California to Texas
- Distance
- 1,500 mi
- Transit
- 3–6 days
- Open from
- $1,000
California · I-80
Car Shipping San Francisco, CA
Door-to-door auto transport from $725 · Pickup in 1–3 days · Open and enclosed carriers
- Austin: from $1,275
- New York City: from $1,550
- Dallas: from $1,250
888-706-8784Specialists answer 7 days a week
Quote from San Francisco
Compare quotes from licensed, bonded carriers.
- 1. Route
- 2. Vehicle
- 3. Contact
No obligation · Takes 60 seconds · We never sell your data
- Insured carriers
- 1–5 day pickup
- No deposit to us
- Interstates
- I-80, I-280, US-101
- Nearest terminal or port
- Port of Oakland; carrier yards in Oakland, Hayward and Richmond
- Typical pickup lead time
- 1–3 days
- after booking
- To Austin
- $1,275 – $1,675
- 4–7 days · open
- To New York City
- $1,550 – $2,050
- 7–11 days · open
- To Dallas
- $1,250 – $1,650
- 4–7 days · open
Car shipping in San Francisco: the meeting-point city
San Francisco is the one big city where a car hauler almost never comes to the door. The hills, the narrow streets, the overhead wires and the absence of anywhere for a 75-foot truck to turn mean that nearly every pickup and delivery inside the city happens at a meeting point: a wide street in Mission Bay or near the ballpark, a lot in Daly City or South San Francisco, the flat blocks of the Marina and the Presidio, or the garage exit at a larger building. Drivers who work the Bay Area have a regular spot for every neighborhood, and your specialist confirms it when the truck is assigned.
The lane itself is busy and well priced. The Bay Area sends more relocations to Austin, Denver, Seattle and Dallas than almost anywhere, along with students, corporate transfers, retirees leaving for Arizona and Nevada, and a large share of the country's EV shipments. The carrier yards in Oakland, Hayward and Richmond build loads daily for I-80 east and I-5 south. The quote form above is set to San Francisco; add the other end of the trip and your vehicle for a range.
Pickup and delivery in the city and around the Bay
Inside the city, plan on a meeting point. The Marina, Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, the Castro, Noe Valley, the Mission, the Haight, the Richmond, the Sunset and Bernal Heights all have hills, narrow streets or both, and the driver names a spot the day before. The regulars are Mission Bay and the streets around the ballpark, the Presidio's flat blocks near Crissy Field, the big-box lots in Daly City and South San Francisco, and the Stonestown area for the west side. SoMa and downtown buildings with a loading dock can use it if management opens it. SFO's hotel lots on El Camino and South Airport Boulevard are the usual handover for anyone flying the same day.
Outside the city, most of the Bay is a driveway pickup. The Peninsula from South San Francisco to Palo Alto, the East Bay flats in Oakland, Alameda, San Leandro, Hayward, Fremont, Walnut Creek, Concord and Pleasanton, and Marin's flatter towns take a 75-foot truck wherever the street lets it turn. The Oakland and Berkeley hills, Sausalito, Mill Valley's canyons and the coast are meeting points at the bottom of the hill.
EVs come up on most Bay Area bookings. Ship at 30 to 60 percent charge, show the driver how to put the car in transport or neutral mode, and know the weight is already in the price if you declared the model. Belongings stay under about 100 pounds, below the window line, uninsured. The FasTrak comes off the windshield. A car leaving California keeps its title with you and a financed or leased car crosses state lines without lender approval.
Weather is rarely a factor at this end. Winter storms over Donner Pass on I-80 can hold an eastbound truck for a day, and drivers use I-5 and I-40 instead when the pass closes; nothing is charged for the hold.
Outbound
Top routes from San Francisco
Where San Francisco customers ship most. Each route page has a full price table by vehicle.
California to Florida
- Distance
- 2,730 mi
- Transit
- 6–9 days
- Open from
- $1,400
California to New York
- Distance
- 2,790 mi
- Transit
- 7–10 days
- Open from
- $1,450
Price examples
What it costs to ship a car from San Francisco
Sedan, running, standard pickup window. Reverse direction prices are usually within 10% of these.
