Nationwide vehicle transport from Vigo

We run nationwide transport from Vigo on one rule we always apply: the timescale is given after we know origin and destination, never before. A company that promises a date without asking where the vehicle is, is guessing — and that ends in a delay nobody warned you about.

Port activity in Vigo means a constant flow of vehicles entering and leaving the country. Plenty of moves therefore carry import or export documentation, and a paperwork error can immobilise a vehicle for longer than any mechanical fault.

What makes Vigo different

There is a sharp height difference between the port and the upper districts, with genuinely steep streets in between. The AP-9 links the Galician Atlantic axis and is the main route for moves towards A Coruña or the Portuguese border.

Vigo hosts one of Spain's largest car manufacturing plants, and its port is a European reference point for finished-vehicle export. For general background on the area, the Vigo entry on Wikipedia covers the basics.

Collection and delivery: where the job starts and ends

Most moves are handled door to door. The exceptions are historic centres with restricted access, urbanisations with limited headroom, and some rural locations that are hard to reach.

In those cases, agreeing an accessible meeting point in advance saves everyone time and stops the truck arriving in a street where it cannot turn.

How your vehicle is covered while it is being moved

A properly run move records the vehicle's condition before loading, normally photographically, and records it again at delivery. That evidence is what settles any later disagreement quickly.

It is worth confirming the company holds the relevant transport authorisation with the Spanish Ministry of Transport and a current policy. That is the difference between a professional service and someone with a hired trailer.

In Vigo it is worth distinguishing a door-to-door move from one ending inside the port area: access requirements and waiting times are nothing alike.

Getting the car to your new city

Moving between provinces usually means relocating one or more vehicles. When the family travels in one car or flies, the second vehicle needs another solution.

Coordinating vehicle transport with the house move has a practical advantage: delivery can be set for a day when someone is already at the destination, so the car does not arrive before the keys to the house do.

How the price of a nationwide move is calculated

On long journeys the cost per kilometre falls clearly, because the fixed cost of the job spreads over more distance. Ask for the total price rather than reasoning from a per-kilometre rate.

A fixed quote should specify what is included: collection, delivery, goods-in-transit cover for the journey and any access conditions. Extras belong in the conversation beforehand, not afterwards.

Moving several vehicles

Moving several vehicles on one job cuts the cost per unit considerably. It is the natural option for dealerships, companies with fleets and private owners relocating two cars in a house move.

On multiple consignments it helps to establish whether everything goes to one destination or to different points within the same area. Both work, but the route planning differs.

Delivery times on long-distance moves

Timing depends on the route, the number of loading and unloading points, and availability. A direct move between two large cities is quick; one collecting in a small village and delivering in another has to be fitted into a route.

An honest timescale comes after knowing origin and destination, not before. Any company promising a date without knowing where the vehicle is, is guessing.

Moves to the Balearics and Canaries

An island move combines road and sea, which adds two variables: sailing frequency and shipping documentation. In high season, space availability becomes the factor that most affects the date.

For the Canaries there is also a separate tax and customs regime, with specific formalities worth resolving before the vehicle reaches the port.

Regulations that apply to moving a vehicle

Spanish law draws a clear line between a vehicle fit for the road and one that is not. Where the ITV has lapsed, insurance has ended, or the vehicle is on temporary deregistration, driving it stops being legal and the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) can penalise it.

Beyond Royal Decree 920/2017 governing the ITV roadworthiness test, road transport of vehicles is subject to operating requirements overseen by the Spanish Ministry of Transport, including transport authorisation and goods-in-transit insurance.

You can read more about nationwide vehicle transport or browse all our services. For a specific quote in Vigo, the quickest route is to get in touch.

Practical advice for your move

Have the vehicle and ownership documents ready. On moves ending at a port terminal or crossing a border, that paperwork matters as much as the vehicle itself.

If the vehicle has any quirk — lowered suspension, an automatic gearbox locked in park, a flat battery — mention it when requesting the quote so the right equipment turns up.

If the vehicle is on rural land or at the end of an unsurfaced track, state the distance from the tarmac road. An articulated truck cannot enter every lane, and sometimes the car has to be brought out to a meeting point.

