How much does it cost to ship a car to or from Illinois?
Most Illinois car shipping lands between $450 and $1,950+ on an open carrier. A regional lane such as Chicago to Detroit — roughly 280 miles — runs $450–$700 and delivers in 2–4 days. A long haul such as Chicago to Los Angeles, about 2,010 miles, runs $900–$1,950+ over 7–10 days.
Vehicle size, running condition, open versus enclosed transport and how soon you need pickup move your quote within that range.
Call (866) 517-7015 to price your exact lane, or use the transport cost calculator.
Illinois Car Transport Routes & Highways
| Interstate Highways (Main Cross-State Routes) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| I-55: Runs north-south from Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri. Essential for transporting vehicles between northern and southern Illinois, facilitating access to major cities. | |||
| I-57: Extends from Chicago southward to the Missouri border. Key route for car shipping between central Illinois and southern regions, connecting to I-70 and I-24. | |||
| I-80: Traverses east-west across northern Illinois, connecting Iowa to Indiana. Heavily utilized for cross-country vehicle transport, passing through the Chicago metropolitan area. | |||
| I-90: Runs from the Wisconsin border through Chicago to Indiana. Vital for car shipping along the northern corridor, linking to the Great Lakes region. | |||
| I-70: Crosses east-west through southern Illinois, connecting Missouri to Indiana. Important for transporting vehicles across the Midwest, serving cities like Effingham. | |||
| Scenic Routes (Seasonal and Specialized Shipments) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Great River Road (IL-84): Follows the Mississippi River along Illinois' western border. Popular for transporting specialty vehicles for scenic drives and tourism. | |||
| Illinois Route 2 (IL-2): Runs along the Rock River, offering picturesque views between Rockford and Dixon. Often requested for classic car transports during seasonal events. | |||
| U.S. Highways (Regional and Secondary Routes) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Route 66 (Historic US-66): Formerly ran from Chicago to St. Louis, now replaced by I-55. Historic routes often requested for classic car transports and nostalgic journeys. | |||
| U.S. Route 20 (US-20): Extends east-west across northern Illinois, from Iowa to Indiana. Commonly used for regional car shipping between northern Illinois towns. | |||
| U.S. Route 51 (US-51): Runs north-south through central Illinois, connecting Wisconsin to Kentucky. Facilitates vehicle transport through the state's heartland. | |||
| State Routes (IntraState Transport) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Route 1 (IL-1): Extends from Chicago south to the Kentucky border. Important for transporting vehicles along the eastern edge of Illinois. | |||
| Illinois Route 47 (IL-47): Runs north-south through central Illinois, connecting small towns and rural areas. Utilized for intrastate car shipping to less urbanized regions. | |||
| Illinois Route 83 (IL-83): Loops around the western suburbs of Chicago. Frequently used for local vehicle transports within the Chicago metropolitan area. | |||
| Toll Roads (Facilitating Efficient Transport) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Tollway (I-294, I-355, I-88, I-90): Network of toll roads around the Chicago area, including the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88). Provides expedited routes for car shipping around the congested Chicago metropolitan area. | |||
These Illinois transport routes and highways offer versatile options for car shipping companies, accommodating cross-state shipments, urban deliveries, and specialized transports to scenic or rural areas.
Expedited Service
Need Expedited Transport?
When time is of the essence, our Expedited Transport Service ensures your vehicle gets where it needs to go – quickly and safely. Whether you’re facing a tight deadline, unexpected move, or just want your car delivered ASAP, we’ve got you covered.
Most Popular Illinois Car Shipping Routes
These are the corridors we quote most often into and out of Illinois. Distances are approximate road miles between the named metro areas; your exact pickup and delivery addresses set the final number.
| Route | Approx. road miles | Typical carrier transit | Open-carrier estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL → Los Angeles, CA | 2,010 mi | 7–10 days | $900–$1,950+ |
| Chicago, IL → Phoenix, AZ | 1,750 mi | 7–10 days | $900–$1,950+ |
| Chicago, IL → Miami, FL | 1,380 mi | 4–7 days | $750–$1,300 |
| Chicago, IL → Denver, CO | 1,000 mi | 4–7 days | $750–$1,300 |
| Chicago, IL → Dallas, TX | 925 mi | 3–5 days | $600–$1,000 |
| Chicago, IL → New York, NY | 790 mi | 3–5 days | $600–$1,000 |
| Chicago, IL → Detroit, MI | 280 mi | 2–4 days | $450–$700 |
Estimates are open-carrier ranges taken from the published distance bands on our state shipping overview. They cover a standard operable sedan door to door. Enclosed transport, oversized or inoperable vehicles, and short-notice pickups price higher. Ranges are estimates, not quotes — run your own numbers in the transport cost calculator.
Shipping one of these lanes? Call (866) 517-7015 for a same-day dispatch check, or estimate your route.
Illinois Car Shipping Questions
What Chicago-area and downstate customers ask most often, with the seasonal patterns that move the price.
How long does it take to ship a car to or from Illinois?
Chicago to Detroit is 280 miles and typically one to two days on the truck. Chicago to New York, about 790 miles, runs three to five days. Los Angeles is 2,010 miles and books seven to ten. Chicago is one of the densest carrier hubs in the country, so the wait for an assigned truck is usually shorter here than the drive itself.
Which Illinois corridors do carriers run most?
Chicago is where the national network crosses. I-80 and I-90 carry the east-west freight, I-55 runs down to St. Louis and on toward Dallas, and I-57 drops south to Memphis. Most long-haul carriers pass through the Chicago area at some point in a cycle, which is why Illinois pickups fill quickly even on short notice.
Can a truck pick up at my address in Chicago?
Downtown and the older North Side blocks rarely work. Permit parking, narrow streets and low viaducts rule out a full transporter, so drivers meet customers at a nearby lot or a wide side street instead. The suburbs, from Naperville to Schaumburg, and everything downstate are normally true door to door.
Open or enclosed transport out of Illinois?
Illinois uses a great deal of road salt and Chicago winters are long. Open transport is still fine for an ordinary vehicle year-round; two days of highway spray is less exposure than a week of local driving. Enclosed is the right call for collector cars, fresh paint, and low-clearance vehicles that scrape on a slushy loading ramp.
When is the cheapest time to ship a car in Illinois?
January and February, once the holidays are behind you. Snowbird traffic is the reason: southbound space to Florida and Arizona peaks in October and November, and the northbound return peaks in April and May. Mid-winter and early autumn are the quiet stretches in between.
Is there anything specific about shipping in and out of Illinois?
Snowbird season runs in both directions through Illinois and it is the single biggest influence on Chicago pricing. If your move falls in October, November, April or May, book two to three weeks ahead rather than a few days. Outside those windows Chicago is one of the easier places in the country to get a car on a truck quickly.