Minnesota Auto Transport: Car Shipping Costs, Transit Times and Local Guide

Shipping a car to or from Minnesota runs $425 to $2,000 when using open car shipping, while enclosed car shipping has a premium of 21.3%-38.9%, depending on distance. Illinois sits at the low end, and the West Coast, Florida, and the Southwest sit at the top.

Direction matters on snowbird lanes: Minnesota to Arizona runs $1,050 to $1,375, while Arizona to Minnesota runs $1,225 to $1,850. Twin Cities pickup prices are best because I-35 and I-94 cross there.

What Affects Your Minnesota Shipping Price

Seven factors move a quote within the range:

• Pickup location: lake country, the North Shore, the Iron Range and western farm towns pull a carrier off the main lane.
• Season: snowbird peaks, deep winter and spring road weight limits affect price and timing.
• Vehicle size: pickups and SUVs take more trailer space than sedans.
• Open or enclosed: enclosed adds a premium that depends on distance.
• Date flexibility: a pickup window of a few days is the easiest way to save.
• Running condition: a car that doesn't run costs 15% more, because the driver has to winch it aboard.
• Distance and route: longer trips cost more, and pickups near I-35, I-94 and the Twin Cities sit on the main carrier lanes. 

Get an instant estimate with our car shipping cost calculator or see the general rules of car shipping costs.

Minnesota prices run $425 to $2,000 on an open carrier, shown below by state lane and by city pair in both directions.

Minnesota State-to-State Car Shipping Prices

Minnesota to Arizona runs $1,050 to $1,375 on an open carrier, while enclosed has a premium of 38.9%.

_{Prices are open-carrier ranges from SGT bookings from the last 6 months from the date of last modification, and include door-to-door service, carrier insurance, and fuel.}

Minnesota City-to-City Car Shipping Prices

Minneapolis to Houston is the cheapest city pair in our data, at $975 to $1,375 from Minnesota and $950 to $1,125 to Minnesota.

_{Prices are open-carrier ranges from SGT bookings from the last 6 months from the date of last modification, and include door-to-door service, carrier insurance, and fuel.}

Enclosed adds 34.1% on city pairs of 1,000-1,499 miles, such as Minneapolis to Houston, and 38.9% on pairs of 1,500-1,999 miles, such as Minneapolis to Phoenix. Shorter state lanes carry less, at 21.3% to Illinois and 28.0% to Colorado.

Transit takes from under a day for neighboring states to 4-5 days for trips over 2,000 miles. Add 1-3 business days for SGT to assign a carrier, a step called dispatch.

Most shipments move through five stages: quote and book, carrier assigned, pickup, transit and delivery.

Federal hours-of-service rules allow 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour workday, so a loaded truck covers about 500-700 miles a day. Drivers also stop for other cars on the load, and Greater Minnesota pickups often add about a day.

If your date is fixed, express auto transport cuts dispatch to 1-2 business days, and Guaranteed Pick-up locks in a 24-hour pickup window.

Open carriers are the standard, most affordable choice for most cars. Enclosed transport costs 21.3%-38.9% more depending on distance, and it keeps salt brine and slush off the car.

Enclosed transport is worth it for classic, exotic, luxury, and collector cars, for new and low-clearance cars, and for winter shipments. A covered trailer carries only 1-6 cars, so book 2-4 weeks ahead. Compare our open car transport, enclosed auto transport, and classic and luxury car transport pages.

Car carriers use three interstates in Minnesota. I-35 runs north to south, I-94 runs from the northwest to the east, and I-90 crosses the southern edge of the state.

• I-35 runs from Duluth to the Twin Cities, splits into I-35W (Minneapolis) and I-35E (St. Paul), then heads south through Owatonna and Albert Lea toward Texas. It is the main lane for Winter Texans and Texas moves.
• I-94 runs from Moorhead through St. Cloud and the Twin Cities toward Milwaukee and Chicago.
• I-90 crosses Worthington, Fairmont, Albert Lea, Austin and La Crescent.

