Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Beijing to Rochester, New York

Step-by-Step Car Shipping Process. Importing a car from China into the United States involves multiple steps. From hiring a reliable freight forwarder to completing customs clearance, every stage must comply with US laws such as the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and EPA requirements.

Shipping from China to the USA varies greatly in price, from ~$5-12/kg for express couriers, ~$4-8/kg for air freight, to ~$2,000-$6,000 per container for sea freight, depending on speed, volume, and urgency. Express is fastest (3-5 days), air is mid-range (5-10 days), and ocean is cheapest for bulk but takes 15-40+ days, with West Coast ports generally cheaper than East Coast ports.

Rules of thumb for lead times (in regular conditions) are 1-2 weeks for regular post, 3 days for air express freight, 8-10 days for air freight, and 30-40 days for ocean freight. These estimates can be affected by a wide range of circumstances, so it's worth checking with your logistics provider.