Yes, and the direction matters more than most people expect. We priced 43 routes between Northeast and Mid-Atlantic cities and Florida in both directions, for a sedan on an open trailer, and shipping a car south cost more than shipping the same car north on 42 of 43 routes, a median of 30% more, comparing each route with its own return trip. Across all routes the median southbound sedan was $1,068 and the median northbound sedan $839, and the two figures differ by less than the route-by-route gap because the routes have different lengths.
If you are a snowbird, a student, a retiree or a family moving between New York, New Jersey, New England or the Mid-Atlantic and Orlando, Miami, Tampa or Jacksonville, this is the table to check before you book. Every price below is a real quote from our platform, collected in October 2026, and the methodology and limits are at the end.
The short answer: what it costs by Florida destination
For a sedan on an open trailer, door to door, the median price by Florida destination was:
| Florida city | Routes priced | Median southbound | Median northbound | Median extra going south |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 17 | $1,080 | $772 | +33% |
| Tampa | 10 | $1,064 | $954 | +19% |
| Miami | 13 | $1,061 | $823 | +34% |
| Jacksonville | 3 | $1,099 | $886 | +24% |
These medians mix short trips from Baltimore and Washington with long ones from Maine, so use the route table below for your own city pair, and the quote tool for your date. The price per mile is lowest on the longest routes, so a car from Portland, Maine does not cost twice as much as one from Philadelphia.
Shipping between the Northeast and Florida? Get a live quote for your exact cities and date.
Get a car shipping quote →Every route, both directions
This is every Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Florida city pair we priced in both directions: sedan, open trailer, running, door to door. “Southbound” is the price from the northern city to Florida, “northbound” is the price coming back. The last column is how much more the southbound trip cost.
| Route | Miles | Southbound sedan | Northbound sedan | Southbound vs. northbound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore ↔ Jacksonville | 758 | $970 | $722 | +34% |
| Washington, DC ↔ Orlando | 851 | $862 | $762 | +13% |
| Baltimore ↔ Orlando | 897 | $881 | $687 | +28% |
| Newark ↔ Jacksonville | 934 | $1,099 | $886 | +24% |
| New York ↔ Jacksonville | 943 | $1,166 | $970 | +20% |
| Dover ↔ Orlando | 948 | $992 | $703 | +41% |
| Baltimore ↔ Tampa | 955 | $942 | $651 | +45% |
| Pittsburgh ↔ Orlando | 972 | $943 | $1,005 | -6% |
| Philadelphia ↔ Orlando | 996 | $1,004 | $746 | +35% |
| Pittsburgh ↔ Tampa | 1,030 | $1,088 | $997 | +9% |
| Philadelphia ↔ Tampa | 1,054 | $1,040 | $989 | +5% |
| Washington, DC ↔ Miami | 1,056 | $970 | $744 | +30% |
| Cherry Hill ↔ Tampa | 1,058 | $1,038 | $920 | +13% |
| Newark ↔ Orlando | 1,073 | $1,080 | $713 | +51% |
| New York ↔ Orlando | 1,083 | $1,100 | $709 | +55% |
| Baltimore ↔ Miami | 1,102 | $949 | $720 | +32% |
| Newark ↔ Tampa | 1,131 | $1,015 | $747 | +36% |
| New York ↔ Tampa | 1,141 | $1,015 | $889 | +14% |
| New Haven ↔ Orlando | 1,162 | $1,010 | $887 | +14% |
| Wilmington ↔ Miami | 1,170 | $1,068 | $720 | +48% |
