Minneapolis Auto Transport: Car Shipping Rates and Quotes

Looking for auto transport in Minneapolis? Car shipping in Minneapolis and St. Paul depends on the route, the vehicle and whether it runs. We ran real quotes from our platform for twenty-eight lanes to and from Minneapolis, from a 409-mile hop to Chicago to a 1,887-mile haul to Los Angeles, and an open-trailer sedan ranged from $345 to $1,555. This guide covers what it costs by vehicle type and route, how pickups work on Twin Cities streets in winter, where the auction yards and dealers are, and real jobs from the Twin Cities, with links to the statewide numbers in our Minnesota auto transport guide. Every price is door to door, as explained in our door-to-door auto transport guide.

What it costs to ship a car to or from Minneapolis

Whether you need a car moved for a relocation, a purchase or a dealer transfer, every figure below is a real quote from our platform for one vehicle on an open trailer, running, priced separately for each vehicle type on October 20, 2026. Minneapolis stands in for the whole Twin Cities, including St. Paul and the suburbs, and each lane is labeled by its actual cities. Most moves are quoted in both directions, so you can see what changes when the car is arriving in Minneapolis or leaving it.

Distances are the road miles in each quote, and prices are in dollars. The price per mile falls fast as the trip gets longer, from $1.53 a mile on Minneapolis → Jackson to $0.42 on Minneapolis → New York. Pickups cost a median of 49% more than a sedan on these lanes and vans a median of 32% more, while an SUV was priced below the sedan on 4 of 28 lanes. Treat these as a guide, and get a live quote for your exact pickup and delivery points.

How the price per mile changes with distance

Distance is the biggest driver, but the price per mile falls as the trip gets longer. For a sedan it ran $0.84–$1.33 per mile under 450 miles and $0.42–$1.53 per mile at 1,000 miles or more. A short run costs more per mile because the driver still has to load, unload and reposition the truck whether the trip is 409 miles or 1,000. For the whole state, including Duluth and Rochester, see our Minnesota guide.

Pickups and vans cost more than sedans

A pickup cost a median of 49% more than a sedan on the same lane, and a van a median of 32% more. An SUV was priced within a median of 7% of the sedan and was cheaper on 4 of 28. Twin Cities pickups and vans are common, so check the pickup column for your route, and dually trucks, lifted vehicles and anything oversized need a quote of their own. Our pickup truck shipping guide has the details.

Popular routes from Minneapolis and St. Paul

Minneapolis to New York, Detroit and Chicago

I-94 runs east from the Twin Cities through Wisconsin to Chicago and Detroit, and the East Coast is the most-searched direction out of Minnesota. New York: a sedan was $500 leaving Minneapolis (1,203 mi) and $1,107 into Minneapolis; Detroit: a sedan was $580 leaving Minneapolis (694 mi) and $717 into Minneapolis; Chicago: a sedan was $345 leaving Minneapolis (409 mi) and $498 into Minneapolis.

Minneapolis to Florida

Florida is the Minnesota route people search for most after New York, and many of these trips are snowbirds sending a car south for the winter and back in spring. Miami: a sedan was $986 leaving Minneapolis (1,790 mi) and $1,057 into Minneapolis; Orlando: a sedan was $996 leaving Minneapolis (1,567 mi) and $980 into Minneapolis; Tampa: a sedan was $1,011 leaving Minneapolis (1,590 mi) and $1,117 into Minneapolis.

Minneapolis to Dallas, Atlanta and Jackson

Texas and the Deep South run down I-35 and the Mississippi valley. Dallas: a sedan was $804 leaving Minneapolis (939 mi) and $835 into Minneapolis; Atlanta: a sedan was $884 leaving Minneapolis (1,128 mi) and $987 into Minneapolis; Jackson: a sedan was $1,555 leaving Minneapolis (1,015 mi) and $1,305 into Minneapolis.

Minneapolis to Kansas City, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Seattle

Kansas City is the short run down I-35, and Denver, Arizona, California and the Pacific Northwest are the long western routes, with a lower price per mile. Kansas City: a sedan was $400 leaving Minneapolis (437 mi) and $582 into Minneapolis; Denver: a sedan was $834 leaving Minneapolis (870 mi) and $731 into Minneapolis; Phoenix: a sedan was $1,071 leaving Minneapolis (1,643 mi) and $1,207 into Minneapolis; Los Angeles: a sedan was $1,005 leaving Minneapolis (1,886 mi) and $1,401 into Minneapolis; Seattle: a sedan was $1,110 leaving Minneapolis (1,658 mi) and $1,122 into Minneapolis.

Does direction change the price?

