What Is the Time Frame for Shipping a Car to Alaska?
The realistic answer: two to four weeks door to door. That breaks into three stages: the overland leg to a West Coast port, usually Tacoma or Seattle, which takes one to five days depending on where you start; the ocean leg, which sails on a fixed weekly schedule and takes roughly three to six days at sea; and final delivery or port pickup in Alaska. The biggest variable is not driving time, it is the sailing schedule, so missing a port cutoff by a day can add a week. The full breakdown below.
Are you planning on shipping your car to Alaska soon? If so, you may want to know the timeline to transport your vehicle to its destination.
While shipping time can vary in sending a car to Alaska, there is a rough guideline for how long you can expect the whole process to take. Below, we’ll walk you through this timeline and give additional information on ensuring that shipping goes smoothly.
Let’s get started!
Approximate Timeline for Shipping a Car to Alaska
First, it’s crucial to emphasize that there is no single rule on how long shipping a vehicle to Alaska will take. There are too many variables influencing shipping time to say with certainty exactly how much time you’ll need to wait.
That said, shipping a car to Alaska typically takes two to four weeks door to door. Some companies quote only the overland portion of the trip, which is why you will sometimes see much shorter estimates; the ocean leg and the port sailing schedule are what actually set the timeline.
Next, we’ll look at some reasons that shipping might take more or less time than you’d expect.
Factors that Influence Shipping Time
So, why does it not always take the same time to ship a car to Alaska?
A few key factors can increase or decrease a vehicle’s transit time. The most crucial variables to consider are the time of year, where the car will be dropped off within Alaska, and the road and transport vehicle conditions.
Let’s break down these factors in a bit more depth.
Seasonal Traffic and Weather
During certain parts of the year, increased traffic and icy weather conditions can make shipping times increase. This increase is especially the case in instances where factors like blizzards and rain storms can make traveling unsafe.
Traffic is generally much higher during holidays and significant seasonal events, so planning your shipment for a less busy time can offer substantial advantages.
Specific Dropoff Point
Depending on what part of Alaska you’re transporting your vehicle to, shipping can take longer or less time than expected.
If there are significantly more miles between the port and the ultimate dropoff location, you can plan for a longer shipping time and likely a higher total shipping price.
Vehicle and Road Conditions
Not all shipping vehicles and roads are in peak condition. If the truck carrying your car experiences damages or malfunctioning during shipment, transport will almost certainly take longer.
Likewise, poor or hazardous road conditions result in slower speeds and more days before a completed shipment.
Cost of Shipping a Vehicle to Alaska
Now that we know how long it usually takes to ship your car to Alaska, the next question is straightforward: How much will the shipping cost?
As with shipping time, price is often highly variable. Variables such as distance, time of year, size and type of vehicle, and which transport company you use can all influence the final shipping price.
That said, most customers typically pay somewhere in the range of $1500-4500 to ship their car to Alaska.
How to Prepare a Car for Shipment
When preparing your vehicle for transport to Alaska, there are several items you’ll want to check to ensure that the shipment goes smoothly.
Here’s a list of common concerns to address before shipping your car:
- Wash the car. This makes it easier to perform an inspection on the vehicle.
- Remove valuable or dangerous belongings. Carriers might reject cars that contain valuable or unsafe objects.
- Verify the vehicle still runs correctly. A car that can steer, stop, and generally function is essential.
- Copy any keys. The last thing anyone wants is to lose a necessary set of keys. Make sure you have copies!
- Include antifreeze. Low Alaskan temperatures make antifreeze a definite necessity.
Conclusion
Shipping a vehicle to Alaska is an imposing task. Still, typically you shouldn’t expect the process to take much longer than a few weeks (with most deliveries taking a significantly shorter amount of time.) That said, having a detailed shipping plan is often a good idea to prevent unneeded hassles.
Want to know more about vehicle shipping and transport? Call Ship A Car or check out our other blog posts and online resources!
