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DAYS TO PICKUP, TWIN CITIES METRO
$500-$1,600
OPEN TRANSPORT, BY DESTINATION
I-94 · I-35 · I-90
PRIMARY CARRIER CORRIDORS
Key Takeaways
Typical cost: The Twin Cities to Chicago runs $500-$700 on an open carrier, Texas $900-$1,200, Florida $1,100-$1,400, and California $1,200-$1,600. Enclosed transport typically adds 40-60 percent.
Transit time: Chicago takes 1-2 days, Texas 3-5 days, Florida 4-6 days, and the West Coast 5-8 days once the vehicle is picked up.
Seasonality: Snowbird demand toward Arizona and Florida surges October through December. Book 2-3 weeks ahead during that window.
Savings tip: Flexible dates and meeting the carrier near an I-94 or I-35 interchange can cut $75-$200 off your price.
Process: You get a dedicated coordinator and a vetted, insured carrier. Nothing is due until a driver is assigned, and your vehicle is tracked by GPS throughout.
Popular Car Shipping Routes from Minnesota
The Twin Cities sit at the junction of I-94 and I-35, the two lanes most carriers use across the Upper Midwest, so trucks cycle through the metro daily and pickup usually happens within 1-3 days. Open transport runs $500-$1,600 depending on destination, and Greater Minnesota origins add 1-2 days because fewer trucks run those lanes. These are the routes we book most often from Minnesota.
- Minnesota to Chicago - 400 miles, 1-2 days
- Minnesota to Texas - 1,000-1,200 miles, 3-5 days
- Minnesota to Florida - 1,600-1,800 miles, 4-6 days
- Minnesota to Arizona - 1,600-1,700 miles, 5-7 days
- Minnesota to California - 1,900-2,000 miles, 5-8 days
Shipping a Car Out of the Twin Cities
Minneapolis and St. Paul give carriers easy staging off the I-94, I-35W, and I-494 loops, and most residential streets in the metro can handle a multi-car hauler. In the downtown cores and older neighborhoods with narrow or parking-restricted streets, drivers stage from a wide cross street or a nearby lot, and your coordinator confirms the exact meeting spot before pickup day.
Carriers run the Twin Cities lanes all winter. January and February cold snaps can slow loading and add a day to pickup windows, so build a small buffer into midwinter plans.
Duluth, Rochester, and Greater Minnesota
Duluth is served by carriers running I-35 north, Rochester sits on the US-52 and I-90 lanes, and St. Cloud picks up traffic heading west on I-94. Pickups in Greater Minnesota typically take 1-2 days longer than in the Twin Cities because fewer trucks cover those routes. The busiest snowbird lanes out of the state are Minneapolis to Phoenix and Minneapolis to Fort Myers, both heaviest from October through December.
Minnesota Car Shipping FAQs
Most standard sedans and SUVs run $1,100-$1,400 on an open carrier from the Twin Cities to Florida. Enclosed transport typically adds 40-60 percent. During the October through December snowbird surge, southbound prices sit toward the top of that range, so booking 2-3 weeks ahead helps you lock a better rate.
Minneapolis to Phoenix is about 1,650 miles and typically prices at $1,100-$1,500 for open transport. It is one of the busiest winter lanes out of Minnesota, so the same October through December window pushes prices up and early booking pays off.
Pickup in the Twin Cities metro usually happens within 1-3 days of booking, and Greater Minnesota origins add 1-2 days. Once the car is loaded, count on 1-2 days to Chicago, 3-5 days to Texas, 4-6 days to Florida, and 5-8 days to the West Coast.
Late winter into spring is the softest market, once the snowbird push has passed and carriers have open capacity. The most expensive window is October through December on southbound lanes. Flexible pickup dates can save you $75-$200 in any season.
Yes. Carriers run I-94 and I-35 all winter, and the lanes stay active year-round. Deep cold snaps and snowstorms in January and February can add a day or two to pickup or transit, so build a small buffer into your plans if your dates are tight.
Yes. Round-trip snowbird shipping is one of the most common bookings we take from Minnesota. Southbound capacity is tightest October through December, and the northbound return in March and April usually prices lower. Booking both legs early locks better rates on each.
Open transport is the right choice for most vehicles and prices at $500-$1,600 from Minnesota depending on destination. Enclosed typically adds 40-60 percent and makes sense for classics, exotics, and low-clearance cars, and some owners choose it in winter to keep road salt off the vehicle.
Most carriers allow up to 100 lbs of personal items in the trunk or below the window line. Anything more can trigger extra charges or a refused pickup, and personal items are not covered by the carrier’s cargo insurance, so keep valuables out of the vehicle.
Yes. Every carrier we assign holds active cargo insurance, with coverage up to $2M available for high-value vehicles, and we can send you the certificate of insurance on request before pickup. Nothing is due until a driver is assigned to your shipment.
