Moving from Chicago to NYC is a long distance multi-day move and we plan it as such from the first phone conversation. We frequently work in Chicago neighborhoods such as the Loop, River North, Streeterville, South Loop, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park and Hyde Park (see our Chicago movers page) and serve all of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens including Midtown, the Financial District, Tribeca, Harlem, Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, DUMBO, Astoria and Long Island City. We also service surrounding suburbs like Westchester County, and Nassau County on Long Island, and parts of North Jersey.
In Chicago, downtown pickups are about timing around the Kennedy and Dan Ryan (I-90/I-94), I-290, and the narrow one-way grid downtown — and securing legal curb space. In New York City, trucks are not permitted to leave the truck-route network, are banned from most parkways and have much more limited curb access in Manhattan and crowded portions of the boroughs. That’s why a transfer from Chicago to NYC has to be calculated based on the precise address, not just the city.
Moving Tip: If you’re doing a pickup on a busy street in Chicago, only the City can post enforceable curb space – under city ordinance, commercial movers get
CDOT Temporary No Parking / Tow Zone signs through the Chicago Department of Transportation permit portal, posted at least 48 hours in advance (ward “courtesy” signs are not enforceable). There is no blanket citywide home moving permit for a typical move in New York City; your truck will obey the commercial loading and parking laws, and in the end, your building — not the city — will generally define the terms, via a necessary Certificate of Insurance and a reserved elevator window.
We tailor each relocation to your goods, access conditions and timetable, then provide you with a binding flat-rate estimate with no hidden fees. We do residential and commercial relocation – walk-up apartments, elevator buildings, brownstones and small offices – and we take care of fragile and big objects that need special handling. Please let us know in advance of any specific building requirements at either end so we may make provisions in advance.
You can depend on a crew that knows this route and the building access issues. Our skilled packers and loaders have experience with long distance moves and know how to carefully pack, load and transport your belongings whether they are fragile or bulky objects such as beds, pianos, mirrors and artwork. Our movers are firm employees, not day labor or gig contractors and they are background verified. WellKnown organizes its moving teams so that the main mover always has more than three years of moving expertise. Learn more about us.
The Specifics of Our Chicago to NYC Moving Services
We make the logistics of moving from Chicago to New York City easy as we run this route routinely. We know the realities on the origin side (CDOT curb permits, downtown rush-hour parking limits, high-rise loading docks) and the realities on the arrival side of NYC regulated buildings. So your move has less surprises at either end. We ship from our hub in Chicago, Illinois.
The drive from Chicago to New York City is around 790 miles traveling east on I-90, then I-80, with about 13-15 hours of driving for a loaded truck. That surpasses the federal 11 hour daily driving restriction for commercial drivers, and makes this corridor an obligatory multi-day route, the driver takes a compulsory rest before completing the leg. A Chicago to New York transfer will take an estimated 2 to 4 business days if you include loading, transit, unloading, and the scheduling of your NY building’s elevator and COI. Your flat rate quote assures that your move coordinator will confirm the particular delivery window in writing.
🔒 Protection: Move comes with Basic Released Value Protection at no additional charge, with upgrade options for Full Value Protection. Check out how coverage works and how to file claims on our Claims page.
❄️ Winter routing: Lake-effect snow belt along I-90 corridor (Cleveland, Erie and Buffalo area) can shut down the freeway and trigger commercial-truck prohibitions from December to March. We track state traveler systems like 511PA and 511NY and time our dispatch so your load keeps moving securely.
About New York City
New York City runs on managed buildings. The service entrance or freight elevator is typically off-limits to movers unless the building and its managing agent are named on a Certificate of Insurance (COI) which many co-ops, condos, doorman and professionally managed rentals require; they also assign elevator windows, usually 2-4 hour slots on weekdays booked days or weeks in advance, especially around the first and last of the month. Paperwork gives way to stairs and long carry in walk-ups and brownstones. There is less curb space and it is more expensive than in Chicago. Households moving just outside the city generally end up in Westchester, Nassau County on Long Island or North Jersey, where access is easier. Your coordinator will give you the COI for your individual building and will verify the elevator reservation prior to move day.
🌆 Learn more about the city: Learn more about NYC on the city’s official website. Learn more about moving and parking restrictions through NYC DOT.