We quoted fourteen corridors both ways from Minneapolis:

A sedan arriving in Minneapolis cost more than the same trip leaving on 11 of the 14 corridors: New York to Minneapolis 121% higher ($1,107 vs. $500), Kansas City to Minneapolis 46% higher ($582 vs. $400), Chicago to Minneapolis 44% higher ($498 vs. $345), Los Angeles to Minneapolis 39% higher ($1,401 vs. $1,005). Leaving Minneapolis cost more on 3: Minneapolis to Jackson 19% higher ($1,555 vs. $1,305), Minneapolis to Denver 14% higher ($834 vs. $731), Minneapolis to Orlando 2% higher ($996 vs. $980). We re-quoted the New York pair to check it and got the same prices both times. The price follows how many cars are moving each way on that lane, so if you can ship in either direction, or can drive one way and ship the other, check both.

Did you know?From 28 real lanes and 4 delivered Twin Cities jobs

1. +121% more into Minneapolis

   New York to Minneapolis cost 121% more than Minneapolis to New York

   A sedan was $1,107 into Minneapolis against $500 going the other way on about 1,203 miles.

2. $1.53 a mile, on a short lane

   A short lane cost the most per mile: $1.53 vs. $0.42

   A sedan from Minneapolis to Jackson (1,015 miles) was $1,555. Minneapolis to New York (1,203 miles) was $500.

3. 4 of 28 lanes where the SUV beat the sedan

   On 4 of 28 lanes the SUV was priced below the sedan

   Size does not always cost more. Pickups, on the other hand, were a median of 49% above the sedan.

4. 4 Twin Cities jobs delivered in 1 to 2 days

   Four recent Twin Cities jobs, all within 2 days

   A Porsche Cayenne to St. Louis and a Trailblazer to Kansas took 1 day, and a Chrysler Voyager from the IAA yard to Massachusetts took 2.

Get a Minneapolis auto quote →

Pickup and delivery in Minneapolis and St. Paul: streets, alleys and snow

Door-to-door means the carrier comes to your address or as close as a large truck can safely get. In the Twin Cities that depends on where you live and the season:

• Narrow streets and alleys. Older neighborhoods in Minneapolis and St. Paul, such as the streets around the lakes, Northeast, Uptown and Longfellow, can have tight streets, parked cars and alleys behind the houses that a long car carrier cannot use. The driver may ask you to meet at a wider street or a large parking lot nearby.
• Downtown and apartment buildings. A loading spot downtown may not exist, and some buildings restrict large trucks, so plan a meeting point such as a big parking lot at the edge of the city.
• Suburbs. Cul-de-sacs, low branches and HOA rules in places like Plymouth, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and Woodbury can stop a truck, but there is usually a wide road or a shopping-center lot close by.
• Snow emergencies. The City of Minneapolis declares snow emergencies after heavy snow, with parking rules that change from day to day, and St. Paul has similar rules. Check the city’s current rules and avoid scheduling a pickup on a street where parking is restricted.
• Cold and ice. From November through March, clear the snow off the car and the space around it, and tell the carrier if the car will not start in the cold.

Tell us about the address when you quote, so the carrier can plan the right truck and a meeting point. Our door-to-door guide explains what to do when a truck cannot reach your door.

The Twin Cities and the suburbs

• Minneapolis and St. Paul. The two core cities and the neighborhoods around them are the largest source of pickups, with relocations, students and dealer moves.
• South and southwest. Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie, Burnsville, Eagan, Lakeville and Savage sit on I-35W, I-494 and MN-169, and the Mall of America area has wide, easy roads.
• West. Minnetonka, Plymouth, Wayzata and Golden Valley are on I-394 and MN-55, and one of our recent jobs picked up at an Audi dealership in Golden Valley.
• North and northwest. Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Blaine and Coon Rapids are on I-94, I-35W and US-10, and a Copart yard is listed in this part of the metro.
• East. Woodbury, Maplewood, Oakdale and Stillwater are on I-94 and I-694, and the IAA yard in Saint Paul is on Jackson Street.
• The beltway. I-494 and I-694 ring the metro, which makes a suburban pickup near the ring easier to reach than one deep in a city neighborhood.

Snowbirds, students, military moves and when to ship

A few patterns recur in Minneapolis car shipping. These are general industry experience and the state’s own calendar, not our October quote data, so compare a live quote for your date:

• Snowbirds. Florida, Arizona and Texas are the winter destinations, and many Twin Cities residents send a car south in the fall and back in the spring. Carrier guides say fall demand for Florida peaks from October through mid-November, so book four to six weeks ahead if you leave in that window.
• Students. Move-in in late August and move-out in May matter at the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus and the other colleges in the metro, and many students ship a car to or from out of state.
• Military and Guard moves. The Minneapolis–St. Paul Air Reserve Station near the airport brings moves in and out through the year. Ask your carrier how gate access will work and consider meeting the driver outside the gate. Active-duty members can ask about our military discount.
• Winter. Snow, ice and cold slow pickups from November through March, so keep your pickup window flexible.
• Relocations and second cars. People move between the Twin Cities and Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Florida, Arizona, Texas and Colorado, and many movers ship a second car instead of driving two.

