1-3
DAYS TO PICKUP, PHILADELPHIA & PITTSBURGH
$250-$1,900
OPEN TRANSPORT, BY DESTINATION
I-76 · I-80 · I-95
PRIMARY CARRIER CORRIDORS
Key Takeaways
Typical cost: Pennsylvania to New York runs $250-$500 on an open carrier, Pennsylvania to Chicago $650-$950, Pennsylvania to Florida $900-$1,400, Pennsylvania to Texas $900-$1,250, and cross-country to California $1,300-$1,700. Enclosed transport typically adds 40 to 60 percent.
Transit time: New York takes 1-3 days, Chicago 2-3 days, Florida 3-5 days, Texas 4-6 days, and the West Coast 7-10 days once the vehicle is picked up.
Seasonality: Snowbird traffic runs south to Florida from October through December and north again from March through May, and prices move $150-$300 with those peaks.
Savings tip: Pittsburgh sits roughly 450 miles closer to the West Coast than Philadelphia, so taking delivery in western Pennsylvania saves roughly $100-$200 on a California move and usually arrives a day sooner.
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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania stretches from the I-95 corridor at Philadelphia to the Ohio Valley at Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike carries carrier traffic between them every day. Metro pickup windows in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh run 1-3 days. Open transport prices between $250 and $1,900 depending on destination, with short Northeast hops at the low end and West Coast runs at the top. These are the routes we book most often from Pennsylvania.
- Pennsylvania to New York: 90-300 miles, 1-3 days
- Pennsylvania to Chicago: 460-760 miles, 2-3 days
- Pennsylvania to Florida: 950-1,250 miles, 3-5 days
- Pennsylvania to Texas: 1,300-1,550 miles, 4-6 days
- Pennsylvania to California: 2,400-2,900 miles, 7-10 days
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Turnpike Split
Philadelphia anchors the eastern end of the state on I-95, I-76, and I-476, with open moves pricing at $300-$450 to New York City, $550-$800 to Charlotte, $650-$950 to Chicago, $900-$1,400 to Florida, $900-$1,250 to Texas, and $1,400-$1,900 to Los Angeles at the peak of the summer season. Pittsburgh sits about 450 miles closer to California, so West Coast runs out of western Pennsylvania price at the low end of the $1,300-$1,700 band and usually finish a day quicker.
Allentown, Harrisburg, Scranton, and Erie fill in between the two anchors. I-78 and I-80 carry Lehigh Valley and Poconos traffic, I-81 links Scranton down to Harrisburg, and I-79 connects Erie to Pittsburgh. Erie and the northwest corner sit off the main carrier flow, so those pickups add a day and a small premium over the Turnpike metros. Penn State, Pitt, and Lehigh turn over in late August and again in May, which tightens carrier space on the I-80 and I-78 lanes in those weeks.
Pickup and Delivery Across Pennsylvania
Metro pickups in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh usually dispatch within 1-3 days of booking. The Alleghenies and the northern tier are served by carriers running I-80 and I-81, which can add a day compared with the Turnpike corridor. Winter matters more here than in most states: the Poconos and the mountain grades on I-80 collect lake-effect and mountain snow from December through March, and a storm can add a day or two to a scheduled run. Many Philadelphia rowhouse streets and older Pittsburgh neighborhoods are too tight for a 75-foot rig, so drivers arrange to meet at a nearby lot or wide arterial road, and your coordinator confirms the spot before pickup day. Non-running vehicles need a winch and typically add $100-$200 to the quote.
Pennsylvania Car Shipping FAQs
Most standard sedans and SUVs run $900-$1,400 on an open carrier over the 950-1,250 miles between the two states, and transit is 3-5 days once the car is loaded. Enclosed transport typically adds 40 to 60 percent, about $360-$840 on this lane. Snowbird demand swings prices $150-$300, with southbound traffic peaking October through December and northbound March through May.
Cross-country runs of 2,400-2,900 miles typically price at $1,300-$1,700 for open transport and take 7-10 days. Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania sit at the low end of that band, Philadelphia and the eastern suburbs at the high end. Enclosed service typically adds 40 to 60 percent.
Pickup in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh usually happens within 1-3 days of booking. Once the car is loaded, count on 1-3 days to New York, 2-3 days to Chicago, 3-5 days to Florida, 4-6 days to Texas, and 7-10 days to the West Coast. Erie and the northern tier can add a day on either end.
Philadelphia to New York City runs $300-$450 on an open carrier over roughly 90 to 95 miles depending on the exact pickup and delivery points, usually 1-2 days. It is the shortest lane we run in the region and sits near the bottom of the $250-$500 Pennsylvania to New York range.
Pittsburgh is roughly 450 miles closer to California than Philadelphia, so the carrier covers less distance and less fuel. That usually saves roughly $100-$200 on the quote and gets the car there about a day sooner. If you have flexibility on the delivery point, a western Pennsylvania handoff is the cheaper option.
It can. The Poconos and the mountain grades on I-80 collect lake-effect and mountain snow from December through March, and Erie sits in one of the heaviest snow belts in the country. A storm typically adds a day or two to a scheduled run. Carriers plan around the forecast, and your coordinator updates you if a driver has to reroute.
Open transport is the right choice for most vehicles and prices at $250-$1,900 from Pennsylvania depending on destination. Enclosed typically adds 40 to 60 percent and makes sense for classics, exotics, and low-clearance cars. Some owners choose it in winter to keep road salt off the vehicle, which matters on Pennsylvania roads from December through March.
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.
Pennsylvania Cities We Serve
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Allentown
- Harrisburg
- Erie
- Scranton
- Reading
- Bethlehem
