Car Shipping Costs from the UK: Ro-Ro vs Container 2026

Ultimo aggiornamento: 23 ottobre 2026

Shipping a car overseas costs anywhere from a few hundred pounds to Europe to several thousand to Australia. The price depends on the destination, the method (ro-ro or container), your car’s size and the import taxes at the other end. Here are typical 2026 car shipping costs from the UK and how to keep them down.

Ro-ro vs container: which is cheaper?

Metodo	Come funziona	Pro	Contro
Ro-ro (roll-on roll-off)	Car is driven onto a specialist car carrier	Usually cheapest; frequent sailings	No personal items allowed in the car; exposed to the elements on deck in some cases
Contenitore condiviso	La tua auto condivide un container da 40 piedi con altre 2-3 auto	Protected; cheaper than sole use	Must wait for the container to fill
Sole-use container (20ft)	Your car alone in a container	Maximum protection; can add household goods	Most expensive

Port cranes at sunset — Container shipping protects your car inside a sealed box.

Typical car shipping costs from the UK (2026)

Destinazione	Ro-ro	Contenitore condiviso	Contenitore da 20 piedi solo	Tempo di navigazione tipico
USA East Coast	£900–£1,500	£1,100–£1,800	£1,600–£2,600	10–16 days
USA West Coast	£1,500–£2,300	£1,700–£2,600	£2,500–£3,800	25–35 giorni
Canada (Halifax)	£1,000–£1,600	£1,200–£1,900	1.800–2.800 sterline	10–16 days
Australia	da 1.400 a 2.500 sterline	1.800–2.800 sterline	£2,600–£4,200	5–7 settimane
Nuova Zelanda	£1,800–£2,900	da 2.000 a 3.200 sterline	£3,000–£4,600	6–8 settimane
Dubai and the UAE	£900–£1,500	£1,100–£1,800	£1,600–£2,500	3–4 settimane
Spain, France, Germany (road transporter)	da 500 a 1.200 sterline	Not usually needed	Not usually needed	2–7 days

Indicative port-to-port or depot-to-depot prices for a standard family car. Large SUVs, vans and classics cost more. Destination port fees, customs and taxes are extra.

Hidden costs to budget for

Destination port and handling fees
Import duty and taxes (such as GST in Australia, VAT in the EU, VRT in Ireland)
Quarantine cleaning: Australia and New Zealand inspect cars for soil and seeds
Compliance and registration: modifications, inspections and new plates
Marine insurance: usually 1.5–3% of the car’s value

Some countries make it hard or expensive to import used cars. Australia and the USA have strict compliance rules, so check before you ship.

Nave da carico veloce nei pressi di un porto marittimo — Ro-ro ships carry cars driven aboard like a giant ferry.

How to cut car shipping costs

Choose ro-ro if your car is drivable and you don’t need to pack items inside.
Share a container with other cars if you want protection.
Sii flessibile riguardo alle date.
Clean the car thoroughly, especially for Australia and New Zealand.
Check import taxes first: sometimes selling and buying locally is cheaper.

Destination guides

Travel on the same ships

Some ro-ro and container ships take a few passengers. See tipi di navi da carico e cargo ship travel from the UK to the USA.

Domande frequenti

How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK?

From about £500 to Europe by road transporter, to £900–£1,500 to the US East Coast by ro-ro, and £1,400–£4,200 to Australia.

Is ro-ro or container shipping cheaper?

Ro-ro is usually cheapest. A shared container offers more protection for a little more.

Can I put belongings in my car when shipping?

Not on ro-ro. In a sole-use container you can usually pack household goods alongside the car.

Quanto tempo ci vuole per spedire un’auto in Australia?

About 5–7 weeks at sea, plus customs and quarantine clearance.

Are there import taxes when shipping a car?

Often, yes. Duty, GST or VAT and registration costs vary by country.

Sail on a ro-ro or container ship

Ask us about passenger cabins on the ships that carry the world’s cars.

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Steve Joury

Consulente di viaggio Cargo at Cargoholidays

Appassionato di viaggi lenti e di mare. Steve conosce la maggior parte delle rotte di navigazione e le procedure per scoprire il nostro bellissimo mondo dal mare su una nave container. Ha partecipato a molti viaggi, da 7 giorni di viaggio in cargo a 140 giorni a bordo.