is covered from pickup to delivery.
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Skip the Four-Day Drive
Driving a car from Alabama to the West Coast takes four or five long days. You cross seven or eight states, stop for fuel again and again, and add more than two thousand miles to the odometer. If you are moving a household at the same time, it is one more demanding task in a week already full of them.
Cross-country car shipping takes that task away. A carrier collects your vehicle at your address, hauls it across the country, and delivers it to your new door. You fly, or you drive one vehicle and ship the others. Either way, you arrive rested and your car arrives without the wear.
Heartland Auto Transport arranges long-distance shipments between Alabama and every part of the country, including California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and the Northeast. We are an FMCSA licensed broker. For each shipment we choose a vetted carrier that specializes in long routes, verify its cargo insurance, and stay in contact with the driver across every time zone.
A typical cross-country shipment on an open carrier costs $1,100 to $1,800 and takes 7 to 10 days once the vehicle is on the truck. Enclosed transport is available for about 60 to 80 percent more. There is no deposit, and the price we quote does not change at delivery.
What Is Included in a Cross-Country Shipment
Everything you need to move a vehicle two thousand miles with confidence.
Door-to-door service
Pickup at your current address and delivery to the new one, with a nearby meeting point where a truck cannot fit.
Insurance the whole way
The carrier's cargo insurance covers your vehicle from loading in one state to unloading in another.
Experienced long-haul carriers
We assign carriers that run these lanes regularly and know the routes, the weather, and the mountain passes.
Updates across time zones
Your dispatcher can tell you where the truck is at any hour, and the driver calls before delivery.
All-in pricing
One price covers the whole distance. No fuel surcharges and no fees added on arrival.
Room for more than one vehicle
Shipping two or three vehicles from the same address is common on long moves and easy to arrange.
What Cross-Country Car Shipping Costs
Long routes cost more in total and less per mile. Most coast-to-coast shipments from Alabama fall between $1,100 and $1,800 on an open carrier. Where your shipment lands in that range depends on the size of the vehicle, the time of year, and how close each address is to a major interstate.
The table gives typical figures for some of the routes we are asked about most. Prices are similar in the opposite direction.
| Route | Distance | Typical price | Transit time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham to Phoenix, AZ | 1,690 mi | $1,100 – $1,800 | 7–10 days |
| Birmingham to Las Vegas, NV | 1,820 mi | $1,100 – $1,800 | 7–10 days |
| Mobile to San Diego, CA | 1,940 mi | $1,100 – $1,800 | 7–10 days |
| Birmingham to Los Angeles, CA | 2,030 mi | $1,100 – $1,800 | 7–10 days |
| Birmingham to San Francisco, CA | 2,340 mi | $1,100 – $1,800 | 7–10 days |
| Huntsville to Seattle, WA | 2,470 mi | $1,100 – $1,800 | 7–10 days |
Approximate distances and typical open-carrier prices for a standard running sedan. Enclosed transport adds 60 to 80 percent.
How Cross-Country Shipping Works
One process, whether the trip is 1,500 miles or 2,700.
Get your quote
Enter both ZIP codes and your vehicle. Your all-in price for the full distance appears in about a minute.
Book your window
Choose pickup dates that fit your move. We assign a vetted long-haul carrier, and you pay no deposit.
Pickup
The driver inspects the vehicle with you, records its condition, and loads it for the trip west, north, or east.
Delivery
Seven to ten days later the driver calls ahead and unloads at your new address. You inspect, sign, and pay.
Who Ships a Car Cross-Country
Anyone whose time, or whose vehicle, is worth more than a week on the road.
Families relocating
Fly with the family and let the cars follow. It is safer and simpler than a convoy across the country.
Military households
A coast-to-coast change of station often leaves one more vehicle than there are drivers. We ship the extra.
Seasonal residents
Winter in Arizona or California is more enjoyable with your own car, and without a 2,000-mile drive each way.
