Auto Transport Routes: Los Angeles to Seattle
One of the most common auto transport routes along the west coast is between Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington. Los Angeles, of course, is the second-largest city in the U.S. as well as the largest on the west coast. Seattle isn’t nearly as large, though it is the largest city north of San Francisco as well as the largest city in the state of Washington.
Both cities are major port cities that have seen much growth and development as a direct result of their respective ports. Both are popular auto transport locations as well, not just for customers but for auto transport companies as well, primarily due to their size and popularity.
In this helpful post, we’ll be discussing auto transport from Los Angeles to Seattle. We’ll talk about what you can expect when you ship between those cities first and foremost. Then, we’ll let you know how American Auto Shipping can help you get it done.
Article Overview
Car transport from Los Angeles to Seattle – Overview
Los Angeles is not just the second-largest city in the U.S. – it’s also one of the most popular car shipping locations in the country. It’s a major western terminus for many east-west routes that carriers take. It also sees a lot of demand from customers both into and out of the city and its surrounding metro area.
This means that finding car shipping services to or from Los Angeles should not be difficult. Carriers like it because of all the customers as well as the relative ease-of-access they enjoy in the area. Customers like it because Los Angeles is a big city with lots to do and there are always people wanting to move there.
Seattle, on the other hand, is located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. As a smaller city, it doesn’t see the transportation volume Los Angeles does. However, it is definitely the most popular shipping location in the Pacific Northwest as well as the state of Washington.
What this means for you is that it generally doesn’t take too long to find a carrier that can ship a car up to Seattle. It also shouldn’t cost a whole lot, but that does depend on what you’re shipping and when you’re shipping. We’ll cover all that and more below.
Los Angeles to Seattle – understanding the route
When you’re transporting a car from Los Angeles to Seattle, Washington, chances are your vehicle will travel up Interstate 5, which is one of the primary north-south corridors running along the west coast.
This is a very popular auto transport route that lots of different carriers like to use, as it passes through several major metro areas and there are a lot of different auxiliary interstates attached to the interstate. It’s basically a straight shot from L.A. up to Seattle, and detours may include San Francisco, Sacramento, and Portland, just a few of the larger cities along the way.
The fact that it’s just one interstate from A to B really helps the cause and streamlines the transportation process for many auto transporters despite the fact that many make stops along the way. This, of course, helps make the route that much cheaper and easier for auto shippers, on the whole, who can then pass the savings onto you, the customer.
Los Angeles to Seattle – understanding prices
The price you pay likely won’t be affected by which route the carrier is taking. Sometimes it can, but that’s often for longer routes. The fact that Los Angeles to Seattle is basically a straight shot up Interstate 5 makes it easy for carriers, which helps keep prices lower.
What will affect your auto transport price, though, is the vehicle itself and when you’re shipping. These tend to be the two biggest factors that affect price along this route. Bigger vehicles, naturally cost more than smaller vehicles. So SUV’s and pickup trucks will cost a bit more as compared to a standard car. This is typically built into the price you see when you first get a quote, though.
The bigger of the two is going to be when you ship. Summer prices are often higher than winter prices, especially coming out of Los Angeles. The city itself is the largest auto shipping hub on the west coast. So while carriers are often moving through the area, logjams can happen. Logjams, in the car shipping world, are when there is much more demand into or out of an area than normal. This allows carriers to take the highest paying loads first, which leads to price hikes across the industry.
This happens mostly in the summer, which is the busiest season in the industry. It tends to slow down after a few weeks, so make sure to talk to a representative for more information about the best time to ship.
Other factors to consider
Something to keep in mind is that both cities are major economic and cultural hubs of their respective regions. So, while they’re very popular among customers and carriers, actually getting around to various locations can be more challenging.
It’s not nearly as challenging as cities on the east coast, like New York or Philadelphia. The reason why is because both Seattle and Los Angeles grew massive during a time when the automobile was the primary mode of transportation. Or, at least, their suburbs did.
The actual downtown areas – and the cities themselves – are much more difficult for carriers to operate within. Downtown Los Angeles is often choked with traffic, limiting sightlines and making it dangerous to operate an 80-ft transport trailer in. Seattle is even worse, as it has more narrow streets in its downtown area.
This means that many locations within Los Angeles and Seattle proper are going to be inaccessible for carriers. This is easily remedied, though; simply talk to your carrier about alternate locations they can pickup or deliver from. This is common in the industry due to the size of the trucks. If you have questions, simply speak to a representative.
Ship your vehicle today with American Auto Shipping
Here at American Auto Shipping, we understand what it takes to move a vehicle on time and on budget. Our auto transport rates calculator ensures that we can get your vehicle moved when you need it moved at a price you can afford.
If you’re ready to ship a vehicle, go ahead and get a free quote via our online quote request form. It should only take a minute to fill out and submit and you’ll get a free quote immediately. You can also contact us any time at 800-930-7417 to speak to a representative. They can get you a free quote, answer questions you may have, and even book your order if you’re ready to take the next step.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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