Intermodal shipping across the border combines the economic, capacity, and sustainability benefits of trains with the flexibility of trucks to give shippers the best of both worlds. Intermodal shipping gives companies access to rail even when their facility or their customer’s facility doesn’t have tracks at their door, allowing them to reap the benefits of rail without any capital investment.

Cross-border intermodal shipping is:

• Cost effective: Intermodal shipping typically costs less per ton mile than using trucks for the entire shipment.
• Lower carbon footprint compared trucks: Rail shipping is the most environmentally responsible way to ship freight over land, so incorporating rail into your supply chain results in fewer emissions than shipping by truck alone. On average, U.S freight railroads can move one ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a single gallon of diesel fuel, generating a carbon footprint that is 75% less than trucks.
• Available capacity: Because railroads provide intermodal containers, capacity is almost always available. For instance, Union Pacific has access to the largest dedicated fleet of rail-provided containers, totaling more than 80,000.
• Consistent, reliable service: When you use Union Pacific’s intermodal shipping services, you’ll get the most reliable, proven network connecting Mexico to the U.S. (and Canada). Union Pacific remains the only railroad to serve all six of Mexico’s major gateways.
• No more confusion about the customs process: Union Pacific uses its established relationships with U.S. freight forwarders and Mexican and U.S. Customs brokers to make the customs process seamless.

How to Get Started with Mexico Intermodal Shipping

To learn more about intermodal shipping to and from Mexico or beyond, answer a few questions about your freight shipment(s) and an expert will be in touch. Or reach out directly to the Union Pacific Mexico team to talk about cross-border shipping.