California → Texas
Car Shipping from California to Texas
California to Texas is a genuinely two-directional lane, which is the best thing that can happen to a shipping rate. Trucks find freight both ways along I-10 and I-20, so you're not paying for an empty return trip the way you would on a seasonal corridor.
We move vehicles weekly from Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and the Bay Area into Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio — personal moves, corporate relocations, dealer transfers and auction pickups.
California ↔ Texas at a glance
- Distance
- ~1,450 road miles
- Transit time
- 3–5 days
- Open transport estimate
- $1,100 – $1,450
- Enclosed transport estimate
- $1,450 – $2,175
Estimates are for a standard operable sedan on the per-mile bands we publish. SUVs, pickups, oversized and non-running vehicles are quoted individually.
Pickup areas we serve
California
- Los Angeles
- Orange County
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Sacramento
Delivery areas we serve
Texas
- Dallas
- Fort Worth
- Austin
- Houston
- San Antonio
- El Paso
Seasonal demand
Year-round — one of the steadiest lanes in the country
Migration between California and Texas runs all twelve months, so capacity is reliable and pricing is stable. Summer is the busiest stretch because of school-year relocations.
- • Population migration
- • Corporate relocations
- • Dealer and auction freight
- • Military moves
Why this lane prices well year round
Balanced freight. Texas ships cars west, California ships cars east, and there's steady dealer and auction volume in both directions. When a carrier can fill a return deck, they don't need to price the empty miles into your quote.
The exception is timing around the start of the school year. July and August pull relocation freight forward and rates firm up. If you can ship in May or September instead, you'll usually see a better number on the same route.
How long the trip takes
Three to five days in transit. Dallas and Houston are the fastest drops; El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley add a day.
Transit time is measured from the moment your vehicle is loaded, not from the day you book. Federal hours-of-service rules cap a driver at roughly 500 miles a day, and every additional stop on the load adds time.
Tips for this route
- Ask about expedited pickup if you're on a hard start date for a new job.
- Corporate relocations: we can bill the company directly and coordinate with your HR contact.
- Multiple vehicles on one load usually cost less per car than two separate bookings.
- Note any low ground clearance up front so dispatch sends a suitable trailer.
California ↔ Texas questions
- How much does it cost to ship a car from Los Angeles to Dallas?
- Open transport typically lands in the range shown above for a standard sedan, with SUVs and trucks toward the top. Enclosed transport runs higher.
- How long does California to Texas shipping take?
- Three to five days once loaded, depending on the Texas metro.
- Do you handle dealer and auction pickups?
- Yes. We move single units and multi-car loads out of dealerships and auction lots on this corridor every week.
Related routes
Ready to ship California to Texas?
A specialist prices your exact vehicle and dates, confirms the carrier and stays with the shipment through delivery.
$0 due today. Just $299 when your driver is dispatched and the balance COD.