Free tool · No email or phone · Updated November 2026

Car shipping cost calculator

Get an instant estimate of what it costs to ship your car between 93 Canadian cities, in Canadian dollars. Pick your route, vehicle and dates — the calculator uses real road distances and current market ranges, adjusted for trailer type and season. No email, phone number or sign-up — your price shows right on the page.

Estimates, not quotes. Prices are approximate and not 100% accurate — real quotes depend on fuel, driver availability and your exact addresses. Use the range to check the quotes you get.

1Route
2Vehicle
Condition
3Transport
Pickup & delivery
4Timing
Pickup speed

Method

How the calculator estimates your price

We start from a base price for your road distance and adjust it for the things carriers actually charge for. Here are the exact adjustments.

  1. Step 1

    Distance sets the base.

    We use the real road distance between your cities (OpenStreetMap routing) and typical rates for a running sedan on an open carrier — from about $500–$800 for 500 km to $1,550–$2,150 for 4,500 km. Long trips cost less per km.

  2. Step 2

    Your vehicle and trailer.

    Bigger and heavier vehicles take more space on the truck; enclosed trailers carry fewer cars.

  3. Step 3

    When and where.

    Season and how fast you need pickup.

  4. Step 4

    A range, not a single number.

    Two good carriers can quote the same trip $200–$400 apart. The "most likely" price sits just below the middle of the range.

FactorEffect on price
Vehicle
Midsize SUV or crossover+12% vs. a sedan
Minivan+15% vs. a sedan
Large SUV (Tahoe, Expedition)+25% vs. a sedan
Pickup truck+30% vs. a sedan
Full-size or cargo van+35% vs. a sedan
Motorcycle−40% vs. a sedan
Trailer and condition
Enclosed trailer+40–60% (we use +50%)
Doesn't run+$200–$400 winch loading
Pickup and delivery
Vancouver Island (BC Ferries)+$125–$300
Terminal instead of door to door−$50–$150
Each extra vehicle on one load−5% up to −15%
Timing and season
Expedited pickup (1–2 days)+30%
Flexible pickup (1–2 weeks)−5%
Summer (Jun–Aug)+8%
December holidays+5%
Winter on hauls over 1,000 km (Dec–Feb)+6%

Before you book

Getting a fair price

  1. Get 3 quotes for the same dates.

    Quotes far below this range often go up after booking or sit unassigned for weeks.

  2. Ask if the price is all-in.

    Door-to-door delivery, insurance, fuel and any ferry should be included; deposits are usually $0–⁠$250.

  3. Check the safety certificate.

    Carriers need a National Safety Code (NSC) number from their province — a CVOR certificate in Ontario. Ask for it, and for proof of cargo insurance, before you pay anything.

  4. Know who hauls your car.

    A broker books a carrier for you; ask which carrier and when it's assigned.

  5. Prepare the car and document it.

    Wash it, take dated photos from every side, leave a quarter tank and note every scratch on the Bill of Lading at pickup and delivery.

FAQ

Car shipping cost questions

Straight answers based on the same data the calculator uses.

How accurate is this car shipping cost calculator?

It gives a realistic range, not a quote. Prices are typical current rates for each road distance in Canadian dollars, adjusted for your vehicle, trailer, season and the BC Ferries crossing for Vancouver Island cities. Real quotes can land outside the range when fuel prices, truck space or your exact addresses differ — always compare quotes from several companies.

Is there a car shipping cost calculator with no email or phone number?

Yes, this one. It shows your price range right on the page and never asks for your email, phone number or name, so nobody calls you afterwards. Many "free quote" forms are lead sites that pass your details to several brokers, which is why people get a flood of calls after asking for one price.

How much does it cost to ship a car across Canada?

Toronto to Vancouver (about 4,383 km by road) usually costs $1,525–$2,125 for a running sedan on an open carrier and about $2,300–$3,175 in an enclosed trailer. Transit takes 6–9 days after pickup.

What affects the price of shipping a car the most?

Distance sets the base price. Then the vehicle (an SUV adds about 12%, a pickup about 30%), the trailer (enclosed costs about 40–60% more), the season (about +8% in summer, more on long winter hauls), whether the car runs (+$200–$400 if it doesn't) and the BC Ferries crossing to or from Vancouver Island (+$125–$300).

Is it cheaper to ship a car or drive it?

For trips over about 1,500 km, shipping is often close to the real cost of driving once you add fuel, two to four nights of hotels, meals, wear on the car and time off work. For short trips driving is usually cheaper. Every city-to-city route guide compares the two.

Why do car shipping prices change by season?

Demand moves with people: summer is the busiest moving season, so carriers fill up and charge more. In winter, long hauls across the Rockies or north of Lake Superior cost more because storms slow the trucks down.

How can I lower my car shipping cost?

Book two to three weeks ahead with a flexible pickup window, choose an open carrier, meet the driver near a major highway if you live outside a city, and ship outside the summer peak. Comparing quotes from carriers that already run your route helps the most.