Shipping A Car From Australia To Europe

As of September 29, 2026, shipping a standard car from Australia to Europe generally costs about AUD 3,000 to AUD 8,000 for ocean transport. Current route evidence puts RoRo near the lower end, shared containers in the middle, and dedicated containers toward the upper end. Vehicle size, Australian departure port, European destination, and current vessel capacity can move the quote. Import taxes, destination handling, insurance, and inland delivery may be separate. A1's car shipping rates guide explains the main pricing inputs.

Shipping a car from Australia to Europe generally takes about 7 to 12 weeks of ocean transit on current services. Australia-to-UK sources commonly show roughly 45 to 65 days, while broader Australia-to-Europe schedules can approach 80 days when routing or transshipment adds time. Departures from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Fremantle do not all follow the same sailing pattern. Port processing, customs clearance, and final inland delivery happen outside the loaded ocean-transit window.

Cars move from Australia to Europe mainly by roll-on/roll-off, or RoRo, and container shipping. With RoRo, a running vehicle is driven onto a purpose-built vessel and secured on an enclosed vehicle deck. Container service places the car inside a shared or dedicated container before loading it onto a container ship. RoRo is usually the lower-cost choice for a standard operable car, while containers give high-value or non-running vehicles a more controlled loading setup. See A1's RoRo shipping guide for method details.

Most cars exported from Australia require an Australian Export Declaration before departure because the Australian Border Force requires declarations for exported goods valued above AUD 2,000 unless an exemption applies. You should also have evidence of ownership or registration, identification, and the shipment documents required by the carrier or freight forwarder. The European arrival documents then depend on the destination country and whether the car is being imported permanently or admitted temporarily. A1's international car shipping guide covers the broader overseas process.

An Australian car can be driven in Europe only after you satisfy the customs, insurance, registration, and road-use rules of the country where you will use it. In the EU, a non-EU vehicle may qualify for temporary admission with import-duty relief when the applicable conditions are met; permanent imports follow the destination country's registration and compliance process. The UK has its own post-Brexit customs and registration rules. Check the requirements for your actual destination before the vehicle sails rather than assuming one Europe-wide rule applies.

RoRo is usually the more economical choice for a standard running car, while container shipping makes more sense when you want an enclosed loading environment or have a high-value or non-running vehicle. RoRo requires the car to be capable of being driven on and off the vessel, and carriers normally restrict loose belongings inside it. Shared containers can reduce container cost, while a dedicated container gives the vehicle exclusive space. Availability varies by Australian departure port and European destination, so the practical choice also depends on the current sailing schedule.