Car Shipping from San Francisco, CA to Seattle, WA

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Distance
829 mi
Transit Time
2-3 days
Estimated Cost
$550–$850
High Volume

Shipping from San Francisco, CA

The Bay Area is a high volume auto transport market but it has some quirks worth knowing about. San Francisco proper is tough for carriers because of the hills, narrow streets, and parking situation. Most carriers prefer to pick up and drop off in Oakland, the East Bay, San Jose, or the Peninsula rather than inside the city limits. The Port of Oakland handles significant vehicle import traffic and there is a Manheim location in the Bay Area that keeps carrier activity flowing. The dealer market across the metro is solid, especially in the South Bay. This is a strong market overall, just not always easy to access in SF proper.

Pickups in the Bay Area run 2 to 4 days typically. If your car is in Oakland, Fremont, San Jose, or anywhere in the East Bay or South Bay it is smooth and often faster. If it is in San Francisco itself, be ready to coordinate a meetup at a more accessible location. We can usually arrange this easily and it is not a big hurdle. The carrier volume heading out of the Bay Area on I-80 toward the East, I-5 toward LA and the Pacific Northwest, and Highway 50 toward Sacramento is strong. There is always a truck heading your direction.

High Volume

Arriving in Seattle, WA

Seattle is a solid auto transport market with a geographic reality that matters. It is in the top left corner of the continental US. That means carriers heading here are usually at the end of a run and need to turn around and head back south or east. The Port of Seattle handles vehicle imports and Manheim has a location in the area. The dealer market across Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and the surrounding suburbs is healthy. I-5 is the main artery connecting Seattle to Portland and LA to the south, and I-90 is the primary eastern route heading toward Spokane and eventually the Midwest. It is an active market, just not quite the crossroads that cities further south and east enjoy.

Delivering to Seattle is active on the I-5 southbound to northbound return runs. Carriers who just dropped cars in Portland often pick up in Seattle before heading south again. Delivery from California is frequent and well serviced. Coming in from the east on I-90 takes a bit more coordination but it gets done regularly. Plan for 3 to 5 days on most routes.

Pricing on This Route

Shipping a standard sedan from San Francisco to Seattle on open carrier currently estimates between $550 and $850. That is based on the 829-mile distance and current market conditions.

The Bay Area runs slightly above the national average. The street access challenge adds a small premium, and the cost of operating in California generally pushes prices up a little versus comparable distances in other states. Popular lanes like Bay Area to LA, Bay Area to Portland, and Bay Area to Las Vegas are very competitive. Long haul routes to the Midwest and East Coast are solid but expect to pay market rate or slightly above. Get a quote for your exact route.

Seattle runs slightly above the national average. The corner positioning means carriers are not passing through on their way somewhere else, they are specifically routing to or from the Pacific Northwest. That adds a small premium versus interior cities. The I-5 corridor to and from California is the most competitive lane. Routes to the Midwest run longer and slightly higher in cost because of the distance and mountain crossings. Get a quote for your specific route.

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