Louisiana car shipping follows I-10, the interstate that ties New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Lake Charles together before running west to Houston and east to Mobile. Most auto transport in Louisiana touches that corridor at some point, including long elevated crossings such as the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge between Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Sahara Auto Transport arranges pickups across the state, including the Northshore suburbs, Acadiana and the Shreveport-Bossier area along I-20.
The Port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River have made the state a shipping gateway for centuries, and several major railroads meet in the New Orleans area. For individual car owners, the most useful fact is simpler: trucks move constantly between New Orleans and Houston, Atlanta and Memphis, so you rarely wait long for a carrier on those lanes. Rural parishes in central and north Louisiana take a bit more coordination but are well within reach.
Weather shapes the calendar here more than in most states. Hurricane season runs June through November, heavy summer downpours can flood low-lying streets in minutes, and heat and humidity are intense from May into September. When you ship a car to Louisiana or out of it, we watch the forecasts with you, keep pickup dates flexible when a storm is approaching, and help you prepare the vehicle so it travels well in the heat.
Pickup and delivery
Where we ship in Louisiana
New Orleans
Narrow streets in the French Quarter, Marigny and Uptown, plus quick street flooding after downpours, mean many pickups happen on wider commercial streets or in nearby store lots.
Northshore (Slidell, Mandeville, Covington)
Linked to New Orleans by I-10, I-12 and the tolled Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the Northshore's suburban streets are usually easy for haulers.
Baton Rouge
The capital and LSU campus generate steady demand, though congestion at the I-10 Mississippi River bridge can stretch pickup windows at rush hour.
Lafayette
The heart of Acadiana sits where I-10 meets I-49, with energy-industry and university relocations keeping carriers active.
Lake Charles
Close to the Texas line on I-10, Lake Charles connects quickly to Beaumont and Houston, and petrochemical industry moves add to regular demand.
Shreveport and Bossier City
North Louisiana's largest metro sits on I-20 and I-49, with Barksdale Air Force Base generating military vehicle moves.
City guides
Routes our carriers use
Main corridors in and out of Louisiana
I-10
The state's main artery from the Texas line through Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans to Mississippi, with long bridges over the Atchafalaya Basin and the Bonnet Carre Spillway.
I-12
A bypass north of Lake Pontchartrain linking Baton Rouge with Hammond, Covington and Slidell, often faster than I-10 through New Orleans for through traffic.
I-49
Runs north from Lafayette through Alexandria to Shreveport, the main north-south route through the middle of the state.
I-20
Crosses north Louisiana from Shreveport through Monroe, connecting Dallas to the west with Jackson, Mississippi to the east.
I-55
Heads north from LaPlace through Hammond toward Jackson and Memphis, a common route for loads bound for the Midwest.
Ports and logistics hubs
- Port of New Orleans, a major Mississippi River gateway
- New Orleans rail gateway, served by several Class I railroads
- Shreveport-Bossier trucking corridor along I-20 and I-49
- Houston, Texas port and trucking terminals serving southwest Louisiana
Transit times
How long shipping from Louisiana takes
Houston, TX
about 350 miles · 1 to 2 days
Est. $550 to $725
Atlanta, GA
about 470 miles · 1 to 3 days
Est. $650 to $800
Miami, FL
about 860 miles · 2 to 4 days
Est. $825 to $1,075
Chicago, IL
about 925 miles · 2 to 4 days
Est. $875 to $1,100
Los Angeles, CA
about 1,900 miles · 5 to 7 days
Est. $1,200 to $1,525
Transit starts once your vehicle is loaded. Prices are November 2026 estimates for a running sedan on an open carrier, not quotes. Ocean shipments to Alaska and Hawaii are priced individually.
Hurricane Season, Mardi Gras and Louisiana Heat
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, with the highest risk usually from mid-August into October. If a storm threatens the coast, carriers may pause loading, and contraflow evacuations can reverse lanes on I-10, I-55 and I-59 out of the New Orleans area. After major storms, flood-damaged vehicles sometimes turn up for sale, so anyone buying a used car in Louisiana to ship elsewhere should check a vehicle history report first.
Carnival season builds through January and February, sometimes into early March, until Mardi Gras day, and parade routes close streets across New Orleans, Metairie and other cities for hours at a time. Pickups near St. Charles Avenue or Veterans Boulevard need careful timing then. Summer heat is relentless, and afternoon thunderstorms can briefly flood underpasses, so morning pickups tend to be the most comfortable and predictable.
Local know-how
Tips for shipping a car in Louisiana
- Louisiana uses parishes instead of counties, and vehicle registration runs through the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). Most states expect registration within about 30 days of residency, so check the Louisiana OMV for current rules.
- A few Louisiana crossings, including the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, charge tolls; take any toll tag out of your car so it is not billed during transport.
- Leave about a quarter tank of fuel and check tire pressure; Louisiana heat raises pressure and is hard on batteries during long waits.
- If a named storm is in the forecast, call us early. Moving a pickup up by a few days is easier than rescheduling in the middle of an evacuation.
- Avoid parade days for pickups and deliveries in New Orleans and Metairie during Carnival; streets can close hours before the floats roll.
- Homes with deep roadside ditches, common in parts of Acadiana and the Northshore, are easier to serve from a nearby paved lot.