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State guide · October 2026
What it costs to ship a car into or out of Pennsylvania, how pickups work in Philadelphia rowhouse blocks and on Pittsburgh hillsides, and the two deadlines PennDOT sets for a car from another state.
Written by Adam Scott, Coordinator at Broadway Auto Transport · October 20, 2026 · Prices updated October 20, 2026
Live carrier rates · ~30 seconds
Prefer a human? Call (917) 594-5566. A coordinator answers.
The short answer
In October 2026 a running sedan on an open carrier costs about $1,020 from Philadelphia to Orlando and about $1,110 from Pittsburgh to Miami, with the Florida lanes up to 20% higher in the fall rush. Chicago to Pittsburgh runs about $520, Pittsburgh to Los Angeles about $1,395, and Philadelphia to Phoenix about $1,320.
Where in Pennsylvania the car is decides how fast a truck comes and whether it reaches the door. Tap a city to price a pickup there.
Philadelphia lies on I-95, the East Coast car-hauler route, with I-76 and the Northeast Extension within half an hour, so carriers pass through daily. Narrow rowhouse blocks across most of the city send pickups to lots near Roosevelt Boulevard or I-95. Philadelphia to Orlando priced at about $1,020 in October 2026, Philadelphia to Charlotte about $640, and Miami to Philadelphia about $870.
Pittsburgh is where I-79 and I-376 meet near the three rivers, with the Turnpike skirting the north and east suburbs, and it starts most of Pennsylvania's Midwest lanes. Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, and Duquesne fill August move-in. Chicago to Pittsburgh priced at about $520 in October 2026, Pittsburgh to Miami about $1,110, and Pittsburgh to Dallas about $1,170.
The capital sits where I-81, I-83, and the Turnpike come close together, a truck crossroads for the whole East. Each October the AACA Eastern Fall Meet at Hershey, about 15 miles east, draws antique cars from across the country, and Carlisle's fairground car shows run from April through the summer. Collectors often ship to both on enclosed trucks.
Price a pickup in HarrisburgAllentown anchors the Lehigh Valley on I-78 and US-22, with the Northeast Extension (I-476) just west of the city. Warehouse growth along I-78 has brought new jobs and new residents, and Lehigh, Lafayette, and Muhlenberg add student moves. Door pickup works in most suburbs, while older center-city blocks may need a meet-up.
Price a pickup in AllentownLancaster is roughly 12 miles south of the Turnpike on US-222 and US-30, and the Manheim auction, one of the largest in the country, sits in Manheim borough just north. Dealer traffic runs year-round. Amish farm roads with buggies and narrow shoulders make rural pickups slow, so plan a meet-up off US-30 for a farm address.
Price a pickup in LancasterReading lies on US-222 and US-422, and I-176 links it to the Turnpike in a short drive south. Albright College and Alvernia University bring students, and the city's older rowhouse grid can call for a meet-up. A lane from central Texas shows up here, with Killeen, outside Fort Hood, to Reading priced at about $1,025 in October 2026.
Erie is Pennsylvania's only Great Lakes port, near where I-79 crosses I-90, so trucks between Cleveland and Buffalo pass close by. Lake-effect snow from November to March is the biggest scheduling risk, and a pickup can slip a day when a band sets up. Penn State Behrend and Gannon University bring student moves in August and May.
Price a pickup in EriePenn State's main campus sits off I-99, about 15 miles south of I-80. Home football weekends at Beaver Stadium bring more than 100,000 people to town, so avoid a fall Saturday handoff. Move-in in mid-August and commencement in May are the heaviest weeks, and a lot along North Atherton Street is the usual meeting spot.
Price a pickup in State CollegeWhat it costs
Pennsylvania ships like two states joined by a turnpike. Philadelphia and its suburbs sit on I-95, the main car-hauler route between New England and Florida, and a truck passes them every day of the year. Pittsburgh sits at the other end, about 300 miles west, where the Turnpike and I-79 meet and the routes to Chicago and the Midwest begin. In between are the Allegheny ridges, crossed by the Turnpike and I-80, and a long list of towns that are a detour for any carrier.
Figures on this page are October 2026 prices for a running sedan on an open carrier, refreshed monthly. Which end of the state you are in decides most of a Pennsylvania move. Philadelphia moves run on the I-95 calendar, busiest in the fall rush to Florida and the spring return, and often end at a meet-up lot because rowhouse blocks are too tight for a carrier. Pittsburgh moves are mostly Midwest and westbound lanes, with hills to plan around. Either way, PennDOT gives a new resident 20 days to title and register, then 10 days to pass a safety inspection.
