Terminal-to-Terminal Car Shipping
Train terminal car shipping — the simplest way to ship a car across Canada. Drop off and pick up car shipping at our 8 rail terminals; your car travels by train between secured rail terminals while we handle the rail move in the middle. Best-priced option, insurance included.
Get a Free QuoteWhat terminal-to-terminal car shipping by train actually means
Terminal-to-terminal is the core shipping service that Rail Auto Canada is built around. You drive your vehicle to one of our rail terminals at the origin city. We handle the loading onto the train, paperwork, rail transit, unloading, and storage on arrival. Your car travels by train between secured rail terminals the entire way. You pick the vehicle up at a terminal in the destination city. That's the whole service.
It's the most affordable way we ship vehicles because there's no extra truck leg at either end. The vehicle spends almost its entire journey on the rail network — and you handle the short first-mile and last-mile yourself. For most Canadian long-haul moves, this is the option that makes the most sense on price and on vehicle wear.
If a short drive to or from a terminal isn't convenient, we also offer optional door-to-door pickup and delivery that bolts onto the same rail move. That's covered below.
The three-step process
Drop off
Arrive at your booked origin terminal during your confirmed drop-off window. Intake takes about 20 minutes — condition report, photos, and keys handed over.
Rail transit
Your car is loaded onto an auto-rack and moves on Canada's national rail network. You receive tracking updates at each key milestone.
Pick up
When your car reaches the destination terminal you get a pickup notification. Bring photo ID, do a quick outgoing inspection, and drive away.
The 8 terminal locations
All terminal-to-terminal moves operate between these eight cities. Every combination in either direction is supported.
Vancouver
Delta Terminal
British Columbia
Calgary
Calgary Terminal
Alberta
Edmonton
Edmonton Terminal
Alberta
Winnipeg
Winnipeg Terminal
Manitoba
Toronto
Vaughan Terminal
Ontario
Montreal
Montreal Terminal
Quebec
Saskatoon
Saskatoon Terminal
Saskatchewan
Halifax
Halifax Terminal
Nova Scotia
What to bring to drop-off
Drop-off intake at any of our terminals is designed to take about 20 minutes. Bring the following so it goes smoothly:
- Government-issued photo ID (driver's licence)
- Valid vehicle registration
- Proof of your own insurance (your rail insurance is already included)
- Both sets of keys if you have them
- At least a quarter tank of fuel (combustion vehicles) — no upper limit
- EVs: approximately 85% state-of-charge
- A clean interior (personal items removed)
At drop-off a terminal agent will walk around the vehicle with you, note any pre-existing damage on the condition report, take photos, collect your keys, and hand you a confirmation. From that moment on, your shipment is tracked through to arrival.
Because the car is moved by rail between terminals, you'll see virtually no odometer change between drop-off and pickup — only a few hundred metres accumulated during load and unload at the terminal yards. That matters for lease returns, low-km resales, and anyone who simply doesn't want another 4,000 km on the car.
What to expect at pickup
When your vehicle arrives at the destination terminal we notify you by email and SMS. You'll be given a pickup window to book — most customers come in within a day or two of arrival. If you need a few extra days, our terminals offer a short grace period for onsite storage at no charge.
Bring photo ID that matches the booking. A terminal agent walks around the car with you, verifies condition against the origin report, and hands back the keys. From arriving at the gate to driving off the lot is usually 15 minutes or less.
Your carrier liability insurance covers the vehicle up to the moment you sign for it at pickup. If anything doesn't match the condition report, flag it during that final walk-around — that's what it's for.
Not near a terminal? Add door-to-door
Terminal-to-Terminal
You handle first-mile and last-mile yourself. Best-priced option — no additional truck legs. Most customers live within an hour's drive of one of our terminals and choose this.
Door-to-Door (optional add-on)
A local carrier picks up your car at your address, delivers it to our origin terminal, and repeats in reverse at the destination. Same rail move in the middle — just more convenient on each end.
Book your terminal-to-terminal move
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