A flexible pickup window of a few days usually gets a faster carrier match, and booking a few weeks ahead matters more in October and early November, when snowbirds leave at once.

Dealerships and auction yards in the Twin Cities

Dealers and auction yards are some of the most common pickup and delivery points for car carriers, and they are commercial addresses where a full-size trailer can usually reach. There is no single official ranking of Twin Cities dealerships, so these are examples drawn from our own jobs and company listings. For the full picture of auction pickups, see our auction and dealer car shipping guide.

• Copart — Copart’s listings show a Minneapolis yard on Central Avenue NE and a Minneapolis North yard on Bunker Lake Boulevard, and a recent Copart bill of lading shows a pickup at 3737 East River Road in Columbia Heights. Check Copart’s location finder, because the addresses have changed over time.
• IAA — a recent bill of lading shows an IAA yard on Jackson Street in Saint Paul, and the Chrysler Voyager job below started there.
• Dealerships — two of our four Twin Cities jobs involved a dealership, an Audi Q7 picked up at a dealership in Golden Valley and a Chevrolet Trailblazer delivered to a dealership in Kansas.
• Manheim — we could not confirm a Manheim yard address in the Twin Cities, so check its location finder.

Copart and IAA sell salvage and damaged vehicles that often do not run, so price those as inoperable. Each yard has its own release and gate-pass rules, so confirm them before the driver arrives.

Real Twin Cities jobs: how long they took

These are four recent jobs that started in the Twin Cities, taken from the signed bills of lading and the pickup and delivery photos the drivers filed. They are the Twin Cities part of the eight Minnesota jobs on our Minnesota guide. Customer names, street addresses, VINs, plates and carrier details are left out, and the photos are blurred where needed. We show pickup and delivery cities as the drivers’ photos place them, dates as signed on the bill of lading, and approximate miles of our own, so treat them as examples and not promises.

Photos are from the drivers’ inspections at pickup and delivery. License plates, signs, lot numbers and bystanders are blurred or out of frame. The Voyager had crash damage and started at an IAA yard, so ask for an inoperable quote if your vehicle does not run, and the Trailblazer and the Q7 were picked up in winter snow, which is why a flexible window matters.

Inoperable and enclosed vehicles: what they add

On our platform an inoperable vehicle adds about 25% to the open-trailer price (a median of about $190 for a sedan in our tests), because the driver needs a winch and extra loading time, and enclosed transport adds about 75%, because enclosed trailers carry fewer cars. For example, a sedan quoted at $804 open from Minneapolis to Dallas works out to about $1,407 enclosed, or about $1,759 if it also does not run. Many owners of newer or collector cars choose enclosed for a Minnesota winter, because of road salt and snow. See our inoperable vehicle guide and our classic car transport guide for details.

Moving to Minneapolis: title and registration

If you are moving to Minneapolis, the car arrives before the paperwork starts. The state page for new residents says you have 60 days to register a passenger vehicle after moving, unless your registration has expired, and the title is not issued until you surrender your old one. The details on inspection and insurance are in our Minnesota guide, and you should confirm everything with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services or a deputy registrar. The state page is DVS vehicle registration for new Minnesota residents.

How to choose a car shipping company in Minneapolis

Searches for auto transport in Minneapolis find long lists of names, but there is no official ranking, and the right company is the one that is licensed, insured and clear about price. Check these before you book with anyone:

• Look up the company’s federal registration. Every interstate auto transporter or broker needs a USDOT number and operating authority. You can check them on the FMCSA company snapshot and the FMCSA licensing and insurance search.
• Know whether you are dealing with a broker or a carrier. A carrier owns the trucks. A broker or marketplace like Transportli matches your car with a vetted carrier on your lane and shows you the price up front.
• Ask what the quote includes. Our quotes are for one vehicle on an open trailer, and inoperable and enclosed are priced as adjustments. Be wary of a price far below the others, because it may not find a driver.
• Understand the pickup window. Carriers give a window, not an exact time, and in winter a flexible window of a few days gets a faster match.
• Document the car. The bill of lading is the condition report, so take dated photos at pickup and delivery and note any damage before you sign.

Preparing your car for pickup

1. Wash the car and photograph it from every side, inside and out, with the date on.
2. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel and check for leaks, since carriers may refuse a car that leaks fluid.
3. Remove personal items and toll tags. Carriers generally do not insure belongings left in the car, and the MnPASS tag or any transponder should come off before pickup.
4. In winter, clear the snow off the car and the street where the truck will stop, and check the city’s snow emergency parking rules.
5. Plan the handoff. A large truck cannot always reach an alley or a narrow street, so be ready to meet the driver at a nearby lot, and make sure someone can inspect and sign the bill of lading at both ends.

Our auto transport guide has the full checklist.

Minneapolis auto transport: frequently asked questions

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