These are October 2026 figures for the state. Your exact lane, vehicle, and week take about 30 seconds.
See my exact priceLocked 14 days · $0 until dispatch
Approximate prices, October 2026 · open carrier · running sedan · 20 Pennsylvania lanes
Prices on this page are for a running sedan on an open carrier, priced in October 2026. They are for planning. Addresses near I-95, the Turnpike, and Pittsburgh's main routes sit at the low end; the northern tier along US-6 and the ridge towns sit higher and wait longer for a truck. The calculator prices your exact ZIP pair in about 30 seconds and holds that figure for 14 days.
What moves the number
Approximate October 2026 prices for a running sedan on an open carrier. Larger vehicles, enclosed trailers, and peak weeks cost more; the calculator prices your exact shipment.
Lanes · October 2026
Approximate prices for a running sedan on an open carrier, with the range most trucks on the lane land in. “Truck assigned in” is how long it usually takes to find a carrier. Transit is what one driver covers at 400 to 500 miles a day after that.
$1,020most trucks $770–$1,270
999 mi2–3 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–2 days
I-95 carries this lane from Philadelphia nearly to Daytona Beach, then I-4 runs into Orlando, about 999 miles. It priced at about $1,020 in October 2026, and late October through November is when Pennsylvania snowbirds book it most.
Price this route$1,110most trucks $890–$1,325
1,177 mi3 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–25 hours
From Pittsburgh, trucks head south on I-79 and I-77 through West Virginia and the Carolinas before joining I-95, about 1,177 miles. This lane priced at about $1,110 in October 2026, most trucks between $890 and $1,325.
Price this route$870most trucks $700–$1,040
1,197 mi3 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–25 hours
Northbound in October, Miami to Philadelphia priced at about $870, below the southbound Philadelphia to Orlando figure despite about 200 more miles. Fort Lauderdale to Philadelphia came in lower still at about $745. Both lanes tighten in March and April.
Price this route$520most trucks $415–$625
461 mi1–2 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–17 hours
Trucks cross on the Indiana Toll Road and the Ohio Turnpike, then enter Pennsylvania on the Turnpike, about 461 miles and often a single day. At about $520 in October 2026 it was the cheapest Pennsylvania lane we priced.
Price this route$1,395most trucks $1,190–$1,600
2,430 mi5–7 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–5 days
Westbound carriers follow I-70 through Columbus, Indianapolis, and St. Louis, then I-44 and I-40, about 2,430 miles. Pittsburgh to Los Angeles priced at about $1,395 in October 2026, a little under the $1,450 for Los Angeles to Philadelphia.
Price this route$1,320most trucks $980–$1,660
2,343 mi5–6 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–2 hours
This 2,343-mile lane priced at about $1,320 in October 2026, but the band ran wide, from about $980 to $1,660, so the exact week matters. Trucks take the Turnpike west to I-70 and finish on I-40 and I-17 into Phoenix.
Price this route| Lane | Miles | Approx. price | Most trucks | Truck assigned in | Transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL → Pittsburgh, PA | 461 | $520 | $415–$625 | 1–17 hours | 1–2 days | 461 mi · 1–2 days · truck in 1–17 hours |
| Orlando, FL → Pittsburgh, PA | 973 | $955 | $760–$1,155 | 1–4 days | 2–3 days | 973 mi · 2–3 days · truck in 1–4 days |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL → Philadelphia, PA | 1,179 | $745 | $560–$930 | 1–16 hours | 3 days | 1,179 mi · 3 days · truck in 1–16 hours |
| Miami, FL → Philadelphia, PA | 1,197 | $870 | $700–$1,040 | 1–25 hours | 3 days | 1,197 mi · 3 days · truck in 1–25 hours |
| Dallas, TX → Philadelphia, PA | 1,465 | $990 | $820–$1,165 | 1–18 hours | 3–4 days | 1,465 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–18 hours |
| Killeen, TX → Reading, PA | 1,587 | $1,025 | $870–$1,175 | 1–3 days | 4 days | 1,587 mi · 4 days · truck in 1–3 days |
| Phoenix, AZ → Pittsburgh, PA | 2,108 | $1,415 | $1,080–$1,750 | 1–24 hours | 5–6 days | 2,108 mi · 5–6 days · truck in 1–24 hours |