| From San Francisco to | Distance | Transit | Open carrier | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | 1,750 mi | 4–7 days | $1,275 – $1,675 | $1,850 – $2,450 |
| New York City, NY | 2,900 mi | 7–11 days | $1,550 – $2,050 | $2,225 – $2,975 |
| Dallas, TX | 1,730 mi | 4–7 days | $1,250 – $1,650 | $1,825 – $2,400 |
| Chicago, IL | 2,130 mi | 5–8 days | $1,350 – $1,800 | $1,975 – $2,600 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 750 mi | 2–4 days | $725 – $950 | $1,050 – $1,400 |
- Distance1,750 miTransit4–7 daysOpen carrier$1,275 – $1,675Enclosed$1,850 – $2,450
- Distance2,900 miTransit7–11 daysOpen carrier$1,550 – $2,050Enclosed$2,225 – $2,975
- Distance1,730 miTransit4–7 daysOpen carrier$1,250 – $1,650Enclosed$1,825 – $2,400
- Distance2,130 miTransit5–8 daysOpen carrier$1,350 – $1,800Enclosed$1,975 – $2,600
- Distance750 miTransit2–4 daysOpen carrier$725 – $950Enclosed$1,050 – $1,400
Services
Car shipping services in San Francisco
The services San Francisco customers book most, with the low end of each typical range.
- from $1,400
Cross-Country Shipping
Coast to coast in 7–10 days on I-40, I-70 or I-80. Priced per mile far below short hauls.
Learn more - from $800
Enclosed Transport
Hard-sided trailers for classic, exotic, luxury and low-clearance cars. Weather and road-debris protection.
Learn more - from $550
Open Transport
The standard for 9 in 10 shipments. Two-level open trailers, lowest cost, fastest pickup.
Learn more
Why AutoShippingUS
Why San Francisco drivers choose AutoShippingUS
A meeting point named for the neighborhood
Most city streets and garage exits do not suit a hauler. The driver names Mission Bay, the Presidio, Daly City or an SFO hotel lot when the truck is assigned, and you get the spot with the driver's number.
The Austin, Denver and Seattle lanes, priced at the lane rate
Bay Area relocations to Texas, Colorado and the Pacific Northwest are among the busiest outbound lanes in the West, and we quote them at the competitive outbound number rather than a long-distance premium.
EVs booked with the right details
Charge level, transport mode and weight go on every Bay Area EV booking, and your specialist confirms that the assigned carrier has moved the model before the truck is dispatched.
Questions
San Francisco car shipping questions
Not covered here? A specialist can answer route-specific questions in a couple of minutes.
888-706-8784Roughly $1,100–$1,500 to Austin, $1,500–$2,050 to New York, $1,100–$1,500 to Dallas, $1,300–$1,750 to Chicago and $650–$925 to Phoenix for a running sedan on an open carrier. Enclosed adds 40–60%; SUVs and pickups 12–20%.
One to three days. Bay Area loads are built from the yards in Oakland, Hayward and Richmond and leave on I-80 east or I-5 south daily; the city itself is always a meeting point.
A wide street or a lot the truck can reach: the area around the ballpark and Mission Bay, the lots in Daly City and South San Francisco, the Presidio's flat streets near the Marina, or a garage exit at a larger building. Your specialist confirms the spot when the truck is assigned.
Almost never inside the city. Hills, narrow streets, overhead wires and no room to turn mean a 75-foot hauler cannot stop safely in most neighborhoods. The Peninsula and East Bay suburbs are direct to the door.
It is one of the busiest relocation lanes in the country. Trucks run it weekly and prices from the Bay Area to Austin, Dallas and Denver are competitive for the distance.
May through August for relocations out of the Bay Area. November through February is cheapest apart from the holiday weeks. Inbound is steady all year.
Yes; the Bay Area ships more EVs than anywhere. Ship at 30–60% charge, show the driver transport mode, and expect the weight to be in the price if you declared the model.
Guides
Before you ship from San Francisco
9 min read
How to Ship a Car: The Complete 2026 Guide
Get quotes, pick a carrier, hand over the keys with an inspection report, and receive the car on delivery. The whole process takes 60 seconds to start and 1–10 days to finish, depending on distance.
Read the guide
8 min read
How to Ship a Car You Bought Online or Out of State
Confirm the seller or dealer will release the car to a carrier, get the pickup contact and hours, ship on an open carrier for most purchases, and inspect on delivery before the driver leaves. Expect $550–$2,000 depending on distance.
Read the guide7 min read
How to Prepare a Car for Shipping: 12-Point Checklist
Wash the car, photograph every panel, leave a quarter tank of fuel, remove personal items and toll tags, fold in mirrors, note existing damage on the Bill of Lading, and hand over one set of keys.
Read the guide
Ready to ship a car from San Francisco?
Carriers pick up across San Francisco in 1–3 days. Enter your route and vehicle and a specialist confirms a firm price within business hours.
Average response time under 5 minutes during business hours (Mon–Sun 7am–9pm ET).
Last updated September 12, 2026 · Written by the AutoShippingUS Editorial Team · Reviewed by Christofer Whiteman, Editor · Industry review by Sarah Williams, Independent auto transport consultant, 20 years in the industry