Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from San Jose, California to Lyon

Shipping a car from the USA to France costs roughly $1,000 to $2,500 for base ocean freight, depending on method ( RORO vs. container) and port, but expect total costs to reach $4,000 - $5,000+ after mandatory French taxes (20% VAT + duties, often 10%) and destination fees, plus optional insurance. Classic cars (30+ years old) have lower taxes (5.5% VAT), but all vehicles face significant fees.

Budget: The shorter the distance, the more cost-effective it is to drive instead of ship your car. Regardless of the total distance, look at your total moving budget and how much you can afford to spend on car shipping services compared to a cross-country drive.

Shipping your car via train is the cheapest way to do cross-country car shipping, although this is limited only to certain areas.