| Los Angeles, CA → Philadelphia, PA | 2,715 | $1,450 | $1,250–$1,650 | 1–3 days | 6–7 days | 2,715 mi · 6–7 days · truck in 1–3 days |
| Lane | Miles | Approx. price | Most trucks | Truck assigned in | Transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost Creek, PA → Washington, NH | 368 | $565 | $455–$670 | 1–18 hours | 1 day | 368 mi · 1 day · truck in 1–18 hours |
| Philadelphia, PA → Charlotte, NC | 565 | $640 | $545–$735 | 1–19 hours | 2 days | 565 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–19 hours |
| Philadelphia, PA → Chicago, IL | 760 | $755 | $605–$900 | 1–10 days | 2 days | 760 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–10 days |
| Philadelphia, PA → Jacksonville, FL | 860 | $1,055 | $875–$1,235 | 1–24 hours | 2–3 days | 860 mi · 2–3 days · truck in 1–24 hours |
| Philadelphia, PA → Orlando, FL | 999 | $1,020 | $770–$1,270 | 1–2 days | 2–3 days | 999 mi · 2–3 days · truck in 1–2 days |
| Tyrone, PA → Ida Grove, IA | 1,018 | $1,350 | $1,025–$1,670 | 1–3 days | 3 days | 1,018 mi · 3 days · truck in 1–3 days |
| Bellwood, PA → Ida Grove, IA | 1,026 | $1,380 | $1,055–$1,700 | 1–3 days | 3 days | 1,026 mi · 3 days · truck in 1–3 days |
| Pittsburgh, PA → Miami, FL | 1,177 | $1,110 | $890–$1,325 | 1–25 hours | 3 days | 1,177 mi · 3 days · truck in 1–25 hours |
| Pittsburgh, PA → Dallas, TX | 1,228 | $1,170 | $985–$1,355 | 1–3 days | 3–4 days | 1,228 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–3 days |
| Pittsburgh, PA → Boise, ID | 2,137 | $1,595 | $1,240–$1,945 | 1–4 hours | 5–6 days | 2,137 mi · 5–6 days · truck in 1–4 hours |
| Philadelphia, PA → Phoenix, AZ | 2,343 | $1,320 | $980–$1,660 | 1–2 hours | 5–6 days | 2,343 mi · 5–6 days · truck in 1–2 hours |
| Pittsburgh, PA → Los Angeles, CA | 2,430 | $1,395 | $1,190–$1,600 | 1–5 days | 5–7 days | 2,430 mi · 5–7 days · truck in 1–5 days |
Your lane is not in the table? Every ZIP pair in Pennsylvania prices the same way, in about 30 seconds.
Price my exact laneLocked 14 days · $0 until dispatch
Philadelphia, its suburbs in Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester counties, and the Lehigh Valley up I-476 and I-78 are the busiest part of the state for car moves. Every carrier running the I-95 corridor passes through, so a southeast Pennsylvania pickup rarely waits long. Philadelphia to Orlando priced at about $1,020 this month, and Miami to Philadelphia at about $870. The Florida lanes fill in late October and November, when seasonal residents head south, and again in March and April when they come back.
The catch in Philadelphia is the streets. South Philly, Fishtown, Northern Liberties, and most of the older city are rowhouse blocks, one lane wide with cars parked on both sides, and a 75-foot carrier cannot get in or turn around. The driver will ask to meet at a lot near I-95, Roosevelt Boulevard, or a big store with room to load. Plan for that from the start, and have the car somewhere you can drive it to the meet-up on short notice. Manheim Philadelphia, in Hatfield up the Northeast Extension, is the dealer hub for the region.
Pittsburgh is the start of the Midwest lanes. Chicago to Pittsburgh priced at about $520 this month for a 461-mile run, and Pittsburgh to Dallas at about $1,170. Pittsburgh to Los Angeles priced at about $1,395, five to six days in transit after pickup. Manheim Pittsburgh is in Cranberry Township on I-79, north of the city, and Erie is at the top of the same interstate.
Pittsburgh's hills decide most pickups. Neighborhoods like Mount Washington, Polish Hill, and much of the South Side Slopes have steep, narrow streets that a loaded carrier cannot climb or turn on. Suburbs along Route 19, the Parkway corridors, and the Turnpike exits usually work for a door pickup. If your address is on a hillside street, plan to meet the driver on a main road below it. Pitt and Carnegie Mellon students moving in or out in August and May usually do the same.
A loaded car carrier runs about 75 feet. These are the Pennsylvania addresses where it can’t reach the door, and what happens instead. Your coordinator settles it before you book.