I-494 and I-694 circle the metro, and I-394 serves the west suburbs. US-52 runs to Rochester, US-10 and US-169 serve the north, US-61 follows the North Shore, US-2 links Duluth to Grand Forks, and US-212 and US-14 serve the southwest. I-535's Blatnik Bridge to Superior closes fully for replacement in early 2027 for about 4-5 years, so Superior runs will need a detour, such as the Bong Bridge (US-2).

Expect delays from rush hour on I-35W and I-494, Duluth's hills and summer road work. Check 511mn.org for live conditions.
 

SGT Auto Transport arranges pickup and delivery at your address whenever a full-size carrier can reach it safely. When it can't, the driver meets you at a nearby open lot.

A full car carrier runs about 75-80 feet long, so these addresses often need a meeting point:

• City streets: Uptown, Northeast Minneapolis, Linden Hills, and St. Paul's Summit Hill and Cathedral Hill.
• Suburbs: HOA rules and cul-de-sacs in Woodbury, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and Lakeville.
• Lake country: gravel and private cabin roads around Brainerd, Alexandria, Detroit Lakes and Grand Rapids.
• Duluth: steep streets near Lake Superior limit truck stops.

Dealer and auction pickups are routine, including Manheim Minneapolis in Maple Grove and Copart and IAA yards across the state. Flying in? Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP), Duluth International (DLH) and Rochester International (RST) all work. See door-to-door car shipping for more details on the service.

The carrier's cargo insurance covers your car from pickup to delivery. Every carrier SGT assigns is registered with the FMCSA and carries $100,000-$150,000 on open trucks and $250,000-$3 million on enclosed trucks.

The limit applies per load and covers all customer vehicles on the truck together, not each car on its own. You pay no deductible, and personal items left in the car are not covered.

Many Minnesota retirees winter in the South and ship their car instead of driving through snow.

The top destinations are Arizona (Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Apache Junction, Sun City and Tucson), Texas's Rio Grande Valley (McAllen, Harlingen and Mission, where Midwest snowbirds are called "Winter Texans"), and Florida (Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, Tampa and Orlando).

Southbound demand peaks from September to December, and northbound demand peaks from March to May. Book 2-4 weeks ahead and reserve the return trip early. See our snowbird car shipping service page for details.

Moving for Work, Medical Care or College

Corporate moves, Mayo Clinic stays and college keep Minnesota shipments steady all year.

The Twin Cities host the headquarters of Target, Best Buy, 3M, UnitedHealth Group, General Mills and U.S. Bancorp. At Mayo Clinic in Rochester, long-stay patients, new staff and traveling nurses ship cars down US-52.

Students head to the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities and Duluth), Minnesota State Mankato, St. Cloud State, the University of St. Thomas, Macalester, Carleton and St. Olaf. Ship after move-in weekend.

Minnesota has no large active-duty base, but SGT serves Guard and Reserve families at Camp Ripley, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Air Reserve Station and the Duluth Air National Guard Base.

1. Summary of Hours of Service Regulations - FMCSA
2. SAFER Company Snapshot, SGT Auto Transport (USDOT 2521690) - FMCSA
3. Vehicle Title and Registration for Those New to Minnesota - Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services
4. New to Minnesota - Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services
5. Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Booklet - Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services
6. Auto Insurance Guide - Minnesota Department of Commerce
7. Minn. Stat. 169.71, Windshield and Window Restrictions - Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
8. Minn. Stat. 169.79, Vehicle Registration and Plate Display - Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
9. Spring Load Restrictions Technical Fact Sheet - Minnesota Department of Transportation
10. 511 Minnesota - Minnesota Department of Transportation
11. Snow Season Frequently Asked Questions - City of Minneapolis
12. Blatnik Bridge Project - Wisconsin Department of Transportation
13. Minn. Stat. 168.013, Vehicle Registration Taxes - Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
14. Clean Cars Minnesota - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
15. Snow Emergency FAQs - City of Saint Paul