Car Shipping from the UK to Australia
Costs and Services Explained
Regular Car Shipping by Container and RoRo from the UK
Autoshippers are specialists in shipping cars from the UK to Australia, offering secure and cost-effective Container and Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) services from Southampton and Sheerness.
We have been shipping cars from the UK to Australia for over 25 years and our dedicated move managers handle every stage of the process, from UK export documentation to Australian customs clearance and quarantine inspection.
As registered customs brokers in the UK, we manage export clearance directly through the Government Gateway and coordinate with our licensed Australian agents to ensure full compliance on arrival.
We ship vehicles regularly to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle and Port Kembla, ensuring reliable transit times and competitive pricing for private individuals, expats and returning residents.
- From £1,100 – Transparent pricing
- Weekly sailings to all major Australian ports
- R-Rak shared container & RoRo services
- Full customs & quarantine support included
See below for up-to-date car shipping costs to Australia and for an overview of the available services.
Car Shipping Costs from the UK to Australia
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Australia?
- Small / Saloon cars: from £1,100 (R-Rak)
- SUVs & 4x4s: from £1,330 (R-Rak / Shared Container)
- RoRo services: from £1,465
- Weekly sailings available
The cost to ship a car from the UK to Australia using our R-Rak container shipping service starts at £1,100. Prices start at £1,465 for our Roll-on Roll-off services. Prices may vary depending on your exact destination and the size of your car. For example, shipping a 4x4 via R-Rak to Melbourne will cost £1,330.
| Type | R-Rak Shipping Costs | RoRo Shipping Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Saloon Car | £1,100 - Melbourne | £1,465 - Melbourne |
| £1,100 - Sydney | £1,465 - Sydney | |
| £1,100 - Fremantle | £1,465 - Fremantle | |
| £1,100 - Brisbane | £1,465 - Brisbane | |
| £1,100 - Adelaide | ||
| SUV / 4x4 | £1,330 - Melbourne | £1,606 - Melbourne |
| £1,330 - Sydney | £1,606 - Sydney | |
| £1,330 - Fremantle | £1,606 - Fremantle | |
| £1,330 - Brisbane | £1,606 - Brisbane | |
| £1,330 - Adelaide |
Prices are current at the time of writing, however they may vary depending on the exact destination and vehicle dimensions. Please check with us prior to booking. To receive an accurate quote specific to your vehicle type and destination, please fill out the quote form at the top of this page.
Car Shipping Services from the UK to Australia
We offer two proven methods of shipping cars from the UK to Australia, depending on your vehicle type, budget and personal requirements.
R-Rak / Shared Container Car Shipping to Australia
By utilizing the revolutionary R-Rak container car shipping system we can load 4 cars, safely and securely, into 1 x 40ft container. This gives us considerable savings over the traditional method of building car racks with wood, and is a little friendlier to the environment. This system of shipping cars has now been adopted by some of the world's largest car manufacturers including BMW, Honda, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Lotus, Volvo and Ford.
Why choose R-Rak container shipping?
- Fixed securely inside a sealed container
- Reduced handling and maximum protection
- More frequent sailings and faster transit times
- Personal effects spare tyres, tools or other belongings can be loaded inside the vehicle
Now proven to be the safest system for shipping cars overseas, the R-Rak system allows us to ship on a regular basis, direct to all main Australian ports with considerable savings to our clients and with the added benefit of more frequent sailings and faster transit times.
Please note that you may load personal effects, spare tires, tools or other belongings inside the vehicle when using the R-Rak method. This option is not available for our Roll-on Roll-off services.
Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) Car Shipping to Australia
Your vehicle can be collected anywhere in the UK or you can drive your car directly to the port. Cars are then driven directly into the car shipping deck of the vessels. The two main car shipping lines to Australia are Hoegh Autoliners and Wallenius Lines and between them we offer you car shipping from the UK to Australia every 7 to 10 days.
Key benefits:
- Regular sailings every 7–10 days
- Ideal for standard, roadworthy vehicles
- Competitive pricing
- Simple drive-on, drive-off process
- Safety and Security: Vehicles are securely fastened inside ship’s deck, minimising the risk of movement and damage during transit.
RoRo services are available from Southampton and Sheerness, with direct sailings to Melbourne, Brisbane, Fremantle and Port Kembla.