| Buffalo ↔ Orlando | 1,182 | $1,210 | $1,080 | +12% |
| Hartford ↔ Orlando | 1,197 | $1,104 | $739 | +49% |
| Philadelphia ↔ Miami | 1,201 | $1,061 | $734 | +45% |
| Hartford ↔ Tampa | 1,255 | $1,183 | $834 | +42% |
| Worcester ↔ Orlando | 1,259 | $1,037 | $772 | +34% |
| Providence ↔ Orlando | 1,262 | $1,080 | $740 | +46% |
| Newark ↔ Miami | 1,278 | $1,176 | $795 | +48% |
| New York ↔ Miami | 1,288 | $1,191 | $796 | +50% |
| Boston ↔ Orlando | 1,296 | $951 | $914 | +4% |
| Manchester ↔ Orlando | 1,331 | $1,091 | $822 | +33% |
| Portsmouth, NH ↔ Orlando | 1,348 | $1,137 | $839 | +36% |
| Boston ↔ Tampa | 1,354 | $1,255 | $1,045 | +20% |
| Nashua ↔ Tampa | 1,373 | $1,216 | $1,038 | +17% |
| Buffalo ↔ Miami | 1,387 | $1,366 | $957 | +43% |
| Portland, ME ↔ Orlando | 1,398 | $1,094 | $888 | +23% |
| Hartford ↔ Miami | 1,402 | $1,131 | $823 | +37% |
| Springfield, MA ↔ Miami | 1,429 | $1,005 | $901 | +12% |
| Portland, ME ↔ Tampa | 1,456 | $1,249 | $1,019 | +23% |
| Providence ↔ Miami | 1,468 | $975 | $884 | +10% |
| Boston ↔ Miami | 1,501 | $1,011 | $896 | +13% |
| Bangor ↔ Orlando | 1,526 | $1,092 | $888 | +23% |
| Manchester ↔ Miami | 1,536 | $1,208 | $904 | +34% |
| Portland, ME ↔ Miami | 1,604 | $1,009 | $891 | +13% |
The widest gap was New York to Orlando at $1,100 southbound against $709 northbound (+55%). The smallest was Pittsburgh to Orlando at $943 against $1,005 (-6%).
Price by origin: New York, New Jersey, New England and the Mid-Atlantic
| Origin | Routes priced | Median southbound sedan | Median northbound sedan | Extra going south |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 6 | $1,178 | $923 | +31% |
| New Jersey | 5 | $1,080 | $795 | +36% |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | $1,040 | $989 | +9% |
| Massachusetts | 5 | $1,011 | $901 | +13% |
| Connecticut | 4 | $1,118 | $828 | +40% |
| Rhode Island | 2 | $1,028 | $812 | +28% |
| New Hampshire | 4 | $1,172 | $872 | +33% |
| Maine | 4 | $1,093 | $890 | +23% |
| Delaware | 2 | $1,030 | $712 | +45% |
| Maryland | 4 | $946 | $704 | +33% |
| Washington, DC | 2 | $916 | $753 | +22% |
From New York
New York is the biggest metro on this corridor, and the state has routes from New York City and from Buffalo in the west. Sedan quotes: New York to Jacksonville: $1,166 south, $970 north; New York to Orlando: $1,100 south, $709 north; New York to Tampa: $1,015 south, $889 north; Buffalo to Orlando: $1,210 south, $1,080 north. See our auto transport guides for the nearby states. New York City pickups are usually arranged as a meeting point because of tolls, tight streets and parking rules.
From New Jersey
Northern New Jersey sits next to the same market, and the gap is wide there. Sedan quotes: Newark to Jacksonville: $1,099 south, $886 north; Cherry Hill to Tampa: $1,038 south, $920 north; Newark to Orlando: $1,080 south, $713 north; Newark to Tampa: $1,015 south, $747 north. Our New Jersey guide has 32 more routes and recent jobs.
From Pennsylvania
Philadelphia sits on the I-95 corridor, while Pittsburgh is an inland starting point, and it is the one place in our table where the northbound trip cost more. Sedan quotes: Pittsburgh to Orlando: $943 south, $1,005 north; Philadelphia to Orlando: $1,004 south, $746 north; Pittsburgh to Tampa: $1,088 south, $997 north; Philadelphia to Tampa: $1,040 south, $989 north.
