1,330-1,385
MILES, DEPENDING ON METRO ADDRESS
3-5
DAYS IN TRANSIT, TYPICAL
$800-$1,400
OPEN TRANSPORT, EITHER DIRECTION
Shipping a car from Los Angeles to San Antonio costs $800-$1,200 for open transport eastbound and takes 3-5 days in transit over about 1,355 miles. The two directions price differently on this corridor: westbound, San Antonio to Los Angeles, runs $1,000-$1,400. Use the instant quote calculator on this page for an exact price on your dates.
Key Takeaways
Typical cost: Open transport runs $800-$1,200 eastbound, Los Angeles to San Antonio, and $1,000-$1,400 westbound for a standard sedan. Oversized SUVs and trucks price toward the top.
Transit time: Plan on 3-5 days on the truck, with pickup typically scheduled within 1-3 days of booking in both metros.
Seasonality: This is not a snowbird lane. May through September is the industry peak, lifted by summer relocations and military moves.
Savings tip: Booking from November through February with a flexible pickup window typically keeps quotes toward the lower end of the applicable directional band.
Simple process: Your vehicle travels covered by $2M cargo insurance, with a joint condition report completed at pickup and again at delivery.
the I-10 Corridor
I-10 is effectively the entire route. Carriers leave Los Angeles through the San Bernardino pass, cross the desert past Palm Springs and Blythe, run through Phoenix and Tucson, then Las Cruces, and enter Texas at El Paso before the long West Texas stretch past Fort Stockton into San Antonio.
The chokepoints sit at the two ends: Los Angeles Basin traffic on the way out, and the I-10 and I-35 interchange zone around San Antonio on the way in. The middle is remote rather than congested, with long gaps between services across West Texas, so carriers manage fuel and driving hours carefully.
Why This Lane Prices by Direction
The two directions of the California to Texas corridor behave differently, and Car Haul Direct prices them differently. Eastbound, California to Texas, is the cheaper heading at $800-$1,200, because more vehicles leave Southern California than return and carriers discount to fill a truck heading out of the region.
Westbound, Texas to California, runs $1,000-$1,400 for the same vehicle and endpoints. Fewer trucks point that way, so carriers can be choosier about the loads they accept. The premium is not large, and booking 1-2 weeks ahead usually closes most of the gap by letting your coordinator place the vehicle with a carrier already planning a return run west.
Shipping Eastbound: Los Angeles to San Antonio
Eastbound volume is led by household relocations from Southern California to Texas, military transfers toward the San Antonio installations, and online purchases from Los Angeles-area dealers and auctions. Eastbound is the cheaper heading because carriers discount to fill trucks leaving the region.
Pickup across the Los Angeles metro, including the San Fernando Valley, Orange County, and the Inland Empire, typically happens within 1-3 days of booking. Antelope Valley and far Inland Empire addresses can add 1-2 days.
Shipping Westbound: San Antonio to Los Angeles
Westbound shippers include families relocating to Southern California, military members transferring out of San Antonio, and auction and dealer inventory heading to California buyers. Westbound carries the higher band because fewer trucks head that way.
San Antonio metro pickups along I-10, I-35, and Loop 1604 typically schedule within 1-3 days of booking, and Hill Country addresses outside the loop can add 1-2 days.
Popular City Pairs on This Lane
- Anaheim, CA to San Antonio, TX: 1,330 miles, 3-5 days
- Long Beach, CA to San Antonio, TX: 1,345 miles, 3-5 days
- Los Angeles, CA to San Antonio, TX: 1,355 miles, 3-5 days
- Pasadena, CA to San Antonio, TX: 1,365 miles, 3-5 days
- Los Angeles, CA to New Braunfels, TX: 1,385 miles, 3-5 days