Long-distance buyers
The exact vehicle you want may be on the other side of the country. Shipping brings it to your driveway.
Shipping vs. Driving Cross-Country
What each choice really involves.
| Shipping your car | Driving it yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Your time | A short meeting at pickup and at delivery | Four to five full days behind the wheel |
| Costs to count | One all-in transport price | Fuel, several hotel nights, meals, and a flight home if the trip is one-way |
| Wear on the vehicle | None. The odometer does not move | Two thousand miles or more, plus tires and an oil change |
| Risk on the road | Carried by an insured professional | Fatigue, weather, breakdowns far from home |
| Moving more than one car | All vehicles travel together | One driver is needed for each car |
How a Cross-Country Shipment Actually Moves
A long-distance shipment is not one continuous drive. Knowing what happens along the way explains the timeline and helps you plan.
The truck is rarely carrying only your car. A cross-country carrier fills its trailer with vehicles going in the same general direction, which is what keeps the price reasonable. The driver may make several pickups across Alabama and neighboring states before heading west, and several deliveries on the far side before reaching you.
Distance per day is limited by law. Federal rules cap a truck driver's hours behind the wheel and require rest breaks, so a carrier covers about five hundred miles in a day. A two-thousand-mile route takes four days of driving at the very least, before any stops for loading and unloading.
The route follows the season. From Alabama, westbound trucks usually take I-20 and I-10 across Texas to the Southwest, or I-40 through Oklahoma and New Mexico. In winter, drivers avoid high mountain passes when storms are forecast, which can add distance while reducing risk.
Delivery is given as a window for these reasons. Your dispatcher narrows it as the truck gets closer, and the driver calls a day ahead and again a few hours out.
Plan your own travel with some margin. If you are flying, try to arrive a day or two before the earliest delivery date, or name someone who can receive the vehicle. If the car will arrive first, a friend, a relative, or a property manager can accept it for you.
And keep your phone on. Time zones change, and a driver in Arizona may call when it is evening in Alabama.
Cross-Country Car Shipping Questions
How much does it cost to ship a car across the country?
Most cross-country shipments on an open carrier cost $1,100 to $1,800. Larger vehicles, peak-season dates, and remote addresses push the price toward the top of that range. Enclosed transport adds 60 to 80 percent.
How long does cross-country shipping take?
Typically 7 to 10 days after pickup. The truck travels about 500 miles a day and makes other stops along the route. Allow a few additional days for a carrier to be assigned and to reach you.
Is it cheaper to drive or to ship?
Once you add fuel, four or five hotel nights, meals, and a one-way flight, driving often costs about as much as shipping, before counting your time or the wear on the car. For most people, shipping is the better value on a trip this long.
Is open transport safe for such a long trip?
Yes. Open carriers handle most cross-country shipments. The car will arrive dusty but otherwise as it left. For classic, luxury, or exotic vehicles, we recommend enclosed transport on long routes.
Can I put belongings in the car?
We advise against it. Carrier insurance covers the vehicle and not its contents, and extra weight can cause problems at weigh stations. Ask your dispatcher before leaving anything inside.
Can you ship from the West Coast back to Alabama?
Yes. We arrange shipments in both directions, and between any two states. Prices and transit times are similar either way.
What if I arrive after my car does?
Name someone to receive it, such as a relative, a friend, or a property manager. They inspect the vehicle, sign the report, and hold the keys for you.
Is winter a bad time to ship cross-country?
No. Carriers run all year. Winter is often less expensive than summer, though storms in the mountain states can add a day or two. Drivers take southern routes when the weather calls for it, and your dispatcher keeps you informed.
Can I ship two vehicles on the same truck?
Yes. Vehicles from the same address can usually travel together on one carrier and arrive on the same day. Include all of them when you request a quote.
When do I pay?
On delivery. There is no deposit, and the amount due is the amount you were quoted.
Ready to Ship Coast to Coast?
Get your cross-country price in under 60 seconds, or call and plan the timing with a dispatcher.