From New England
Boston, Hartford, Providence, Manchester and Portland ship south on I-95 along the same corridor, and these are the longest routes in the table at 1,100 to 1,600 miles. Sedan quotes: Worcester to Orlando: $1,037 south, $772 north; New Haven to Orlando: $1,010 south, $887 north; Providence to Orlando: $1,080 south, $740 north; Manchester to Orlando: $1,091 south, $822 north; Portland, ME to Orlando: $1,094 south, $888 north. Our Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine guides cover those states.
From the Mid-Atlantic
Baltimore, Washington, Wilmington and Dover are the shortest routes to Florida, at about 750 to 1,200 miles, and still show a gap. Sedan quotes: Baltimore to Jacksonville: $970 south, $722 north; Dover to Orlando: $992 south, $703 north; Washington, DC to Orlando: $862 south, $762 north. See our Maryland, Delaware and Washington, DC guides.
SUVs, pickups and vans
| Vehicle | Median southbound | Median northbound | Median gap | Routes where south cost more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | $1,068 | $839 | +30% | 42 of 43 |
| SUV | $1,159 | $859 | +36% | 42 of 43 |
| Pickup (4-door) | $1,571 | $1,386 | +12% | 34 of 43 |
| Van | $1,527 | $1,193 | +32% | 36 of 43 |
SUVs followed the sedan pattern, with a median southbound premium of 36%. Pickups and vans were noisier: the pickup gap ranged from -24% to +93% and the van gap from -19% to +174%, so for a truck or a work van, quote your exact route instead of using these medians.
Why is going south more expensive?
Our quotes do not tell us why, so treat this as interpretation. A likely explanation is demand: in the fall many more cars want to go south than north, and more demand for the same trucks pushes the southbound price up. We saw the same kind of pattern in our study of 287 lanes priced both ways, where direction mattered on most lanes. Our October snapshot also falls at the start of the southbound season, so the premium may be smaller in spring, and we plan to re-run these routes then.
How to pay less
- Ship north when you can. If you only need one trip, the northbound leg was the cheaper one on 42 of 43 routes in our table.
- Drive down, ship back. Many snowbirds drive south in the fall and ship the car north in spring, or fly down and ship the car one way, which can cost less than two long drives.
- Be flexible by a few days. A pickup window of several days usually gets a faster carrier match than a fixed date, and a rush costs more.
- Compare nearby pickup cities. A pickup in a larger city near you can cost less than a small town. In our tests a small-town drop-off added about 14%%. See our cheap car shipping guide.
- Ship two cars together. A second car on the same order was about 10%% cheaper in our tests, and the savings grow with more cars. See our cheap car shipping guide and auction and dealer guide.
- Choose open over enclosed unless you need it. Enclosed adds about 75%% on our platform (below).
Snowbird timing and transit times
Snowbird traffic runs south roughly from October through December and north from March through May. Those are general industry patterns, not something our quotes measured: the tool we use gives a price for a route but not for a specific month, and our quotes come from a single snapshot in October 2026. If you can choose, book a few weeks ahead in the fall and spring peaks, and keep your pickup window flexible during storms.
Typical open-trailer transit is about 2 to 4 days for 750 to 900 miles, 3 to 6 days for 1,000 to 1,500 miles and up to 7 days from northern Maine, and a storm can add a day. On our recent jobs a Smart Fortwo cabrio went from Moonachie, NJ to Plantation, FL in 3 days, a Ford Transit van from Glassboro, NJ to the Fort Lauderdale area in 4 days, a Mercedes CLA from Nutley, NJ to Winter Haven, FL in 3 days and a Harley-Davidson Street Glide from Manchester, NH to Parrish, FL in 4 days. Those are examples from bills of lading, not promises. You can see them with photos on our New Jersey and New Hampshire pages.
Enclosed and inoperable cars
On our platform an inoperable car adds about 25% to the open-trailer price and enclosed transport about 75%. For example, a sedan quoted at $1,080 open from Newark to Orlando works out to about $1,890 enclosed, or about $2,362 if it also does not run. Classic, exotic and high-value cars are usually shipped enclosed, which many owners also choose for road salt and winter slush before the trip south. See our open vs. enclosed guide, inoperable vehicle guide and classic car guide.