UK to Australia Car Shipping Schedule + Transit Times
The below schedules have been provided to us by the shipping lines, and are correct at the time of adding to the website. Please note that space availability can only be confirmed after receipt of all documentation and payment of your freight costs in full. These schedules are subject to change, Autoshippers aren’t responsible for any changes in the schedules.
| Destination | Vessel | Sailing Date | From | Transit Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | Hoegh Sunrise | 19/01/2026 | Southampton | 44 days |
| Grand Hero | 25/01/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Moonlight | 12/02/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Trove | 17/02/2026 | |||
| Brisbane | Hoegh Sunrise | 19/01/2026 | Southampton | 46 Days |
| Grand Hero | 25/01/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Moonlight | 12/02/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Trove | 17/02/2026 | |||
| Fremantle | Hoegh Sunrise | 19/01/2026 | Southampton | 38 Days |
| Grand Hero | 25/01/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Moonlight | 12/02/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Trove | 17/02/2026 | |||
| Port Kembla | Hoegh Sunrise | 19/01/2026 | Southampton | 43 Days |
| Grand Hero | 25/01/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Moonlight | 12/02/2026 | |||
| Hoegh Trove | 17/02/2026 |
Video - How We Ship Your Car to Australia
In this video we show you our process for shipping your car from the UK to Australia in a 20ft container.
- The car is loaded and secured at our facility to ensure it doesn't move during shipment.
- It is driven into the container and positioned before all four wheels are safely chocked using either metal or wood chocks.
- Strong, padded ratchet straps are used to lash the wheels to the container's built-in securing eyelets.
- If straps cannot be secured around the wheels, the vehicle's front and rear towing eyelets are used for secure lashing.
- All shipping containers adhere to strict safety regulations, ensuring structural integrity and protection from weather conditions.
Check out our container car shipping page for more information on our container shipping process, and for more car shipping videos see our video gallery.
Customs Rules and Documents for Shipping a Car to Australia
As a registered customs broker we have direct access to the Government gateway to ensure that your car is shipped to Australia in accordance with current UK customs requirements to avoid delay in shipment. Through our agents in Australia we also provide comprehensive assistance in completion of customs formalities at your destination port. You can find further information on how to ship your car to Australia and detailed information on Australia customs rules and regulations on our Australia car import guide here.
Vehicle Import Approval
You must first obtain approval from the Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport before you can ship your vehicle to Australia. Getting this approval is mandatory and failure to do so before your car arrives in Australia may result in having to pay expensive storage and, if ultimately your approval request is denied, your vehicle will have to be shipped back or destroyed at your expense.
You can get approval online through the Road Vehicle Regulator (ROVER) website and by following the steps there.
Quarantine Inspection
On arrival in to Australia your vehicle will be inspected by an officer of the Department of Agriculture to ensure that it does not carry any risks of environmental contamination. Such risks include, but are not limited to: live insects, seeds, soil, mud, clay, animal faeces, animal material and plant material such as straw, twigs, leaves, roots, bark. Therefore, it is required that any vehicle being shipped to Australia must be thoroughly cleaned to meet these high inspection standards.
We have put together a short guide to talk you through exactly what this inspection is looking for so that you can easily prepare your vehicle here - Australian Import Vehicle Inspection Guide.
Documents We Need
To ship your vehicle to Australia there are a few things that you will need to provide us with:
- A copy of the V5 (Licence Document) for your vehicle – we do not need the original.
- A copy of your completed Application for Importing a Vehicle (via ROVER).
Get a Quote
For a quick quote to ship your car to Australia you can use the form at the top of this page. Alternatively you can call us free on 0800 3890784 or simply contact us here.
Are you looking to ship household goods or personal effects to Australia along with your vehicle? Our partners at 1st Move International offer guaranteed weekly shipping and moving services for international moves from the UK to the USA. If you are shipping your car with Autoshippers you can benefit from a 20% discount on all house moves to Australia. Find out more about our international removals UK to Australia services here.
- Chittening Industrial Estate
- Worthy Road
- Bristol
- BS11 0YB
- Telephone: + 44 (0)117 9828123
- Fax: 44 (0)117 9822229
UK Car Shipping Company