United StatesUnited StatesChicago to Houston shipping route.
1,692 km by rail, about 2.4 days in transit.
Rail Distance Between Cities: Chicago and Houston
Rail Freight Distance on the map, along the rail network.
ChicagoRailHoustonRail freight transit time
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Rail Freight Distance | 1,692 km (1,051 mi) |
| Straight line | 1,516 km |
| Transit time | 2.4 days |
| Assumption | 30 km/h average freight speed |
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About the Chicago to Houston shipping route by rail
The rail shipping route from Chicago, United States to Houston, United States runs 1,692 km on the freight network, heading south west. The straight line between the cities is 1,516 km, the track adds 12%.
At an average 30 km/h for a freight train, stops and crew changes included, the transit time is about 2.4 days. Terminal handling at both ends comes on top.
Rail freight suits heavy, high volume cargo that is not urgent: containers, steel, chemicals, grain, cars. Per tonne it emits far less CO2 than trucking the same distance. Most shipments still need a truck for the first and last mile to the rail terminals in Chicago and Houston.
By road the same trip is 1,748 km and takes a truck about 45 h 48 min.
Of 17 rail routes from Chicago in this directory, Houston is the 10th shortest. Closer destinations: Savannah (1,661 km), Denver (1,605 km) and Dallas (1,498 km).
FAQ
What is the rail distance from Chicago to Houston?
1,692 km by rail (1,516 km in a straight line).
What is the rail freight transit time from Chicago to Houston?
About 2.4 days at an average 30 km/h for a freight train, stops included. Border and terminal times vary.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Houston to Chicago has its own page with the same distance and route.
More rail freight distance
- Chicago to Kansas City684 km
- Chicago to
Toronto785 km - Chicago to Memphis842 km
- Chicago to Atlanta1,167 km
- Chicago to Montreal1,312 km
- Chicago to New York1,396 km
- Dallas to Houston396 km
- Laredo to Houston577 km
Monterrey to Houston852 km- Memphis to Houston924 km
- Atlanta to Houston1,349 km
- Kansas City to Houston1,357 km
How we count: rail distance on the freight network, 30 km/h average including stops. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all rail distance between cities or the Shipping Routes Directory.