Methodology and limits
- What we priced. Real quotes on our platform for one vehicle on an open trailer, running, door to door, for sedan, SUV, pickup (4-door) and van. Quotes were collected in October 2026 for the lanes on our state auto transport pages and a set added in late October to fill gaps.
- What counts as a route. A Northeast or Mid-Atlantic city and a Florida city that we priced in both directions: 43 routes, 86 lanes. Origins span 10 states and Washington, DC (Maine to Maryland), and destinations are Orlando, Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville.
- Gap. Southbound price divided by northbound price, minus 1. Medians are used so a few odd lanes do not move the result.
- Not a random sample. Cities were chosen for coverage of our state pages, so some states have more routes than others and Florida destinations are mostly Orlando and Miami. Quotes were not all collected on the same day within October.
- Quotes are not final prices. They are what our platform returned on the day, and our own re-quote test showed that a quote can move by a few percent between days, so treat any single route as approximate.
- Snapshot in time. We did not measure seasonality. The “Updated” date at the top shows when this page last changed. See our data license for how to cite it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a car from the Northeast to Florida?
In our quotes for 43 routes between Northeast and Mid-Atlantic cities and Florida, a sedan on an open trailer had a median price of $1,068 southbound and $839 northbound. Individual routes ranged from about $651 to $1,366 depending on distance and direction. Use the route table above or get a live quote.
How much does it cost to ship a car from New York to Florida?
In our data a sedan from New York routes to Florida cost a median of $1,178 southbound and $923 northbound. See the New York section above for the routes we priced, and expect 3 to 6 days in transit.
How much does it cost to ship a car from New Jersey to Florida?
In our quotes the median sedan price from New Jersey routes to Florida was $1,080 southbound and $795 northbound, and the southbound premium was 36%. See the New Jersey section above and our New Jersey guide.
Is it cheaper to ship a car to Florida or from Florida?
Coming from Florida was cheaper on 42 of 43 routes in our data, by a median of 30% for a sedan. If you only need one leg, the northbound trip is the cheaper one.
Why is shipping a car south more expensive than north?
Our quotes do not show why. A likely reason is that carriers price in how easy it is to fill the truck for the return trip, and in the fall many more cars move south than north. That is our interpretation, not a measured result.
What is the cheapest month to ship a car to Florida?
We did not measure it. The pricing tool we use gives a route price, not a price by month, and our quotes are from October 2026. Industry experience says southbound demand peaks from October through December and northbound from March through May, so booking outside those windows is usually easier, but compare a live quote for your date.
How long does it take to ship a car from the Northeast to Florida?
Typical open-trailer transit is about 2 to 4 days for 750 to 900 miles, 3 to 6 days for 1,000 to 1,500 miles and up to 7 days from northern Maine. On our recent jobs, New Jersey to Florida runs took 3 to 4 days. These are typical ranges, not guarantees, and the clock starts at pickup.
Is open or enclosed transport better for the trip to Florida?
Open trailers are the standard and cheaper choice. Enclosed adds about 75% on our platform and is chosen for classic, exotic and high-value cars and to protect against road salt and weather.
How much extra is it if the car does not run?
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). Tell us the car does not run when you request the quote.
Can I ship two cars to Florida together to save money?
Often, yes. In our tests a second car on the same order was about 10% cheaper, and the discount grows with more cars. See our cheap car shipping guide.
Where does the data come from?
From real quotes on our platform: one vehicle, open trailer, running, door to door, for four vehicle types, on 43 routes priced in both directions in October 2026. See the methodology section for limits.
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Get a car shipping quote →Related guides
Cite this page
Cite as: Transportli, “How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car Between the Northeast and Florida? 43 Real Routes, Both Directions”, https://transportli.com/blog/ship-a-car-northeast-to-florida-cost/, updated October 25, 2026.
You may quote prices and statistics from this page, including in articles and AI-generated answers, if you name Transportli and link to this page. Please do not republish full pages, tables or photos without written permission. Data license and terms of use