How much does it cost to ship a car from Chicago to Los Angeles?

$1,050 – $1,350 on an open carrier or $1,650 – $2,000 enclosed, for a running standard vehicle over roughly 2,015 miles.

How long does it take to ship a car from Chicago to Los Angeles?

5–6 days once the car is loaded, for about 2,015 miles via I-80 / I-76 / I-70.

Do you also ship cars from Los Angeles to Chicago?

Yes. Los Angeles to Chicago runs $1,350 – $1,500 open and $2,350 – $2,550 enclosed.

Do you pick up in Chicago and deliver to Los Angeles?

Yes. Other pickups here include Naperville, Evanston and Schaumburg; other drop-offs, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Irvine.

Chicago → LA

Car shipping from Chicago to Los Angeles

Chicago is the busiest freight interchange in North America, and it shows in how quickly this lane dispatches. A car booked out of Chicago is usually assigned faster than one booked out of a city half the distance away.

Distance~2,015 miles

Transit time5–6 days

InterstatesI-80 / I-76 / I-70

Typical dispatch1–3 business days

Who ships Chicago to LA

Corporate relocations to Southern California, students heading to UCLA, USC and the UC campuses, and a constant westbound flow of auction vehicles out of the Chicago wholesale market.

Sedans and SUVs in volume, a strong showing of dealer and auction purchases heading west, and enough student cars in late summer to fill decks on their own.

2,015 miles via I-80 / I-76 / I-70

I-80 west through Iowa and Nebraska, then I-76 and I-70 across Colorado and Utah to I-15 south, or I-55 down to I-40 through Oklahoma and Flagstaff when winter weather pushes carriers south. The southern option adds miles but is far more predictable between December and March.

Summer runs hardest, with a sharp lift in August and early September as the academic year starts. January and February are the months to watch — lake-effect snow can delay a Chicago pickup by a day, and the Rockies crossing adds its own risk on top.

Shipping Los Angeles to Chicago

Los Angeles to Chicago is the same distance and the same five to six days, and the seasonal shape is nearly identical. The one asymmetry is capacity: because so much freight terminates in Chicago anyway, an eastbound carrier usually has other reasons to be heading that way, so dispatch out of Los Angeles is quick even in August. Westbound in the same week, you are competing with every student move in the Midwest. If the two directions are equally convenient for you, eastbound is the easier one to schedule tightly.

From Chicago and Naperville to Los Angeles and Pasadena

ChicagoNapervilleEvanstonSchaumburgLos AngelesPasadenaSanta MonicaIrvine

Not listed? Pickup is anywhere in the Chicago metro and delivery anywhere in the Los Angeles metro, door to door.

Typical rate

Chicago to Los Angeles

Chicago → LA

Open$1,050 – $1,350

Enclosed$1,650 – $2,000

LA → Chicago

Open$1,350 – $1,500

Enclosed$2,350 – $2,550

Chicago to Los Angeles is the cheaper direction on an open carrier.

Running standard vehicle; oversized, non-running or peak-season moves cost more. Rates as of September 2026.

Long haulShipping a car across the country

Chicago → LA

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$0 until a carrier is assigned

On the road

Chicago to Los Angeles, by carrier

2,015 miles, 5–6 days once loaded.

More CA and IL routes

Illinois → California2,015 mi · 5–6 days

Tennessee → California2,100 mi · 5–6 days

Georgia → California2,180 mi · 5–6 days

Chicago → Phoenix1,750 mi · 4–5 days

North Carolina → California2,450 mi · 6–7 days

Houston → Los Angeles1,550 mi · 3–4 days

All routes

Common questions

Shipping Chicago to Los Angeles

How much does it cost to ship a car from Chicago to Los Angeles?: $1,050 – $1,350 on an open carrier or $1,650 – $2,000 enclosed, for a running standard vehicle over roughly 2,015 miles.
How long does it take to ship a car from Chicago to Los Angeles?: 5–6 days once the car is loaded, for about 2,015 miles via I-80 / I-76 / I-70.
Do you also ship cars from Los Angeles to Chicago?: Yes. Los Angeles to Chicago runs $1,350 – $1,500 open and $2,350 – $2,550 enclosed.
Do you pick up in Chicago and deliver to Los Angeles?: Yes. Other pickups here include Naperville, Evanston and Schaumburg; other drop-offs, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Irvine.