Manheim holds sales in the Lancaster County borough of Manheim, in Grantville near Harrisburg, and in Morgantown, plus a mobile sale in Reading, and dealers ship cars to and from them all year. Harrisburg, Carlisle, York, and Lancaster sit on I-81, I-83, and the Turnpike, so pickups there are routine, and Carlisle Barracks, home of the Army War College, turns over students and staff each summer.
The ridges are where waits get longer. Penn State's main campus in State College is reached on I-99 from I-80 or the Turnpike, and in move-in week the town fills up, so a meet-up on the edge of town is common. The northern tier along US-6, from Warren east through Wellsboro and Towanda, and the Laurel Highlands back roads off the Turnpike are two-lane routes that few carriers take. A meet-up in a town on I-80, I-81, or the Turnpike can save days.
Pennsylvania winter is a mountain problem and a lake problem. I-80 and the Turnpike cross the Alleghenies at high, exposed ridges, and during major storms PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission can restrict trucks on the interstates until crews clear the road. Erie, at the top of the state, gets lake-effect snow off Lake Erie from November into March. When a storm closes a route the carrier needs, it waits or reroutes. Your coordinator texts the new window, usually a day or two later than planned, at the same price.
In the southeast, winter rarely stops a truck, but snow piles take the parking space a Philadelphia meet-up needs. If you can pick your week, the Florida lanes are calm in December and January going south and in May and June coming back north.
Your coordinator confirms the pickup window by text the day before.
Leaving Pennsylvania costs less on 2 of the 6 pairs priced this month. Carriers price the empty miles home, so the busier direction costs more. Each pair below is the same out-of-state city in both directions, running sedan, open carrier.
Chicago
Orlando
Miami
Dallas
Phoenix
Los Angeles
Calendar
When the same lanes get busy, and what that does to your pickup week.
How busy the Pennsylvania lanes get each month, from our coordinators’ calendar. Busier months fill trucks sooner and cost more.
Pennsylvania rules
The rules that catch people who bring a car in from another state.
Rules as of the review date below. PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services is the source, and the one to check before you title and register; the 10-day inspection clock starts the day the car is registered.
Questions
In October 2026, Philadelphia to Orlando runs about $1,020 for a running sedan on an open carrier, with most trucks between roughly $770 and $1,270. Pittsburgh to Miami is about $1,110, most trucks between $890 and $1,325. Late October through November can run up to 20% higher. Count two to three days in transit. The calculator prices your ZIP pair and holds the figure for 14 days.
Miami to Philadelphia runs about $870 in October 2026, most trucks between roughly $700 and $1,040, and Orlando to Pittsburgh about $955. March and April are the tight weeks, when seasonal residents head home. Book two to three weeks ahead in that stretch and plan a meet-up if the Philadelphia address is on a rowhouse block.
Pittsburgh to Los Angeles runs about $1,395 on an open carrier in October 2026, most trucks between roughly $1,190 and $1,600. Coming east, Los Angeles to Philadelphia is about $1,450. Philadelphia to Phoenix is about $1,320 and Phoenix to Pittsburgh about $1,415. Count five to seven days in transit after pickup.
Chicago to Pittsburgh runs about $520 in October 2026 and Philadelphia to Chicago about $755. Pittsburgh to Dallas is about $1,170 and Dallas to Philadelphia about $990. The Chicago lanes take one to two days in transit, the Texas lanes about three.
Usually not at the door. Most of South Philly, Fishtown, and the older city are one-lane blocks with parking on both sides, and a 75-foot carrier cannot enter or turn. The driver meets you at a nearby lot with room to load, near I-95 or Roosevelt Boulevard. Your coordinator confirms the spot before pickup, and the price stays the same.
Title and register within 20 days of becoming a resident, on form MV-1, with the VIN verified in Section A by an inspection mechanic or a notary at a dealer or issuing agent. You need Pennsylvania insurance first. After registration the car has 10 days to pass a safety inspection, with an emissions test in some counties.
Not if you held a valid out-of-state title and owned the car for at least six months before moving. You mark the exemption on form MV-1. If you owned it for less than six months, you show proof that you paid sales tax elsewhere or pay Pennsylvania's tax at titling.
It can, mostly in the mountains and around Erie. Heavy storms on I-80 and the Turnpike ridges can bring truck restrictions, and Erie gets lake-effect snow from November into March. The carrier waits or reroutes, usually a day or two, and your coordinator texts you the new window. Your price stays as quoted.
The data
The numbers are rebuilt from our own pricing each month and published with the page, so the dates above are the real ones.
Other state guides
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