Moving cars in winter rarely costs more. In fact, it is often the lower-priced season for vehicle transport in and out of Edmonton. Most of what changes comes down to shipping time, street access, and a few minutes of preparation.
How Winter Affects Booking and Cost
Fewer people ship vehicles between November and March, so prices are usually lower. The trade-off is that fewer trucks run, which means fewer departures on each route and fewer open spots on each truck than in summer.
Book earlier than you would in summer, especially if your dates are fixed. If they’re flexible, giving our team a few days of leeway makes it easier to find space on a truck already going your way.
How Winter Affects Vehicle Pickup and Delivery in Edmonton
Snow can make some streets hard for a car carrier to reach, which may change the service that suits you best.
Door-to-Door Service on Snowy Streets
A loaded car carrier is long and heavy, and windrows and packed ice can make an already narrow residential street too tight for it. If the City of Edmonton declares a seasonal parking ban, don’t leave your car waiting on a ban route, or it could be ticketed and towed before pickup.
If your street is narrow or snowed in, our driver may ask to meet you on a nearby main road or in a large parking lot. Clear the snow around your car before pickup day so it can leave the driveway without getting stuck.
Terminal Drop-Off in Nisku
Terminal service avoids street access problems altogether. Our Edmonton-area terminal is in Nisku, about 25 km south of the city near Edmonton International Airport, just off Highway 2.
You or someone you send can drop off or collect the car there. Allow extra driving time if it’s snowing, and book a daylight handover time with our team.
Receiving Your Car in the Cold
When your car arrives, check it against the condition report from pickup before you sign. If it is getting dark, use a flashlight on the lower panels and bumpers, where winter grime builds up.
Expect the car to be very cold and dirty from the road. Let the engine warm up before you drive away, and check the tire pressure again.
How Winter Affects Transit Times
Storms are the main reason winter deliveries take longer. Highways out of Edmonton can close in a blizzard, and our drivers wait for safer conditions rather than drive through a whiteout. You can follow current Alberta highway conditions while your car is on the road.
Eastbound routes on Highway 16 cross open prairie with frequent blowing snow, while westbound routes cross the mountains of British Columbia, where snow and avalanche control can close highways. Expect a wider delivery window than in summer, and leave a few spare days before your move-in date.
How Winter Affects Vehicle Preparation
A car in transit can spend several days outdoors with no block heater, so a few checks before pickup help it arrive ready to start.
Battery and Charge
An Edmonton cold snap can drain a battery that is already struggling, and the driver needs to start the car to load and unload it. If your battery is several years old or slow on cold mornings, have it tested before shipping.
Electric vehicles also lose charge faster in the cold, so leave enough for loading and unloading, plus extra for the drain while the car sits outside.
Fluids and Tires
Fill the windshield washer reservoir with fluid rated to −40°C, and make sure the coolant has the right antifreeze mix, since diluted coolant can freeze and damage the engine.
Tire pressure drops in the cold, so check it and top it up before pickup. Winter tires can stay on the car.
Remote Starters and Alarms
Remote starters are common in Edmonton, but a car that starts itself on a carrier wastes fuel and endangers the driver, so turn off any scheduled or temperature-triggered start before pickup. If the car has an aftermarket alarm, show the driver how to turn it off.
Hand over one working key or fob. Cold drains fob batteries, so replace a weak one before pickup to make sure the driver can unlock the car at delivery.
Snow, Salt and the Inspection
Road salt and grime can hide scratches and chips during the inspection before loading, so wash the car shortly before pickup if the weather allows. Brush off all snow and ice, including on the roof, so nothing falls onto other vehicles on the carrier.
Edmonton gets only about seven and a half hours of daylight in December, so book a daytime pickup if you can to give you and the driver a clear view of the car.
How Winter Affects the Choice Between Open and Enclosed Transport
Most cars ship safely on an open carrier all year, but in winter they pick up road spray, salt and gravel along the way. A car wash fixes that for a daily driver, but for a classic car or one with fresh paint, it is a bigger risk.
Our enclosed transport service keeps the car covered for the whole trip. It costs more than an open carrier, so it makes the most sense for collector cars and vehicles with high-value paint.
How to Book Winter Car Shipping In or Out of Edmonton
A winter move goes best when you book early, keep your dates flexible and prepare the car for the cold. Choose door-to-door service if a large truck can reach your street easily, or the Nisku terminal if access is tight or you’d rather control the timing yourself.
Call Automoves at +1 877-577-8953 or request your Edmonton quote online, and our team will schedule your winter pickup around your dates.
