BNSF Railway has introduced a new expedited intermodal service connecting Los Angeles to Houston, offering enhanced transit times and a viable alternative to over-the-road freight transportation.
BNSF Railway, one of North America’s largest freight transportation providers, has announced the rollout of a third-day expedited rail service from its Hobart intermodal facility in Los Angeles to the Pearland facility near Houston. The new offering, launched July 15, aims to improve speed, consistency, and capacity across the Southern Transcon corridor—one of the busiest freight rail corridors in the U.S.
This new direct service comes as supply chain pressures push shippers to find faster and more reliable ways to move cargo across key metropolitan markets. Designed to compete directly with over-the-road (OTR) trucking options, the service targets intermodal freight that requires higher velocity, especially in sectors like retail, consumer goods, and time-sensitive industrial shipments.
Jon Gabriel, BNSF Group Vice President, Consumer Products, said the launch is a strategic effort to support the growing needs of shippers moving freight into Houston’s rapidly expanding market. “Our expedited service from Los Angeles to Houston is a strategic development that not only extends BNSF’s market reach but also connects two major metropolitan areas more effectively,” he said. “By continuing to create more opportunities to convert over-the-road freight to rail, we provide a cost-effective, direct solution to bring freight to the dynamic and growing Houston area.”
The new corridor provides critical advantages for logistics operators and freight forwarders who have traditionally depended on Dallas-Fort Worth as a staging area before moving freight into Houston. BNSF’s Pearland terminal eliminates this step for many cargo types, streamlining transit and reducing reliance on drayage between North Texas and Southeast Texas.
The route operates along BNSF’s high-volume Southern Transcon, a double-track mainline that connects Southern California ports with major inland hubs. This corridor has long served as a backbone for domestic intermodal traffic, and the addition of the expedited service aims to ease pressure on Southern California gateways while offering reliable service into the Gulf region.
This latest offering comes amid broader efforts across the freight rail industry to pull long-haul cargo away from highways and reduce carbon emissions. While trucks currently move the majority of freight between Los Angeles and Houston, intermodal services such as this provide shippers with competitive pricing and lower environmental impact. With fuel prices fluctuating and highway congestion increasingly unpredictable, many shippers are reassessing their modal mix.
The decision to enhance the LA–Houston corridor also reflects growth in Houston’s logistics and industrial economy. The city has become a major import/export hub, particularly for project cargo, petrochemicals, and manufacturing-related goods. Rail connectivity into the area is increasingly vital, especially as port activity remains strong across the Gulf Coast.
This isn’t BNSF’s first move to speed up freight lanes across its network, but the LA-to-Houston corridor is one of the more high-profile intermodal connections established in recent years. By creating a consistent, third-day transit window, the company positions itself to absorb demand that previously went to highway carriers or required multiple handoffs.
With BNSF reporting improved capacity and reliability out of Southern California, the new offering is expected to attract both current intermodal shippers and businesses looking to reduce their trucking dependencies. Dozens of weekly slots will now be dedicated to this expedited route, increasing service frequency and giving shippers greater scheduling flexibility.
