Transporting a car can be done by train, truck, airplane or a marine vessel. Your time-frame, budget and preferences will determine your choice of auto transport mode.
Shipping a car by truck
Transporting a vehicle with a trucking company is the standard and most popular mode when it comes to domestic relocation. When shipping a car by train you still need a car carrier to take the vehicle to the train. Thus, instead of loading and unloading twice, you may as well just have it once. In fact, these days very few people ship their cars by train in the US.
It is not a secret that America runs on trucks. Transporting a car by truck is faster and more efficient. An auto transport company can often arrange a pick-up the same day if there is a truck in your area.
When booking your service make sure the carrier company is licensed and insured. In order to check that, you can go to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and find the MS and USDOT numbers.
Shipping a car by train
Amtrak allows you to ship your car along with your household stuff and you in the auto train. Amtrak trains travel between Washington, DC and Orlando on a daily basis. Their coverage is very limited, mainly to the east coast. On their website you can find out more about prices, sleeping accommodation and more details about shipping.
As you can see there are limitations when it comes to using the Amtrak auto train. The limitations are quite important as they have to do with the route and the personal items you can load. Most importantly, you can not choose your own route and your car will not be delivered to your door.
Time and price also vary depending on the space availability on the train, geographic location, weather conditions.
When the distance to be traveled is longer than 750 miles, then shipping your car by train might be cheaper than shipping with a trucking company. Still the best thing to do is to collect several auto shipping quotes and then compare the prices. You have to think about what type of service you prefer exactly, and what are you willing to sacrifice.
Booking your shipment with Amtrak could be cheaper than booking with a car carrier shipping company. The reason is that the train moves along specified route and can carry hundreds of vehicles at once. A car carrier can carry up to 10 vehicles, and deliver door-to-door. This makes a huge difference in the price, but also in the type of service you receive.
To learn more about how auto transport works, and why the best way is to ship a car with an auto transport company, browse our websites and review our guides. Learn more about all modes of car transport such as open and enclosed carriers. Visit our Questions section to find answers to common questions or just call us to discuss your options and preferences. Thank you.