An accessible collection point saves both time and money. If the street is narrow or the garage has restricted headroom, agreeing a nearby spot where the truck can manoeuvre simplifies everything.

Check the overall height if the vehicle is a van, a camper or a 4x4 with roof accessories. The vehicle's height plus the deck height determines what the loaded truck can pass under.

If the move is a private sale, coordinate payment and key handover clearly. The carrier moves the vehicle; it takes no part in the transaction.

If you need the vehicle by a fixed, immovable date, say so when booking rather than afterwards. With enough notice it can almost always be accommodated; with twenty-four hours, often not.

A vehicle leaking oil or fuel should be flagged before transport. It does not prevent the move, but it affects where the car sits on the deck and what protection goes underneath it.

If the vehicle has been in an accident, say what is damaged and whether the wheels still turn. A vehicle that will not roll needs a winch and sometimes dollies.

Always ask whether the price covers collection and delivery at the points you need, or refers to a terminal-to-terminal move. The difference in cost and convenience is considerable.

On vehicles with large-diameter wheels and low-profile tyres, the approach to the ramps needs more care. It is worth mentioning so the right angle is prepared and the tyre or rim is not scuffed.

If you are selling the vehicle and the buyer arranges transport, put in writing when responsibility passes. It is normally at key handover, but both parties benefit from having it stated.

If the move includes a sea crossing, check what documentation the ferry operator requires for the vehicle. The registration document and owner details are usually needed, and a missing paper means missing the sailing.

Bear in mind that in peak periods — summer, or the start and end of the season — lead times stretch. Booking ahead is the simple way around it.

For vehicles with bulky modifications or accessories — roof racks, bike carriers, bull bars — mention them. They can affect the overall height of the loaded truck and whether it clears certain access points.

Keep the job reference or delivery note. If you later need to evidence the move to an insurer, a workshop or the authorities, that document proves when and how the vehicle was moved.

Ask whether the price includes waiting time at loading and unloading. On moves to workshops, dealerships or compounds with slow procedures, that time can stretch, and it is worth knowing in advance how it is counted.

If you will not be present at collection or delivery, put in writing who hands over and who receives the keys, with a phone number. This is the single most common cause of avoidable delay.

Realistic timescales depend on distance and route, not optimism. A company that promises any deadline without asking where the vehicle is probably will not meet it.

On long moves, asking how many loading and unloading points the truck has helps explain the timescale. A truck making several stops takes longer than a direct run.

If the collection is from a building with a communal garage, tell the manager or concierge. A transporter manoeuvring on a shared ramp without warning creates avoidable friction with neighbours.

Keep the job documentation recording the vehicle's condition. It is the reference point if a question about damage and its timing comes up later.

Where a tailgate or bonnet no longer closes properly after an impact, secure it before loading. A tailgate that springs open at eighty kilometres an hour is a genuine hazard to other traffic.

Check the handbrake works and that the vehicle can be secured on the deck. If it cannot, there are solutions, but it is better known in advance.

Check whether your own policy covers the vehicle while it sits at a third-party workshop or compound. It is a frequent gap between the end of transport and the start of repair, and worth clarifying.

Flag it if the vehicle has stood unused for a long period. Flat tyres, seized brakes or a completely dead battery all change how it has to be loaded.

Before collection, check no personal documents are left in the glovebox. It is where forgotten paperwork most often turns up, and some of it contains details you would not want travelling unsupervised.

Battery condition matters even for a transport job. If the vehicle has to move a few metres under its own power to get out of a garage or a parking bay, a live battery saves time and avoids resorting to auxiliary equipment.

Moving several vehicles together usually works out considerably cheaper per unit than separate jobs. If you have more than one to move, it is worth quoting them as one.

On classic vehicles with carburettors or older systems, say whether the engine needs any particular starting procedure. If it has to be moved even a few metres, that information saves time.

In summary

Car Transport 247 works across Vigo and the whole of Spain, 24 hours a day, with goods-in-transit cover for the journey and the price fixed before we start. Tell us your situation and we will give you an honest answer on how it works and what it costs.