How long does it take to transport a car internationally?

You shouldn’t feel intimidated by the idea of shipping your vehicle internationally to a destination thousands and thousands of miles away from home base. After all, hundreds of car owners ship their cars overseas every day.

An individual will transport a vehicle across the globe for one of several reasons. For instance, they might hire a vehicle transporter for permanent relocations, work projects, long-term vacations, etc. If you’re preparing to ship a vehicle to another country, you should research average delivery times beforehand for much-needed peace of mind.

If you recruit a reputable auto transport service like Guardian Auto Transport, the process may be a lot speedier than you think. Don’t trust just any car shipping company with your investment. Sift through customer reviews, and dig for that diamond in the rough. When you pay close attention to customer testimonials, your car will arrive at its final destination in the same condition at drop-off.

International car shipping times

Sometimes, it can be hard to predict how long it will take to ship a car internationally. When calculating an approximate shipping time, it’s essential to account for the destination.

Generally speaking, the process typically requires anywhere from 30 to 40 days total. Note that this timeframe, in many cases, doesn’t cover vehicle consolidation, the customs clearance process, and loading tasks. To generate the most accurate travel time, tack on an additional day or two to this final total.

If you want to ensure that the international shipping process goes off without a hitch and your vehicle remains in tip-top condition, then there are few things you can do to guarantee the process runs seamlessly. Firstly, you should adopt a realistic mindset and give yourself a minimum of seven days of extra time. Shipping your car at the last-minute will cause undue stress and may interfere with set deadlines. If you have sufficient time, you can round up vital paperwork and prepare the necessary information.

Don’t procrastinate

At this point, It’s imperative to think about transportation duration in-depth, as you’ll want to be able to make arrangements that relate to shipping your car to its international destination. While the shipping company may be able to promise delivery within a specific time window, dropping off your vehicle as soon as possible is in your best interest. If you want to try to guarantee that your car will arrive at a specific time, don’t delay initiating the preparation process. Unfortunately, custom officers may detain your vehicle at the border, causing unexpected delays. For optimal results, expect the unexpected and plan accordingly.

Ask your shipping provider for an estimated time of arrival

It isn’t unusual for car owners to have concerns related to international car shipping. If you work with a credible shipping company, its team members may provide you with a reliable estimate for arrival time. These estimates are often pretty close, too. If your shipping provider’s estimated delivery date seems too good to be true, it probably is. Unreliable shipping providers will overpromise and underdeliver.

Unfortunately, even the most well-reviewed auto transport services can’t predict customs delays or extreme weather conditions that may extend your arrival date. With this in mind, avoid procrastinating at all costs, especially if the vehicle is under a strict deadline.

Choose your shipping method wisely

The specific car shipping technique you select will also affect the shipping process duration. If you want the process to be incredibly speedy, consider reserving a sole shipping container. Note that this method is substantially more costly than sharing a joint shipping container.

Vehicle owners who want to limit their shipping-related expenses might be better off with the consolidated car shipping route. If you take this route, your vehicle will be in the company of quite a few others en route to similar destinations. You should anticipate a significant time difference in that case. If you select consolidated shipping, then your provider, in the interest of profits and efficiency, may not ship your vehicle until the container doesn’t have any remaining slots.

In your research, you may have heard about roll-on or roll-off shipping. This shipping method involves safely attaching a vehicle to a designated vessel. However, unlike container shipping, your car isn’t protected from external hazards. Similarly to consolidated shipping, it generally requires a larger time commitment and isn’t as prompt as other shipping pathways. Unfortunately, roll-on shipping may involve stops at numerous ports. It may stall at a port nowhere near your vehicle’s actual destination, delaying your arrival date further.

Final thoughts

Spending more money isn’t always the best way to guarantee your vehicle arrives at its international destination as quickly as possible. With so many factors at play, it’s nearly impossible to promise an exact arrival date.

If you want to do everything in your power to ship your car overseas rapidly and hassle-free, you should consider opting for sole container shipping. Sole container shipping boasts the highest degree of vehicle transportation safety. That’s because your car won’t have to tag along on other vehicle’s journeys and, therefore, is at lower risk of customs delays.

Sole container shipping also guarantees a certain degree of punctuality. If you need to ship your vehicle to a far-away nation without any delays or setbacks, you should research this option exhaustively. The more research you do, the easier it should be to decide the ideal international shipping method. In the planning phase of the shipping process, don’t forget to factor in the possibility of delays beyond your control. Weather is one key example.