How to get your caravan transported

Even though the whole point of having a caravan is being able to tow it to your favourite holiday destinations yourself, there are times when the logistics of getting a caravan from point A to point B yourself simply won’t work.

Perhaps it’s a new 'van you’ve just bought in another city or state, and you don’t have the time or a vehicle with the correct towing capacity yet to go collect it. Or perhaps you're moving house and can’t tow the caravan to the new address due to time pressures or other reasons. Time to look at getting the van transported...

Even though the Covid-related border restrictions we faced over the past two years have relaxed, the fact is there are still various disruptions to transport at the moment, so it may not be as easy getting a caravan moved as it was before the pandemic.

When you need to have a caravan transported (it either can’t be towed or you can’t tow it yourself), there are a few things to consider when trying to get someone else to move it for you.

Types of caravan transport

Most of us think of road transport for caravans, but there are a couple of alternatives to consider.

Roll-on, roll-off sea freight is where the caravan is towed onto a specialised ship designed for vehicle transport. Primarily used to transport cars, the ship is designed so that a caravan can be towed easily on the ship via a ramp and parked in the hold. Sea transport such as this can be a cheaper option for long distance transport, such as from Perth to Brisbane, for example.

However, sea transport can involve more paperwork, which can take time to process. Ships sail according to a timetable, and so your caravan may be sitting at a port for weeks before it can be towed into the hold of a ship and transported to the destination, so it can end up taking a lot longer than road transport.

Unless the caravan departure and end destinations are close to main freight ports, the caravan can end up needing truck transport for a considerable distance at each end (to get it to the departure port and retrieved from the destination port), which again needs to be timed according to your requirements and availability of the truck transport.

Road transport choices

The most popular and straight-forward method to get a caravan relocated is by road transport. This can be done either with the caravan on a trailer, or as the caravan is a trailer itself, it can be towed by a transport operator’s vehicle.

There are pros and cons for both method. For example, if the caravan is hauled up onto the back of a truck or truck trailer, it's theoretically better protected and the caravan’s tyres and bearings are not being subjected to wear. It’s just parked there, on the back of a truck. 

But like anything in life, there are risks involved when getting a caravan relocated. Road debris might be thrown up onto the caravan on a back of a transport truck and cause damage, or if being towed behind a vehicle the same thing can happen.

The body and undercarriage can be subject to road debris causing stone chip damage or worse, and potholes can cause damage to wheels and suspension. Just as you may inadvertently scrape the caravan against a road sign or tree, the tow operator may also in transit.

The more that a caravan is moved around (from local pick-up to depot, or depot onto an interstate transporter and so on) the more chances it can get inadvertently damaged, too.

Much of this comes down to how careful the operator is, and a close look at online reviews or recommendations by customers can help.

Typically, the safest (and most expensive) way to transport a caravan is in a fully enclosed truck, delivering door-to-door. However if it’s a large caravan, it may not be easy to get a big enough enclosed truck to carry it, and in any case an enclosed truck is typically the most expensive form of transport, as the operator can’t transport anything else to defray costs.

Pick up and drop off

If the caravan is to be picked up or dropped off in an awkward or tight spot, this can also reduce your transport options. You may need to work this out with the transport company; possibly by using a smaller tow truck to collect or drop off your caravan if the transport truck can’t easily access local streets. This shouldn't be an issue if you're using an operator who is just towing your caravan with a 4WD or similar.

Also, be aware of any potential problems around getting a caravan towed a long distance that hasn't been towed for a while, or whose chassis maintenance is unknown. Things like dry wheel bearings or out-of date, cracked tyres may cause problems on the trip, and additional expense to get fixed en-route. If you're unsure of a caravan’s roadworthiness, better to get it checked and replace parts like tyres before the relocation.

In all cases, you need to check with the transport company that the caravan will be insured by them when transported (and how much for), and if any belongings in the caravan will be insured while it's being transported. Often the transport company will ask for all personal belongs to be removed, so it’s worth asking the question.

Some road transport is more expensive than others, and the differences are often down to the type of truck used. For example, a fully enclosed pantech truck carrying just your caravan costs more than an open truck and trailer that can carry a couple of vehicles, or a transport operator with just a 4WD towing your caravan.

For larger transport trucking companies, it’s cheaper if the company can pick up and drop off your caravan at their transport depots which means you need another method to and from the depots. A door-to-door service is typically more expensive in this scenario.

Ultimately, the cheapest form of caravan transport will be a small operator towing your caravan with, for example, a towing-suitable SUV or ute.

Bear in mind factors such as the recent rising fuel costs that will have an impact on quotes. Put simply, if fuel has risen 20 per cent, it follows that any additional costs will likely be passed onto you.

Other price factors can come into play, such as how busy the operator is. For example, if a small operator thinks they are likely to return to their home depot with an empty truck, they may offer a last-minute reduced rate. With current transport demand, this is less likely at the moment.

Check availability

Before making an offer on a caravan that's for sale interstate, and especially if you want it delivered in a hurry, check transport availability first. In current conditions, with a tight used-caravan market and COVID-related supply chain issues, it might take weeks for the transport company to get to your 'van.

Also, make sure that you have all the required caravan details, such as its weight, overall length and height. You may have to supply further information, like make-model, registration and VIN numbers when making the actual booking.

There are a few options for getting quotes and availability times; the quickest is to call the transport providers directly. You need to be prepared for the transport company to take at least a few weeks to do the job, let alone what lead time there might be due to other bookings. You won’t, for example, be able to book a job for tomorrow to get your caravan from Melbourne to Sydney the following day.

If you have a bit of time (say a month, or more) before your 'van needs to be moved, search for caravan transport companies online and fill out the online forms. Some offer a quote estimate online without needing your details, which can be useful to get a general idea. Be aware that quotes can vary drastically; if you know you'll need caravan transport, it can be better to call directly.

You can also place a quote request on dedicated transport quote websites such as truckit.net.

Always check transport company online reviews, but like any online reviews, take them with a grain of salt. Obviously steer away from companies that have consistently bad reviews, but don’t dismiss the small operators; an advert placed on Airtasker or Gumtree by someone prepared to tow your van might turn out as the quickest, safest and cheapest option.

But as with the big transport players, always check their credentials as well as reviews and recommendations before committing to the deal.

Final thoughts

We’re all familiar with parcel tracking these days and in a sense caravan transport should be no different.

The small, extra aspects of good transport service that provide peace-of-mind include taking multiple photos at the pick-up point and (if necessary) the drop-off point, as well as keeping in contact en-route to let you know how your caravan transport is progressing.

Related: Caravan Relocation Services tried and tested