Delaware Car Shipping & Auto Transport Services

Each figure below is an estimate. It starts from road miles between the pickup and drop-off addresses and is shown as a range, because the final quote also reflects the vehicle, the dates and whether the car rides open or enclosed. Delaware sits in the middle of the Northeast corridor, so the cheapest departures head south and west along the interstates. Dover to Charlotte, North Carolina (497 miles) is estimated at $431–$616, Dover to Indianapolis (661 miles) at $490–$701, and Newark to Chicago (734 miles) at $534–$763.

Where in Delaware the car starts matters much less than where it ends. Atlanta to Milford (736 miles) is estimated at $536–$765, Newark to Atlanta (736 miles) at $536–$765 and Dover to Atlanta (735 miles) at $535–$764. Dallas shows the same pattern: Dallas to Newark is $917–$1,310, Dallas to Dover (1,427 miles) is $919–$1,313 and Dover to Dallas (1,428 miles) is $920–$1,314. A pickup in New Castle County and one in Kent County cost nearly the same on a long run, and outbound and inbound estimates for the same pair of towns are almost identical.

On the longest runs the numbers climb into four figures. Denver to New Castle (1,732 miles) is estimated at $994–$1,420, Phoenix to Newark (2,316 miles) at $1,054–$1,505 and Middletown to Phoenix (2,350 miles) at $1,069–$1,528. From California, San Diego to Newark (2,668 miles) is estimated at $1,177–$1,681 and Los Angeles to Newark (2,685 miles) at $1,184–$1,692. Los Angeles to Wilmington (2,702 miles) comes out at $1,154–$1,648, a little lower despite the extra miles, which shows why a quote for your exact addresses is worth requesting.

What moves a price within its range:

• Street and building type. Wilmington has blocks of rowhouses and one-way streets where a full-length carrier cannot park, so the driver may ask you to meet at a nearby lot. Suburban Bear, Middletown and Smyrna are easy by comparison, and farm roads in western Sussex County may call for a meeting point on Route 13.
• Vehicle. A pickup truck, a long SUV or a car that will not start takes more room or a winch. Tell us about lift kits, racks and wide tires when you ask for a quote.
• Open or enclosed. Open trailers cost less and carry most cars. Enclosed space costs more and is booked separately.
• Calendar. Summer beach traffic, university move-in weeks and military moving season all tighten truck space. A pickup window of several days usually gets a better match than a single fixed date.

Two periods add up to the total. First, a driver is assigned and reaches the car, usually within 1–3 business days after booking. Then comes transit. On the Delaware routes we price, a trip of 497 to 661 miles takes 1–2 days: Dover to Charlotte (497 miles) and Dover to Indianapolis (661 miles) both fit this band. At 734 to 775 miles it is 2–3 days, as for Newark to Atlanta (736 miles), Newark to Chicago (734 miles) and Middletown to Chicago (775 miles). Dallas, at 1,424 to 1,428 miles, is 3–5 days, Denver to New Castle (1,732 miles) is 4–7 days, the Arizona runs of 2,316 to 2,350 miles are 5–8 days, and the California runs of 2,668 to 2,702 miles take 7–9 days.

The state’s roads shape the schedule. Interstate 95 crosses the northern tip through Wilmington and Newark, and Interstate 295 and the Delaware Memorial Bridge link it to New Jersey. Route 1, a toll road for much of its length, runs south from the Wilmington area past Dover to the beaches, and the Route 301 toll road gives Middletown a second way toward Maryland. Crashes on I-95 near Wilmington and bridge backups can cost a driver an hour or two before the car has left the state, and a Friday afternoon in July can double the drive to Rehoboth and Bethany.

Meeting spots are easy in most of the state. A big-box parking lot off Route 13 in Dover or a shopping-center lot in Newark works for a full-length carrier, while a tight Wilmington side street may not, so we usually agree on a wide street or open lot ahead of time.

Expect a call from the driver the day before pickup and again when the truck is about an hour away. Have the keys, a phone that will be answered and a printed or phone copy of your booking. If you cannot be there, name someone who can inspect the car and sign for you. On delivery, walk around the car with the driver, compare it with the pickup report and note anything new before you sign.

Delaware owners who choose a closed trailer tend to be a particular group: collectors and sports-car buyers in the Greenville and Brandywine area north of Wilmington, owners who keep a convertible at a shore house and want it free of salt air and sand, and dealers moving new or high-value stock. Winter brine on Interstate 95 and the Route 1 toll road is a second reason, since a low-slung car takes road spray and gravel on a long haul. Everyday sedans and SUVs usually travel on an open carrier, which costs less and has more trucks running. If you want the car sealed from weather and road debris, ask about enclosed transport when you request the quote. Fewer enclosed trucks serve the state, so choose your dates earlier than you would for open transport, and expect a small gap between the date you ask for and the first truck available.