Car shipping in Fairbanks, Alaska

• Shipping to
• Shipping from
• Cost
• Timing
• Who we help
• Areas served
• Drive or ship
• Open or enclosed
• Vehicle prep
• After arrival
• FAQ

Route

Truck to Puget Sound, ship to Anchorage, truck to Fairbanks

Last leg

About 360 miles by road

Collecting your vehicle

Delivered to your address

Local line

(564) 633-2899

Fairbanks is the hub of Interior Alaska and the farthest north most vehicle shipments go. Getting a car here takes one more leg than Anchorage does, and the Interior’s winters ask more of a vehicle once it arrives. This page covers both: how the shipment works, and what to do so the car is ready for its first cold snap.

Shipping a car to Fairbanks

There is no port in Fairbanks, so a shipment here has three legs. A licensed, insured carrier picks your vehicle up at your address in the lower 48 and trucks it to port on Puget Sound, usually Tacoma. It sails to Anchorage, which takes a few days. Then a second carrier loads it and drives it north.

That last leg follows the Parks Highway from the Mat-Su Valley, past Denali, to Fairbanks. It is about 360 miles and stays open all year, though winter storms and ice can slow it down. One booking covers all three legs, so you deal with one company from the day of pickup to the day of delivery.

Because the final leg is by truck, Fairbanks deliveries come to you. The driver brings the vehicle to your address in Fairbanks, North Pole or the surrounding area, and you check it over together before you sign.

Shipping a car from Fairbanks to the lower 48

Outbound, the order flips. A carrier picks the vehicle up in the Fairbanks area and trucks it to the port in Anchorage. It sails to Washington, and another carrier takes it from the dock to any address in the lower 48.

Plan for the Alaska road leg at the start. If you are leaving on orders, or flying out at the end of a semester or a work season, book early and give us your last day in town. We schedule the pickup close to that date so you are not left without a vehicle for longer than you need to be.

What it costs to ship a car to or from Fairbanks

A Fairbanks quote has more moving parts than an Anchorage one. These are the things that set the price:

• Distance to the port in the lower 48. The farther the vehicle starts from Washington, the more the first road leg costs.
• Vehicle size. The ocean leg is priced by size. Full-size trucks, long-bed pickups and anything lifted cost more than a sedan.
• The road leg north. The 360 miles from Anchorage to Fairbanks is part of every quote here. It is the main difference between a Fairbanks price and an Anchorage one.
• Open or enclosed transport. Open carriers are standard on the road legs. Enclosed trailers cost more and protect high-value vehicles from gravel and road spray.
• Season and timing. A flexible pickup window is easier to match than a fixed date, and winter conditions can limit how quickly the northern leg runs.

The quote form on this page prices the whole route as one all-in number. It is free, and nothing is added at delivery.

How long Fairbanks car shipping takes

A Fairbanks shipment takes everything an Anchorage shipment does, plus the drive north. The total depends on how far the vehicle starts from Puget Sound, when the next sailing leaves, and how the Parks Highway is running that week.

We give you an estimated delivery window when you book and update you as the vehicle clears each leg. If you have a fixed date, such as a report date at Fort Wainwright or Eielson, or the start of term at the university, tell us at the start. It is much easier to plan backward from a date than to speed up a shipment that is already moving.

Who ships with us in Fairbanks

• Soldiers and airmenFort Wainwright is in Fairbanks and Eielson Air Force Base is about 25 miles down the Richardson Highway. We plan PCS shipments around report dates.
• Students and university staffThe University of Alaska Fairbanks brings people north every fall. Ship the car ahead and fly in.
• Seasonal and North Slope workersFairbanks is the jumping-off point for work farther north. Many people send a vehicle up for the season.
• Out-of-state buyersBought a truck in the lower 48? We collect it from the seller and bring it all the way to the Interior.

Areas we serve around Fairbanks

From our Fairbanks location at 600 3rd Street we arrange pickups and deliveries across the Tanana Valley:

• Fairbanks
• College
• University area
• North Pole
• Fort Wainwright
• Eielson AFB
• Moose Creek
• Badger Road
• Ester
• Fox
• Salcha

Many homes here sit on long driveways or unpaved side roads, and in winter the berms and ice make tight turns hard for a loaded carrier. If the truck cannot reach your door safely, the driver arranges to meet you at a nearby lot or wide stretch of road. We let you know in advance when that is likely.

Delta Junction and Tok lie farther along the Richardson and Alaska highways. Call the Fairbanks line and we will quote them.

Driving to Fairbanks or shipping: how they compare

Some people consider driving the vehicle up themselves. It can be done, and in summer it is a memorable trip. It is also a long one. From Seattle to Fairbanks is more than 2,000 miles by road. The route crosses into Canada, follows the Alaska Highway for roughly 1,400 miles from Dawson Creek in British Columbia to Delta Junction, then continues up the Richardson Highway into Fairbanks.

That means a passport, two border crossings, several days of driving, fuel, lodging, and wear on the vehicle. In winter it means doing all of that on ice, in the dark, with long gaps between services. Shipping costs money too, but you fly in a few hours and the vehicle arrives without the miles. For a second vehicle, or a family moving on orders, it is usually the simpler choice.

Open or enclosed transport for Fairbanks

Open carriers are the standard on both road legs and they suit most vehicles. The Parks Highway is paved the whole way, but it is a long run, and in spring and fall trucks throw grit and gravel. If the vehicle is a collector car, has fresh paint, or is simply something you want kept clean, an enclosed trailer protects it. Price both in the quote form and decide from there.

Getting your vehicle ready for Fairbanks

Start with the basics that apply to every Alaska shipment: send the vehicle empty, with about a quarter tank of fuel, a working key and the alarm off, and take dated photos after washing it. Our preparation checklist has the full list.

Then think about the cold. Winter temperatures in Fairbanks drop far below zero, and −40 does happen. Nearly every vehicle that lives here is winterized: an engine block heater, often an oil pan heater and a battery warmer as well, wired to a plug at the front bumper so the car can be plugged in when it is parked. A vehicle from a warm state usually has none of this.

It will ship without it. But if your car is landing between October and March, book a winterization appointment with a Fairbanks shop for the week it arrives. Ask them to check the coolant mix and the battery, and consider winter-weight synthetic oil. Studded tires are legal in Fairbanks from September 16 through April 30.

After your vehicle arrives

If you are becoming an Alaska resident or taking a job here, the Division of Motor Vehicles requires you to apply for registration within 10 days. Visitors may drive on a current out-of-state registration for up to 60 days. Active-duty military stationed in Alaska can keep their home-state registration while it remains valid, which covers many families at Fort Wainwright and Eielson. Take your current registration with you, and the title if you have it. Rules change, so confirm the details with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles before you go.

Fairbanks car shipping FAQ