Union Pacific is the larger western and central U.S. railroad network; CSX is an eastern railroad serving states east of the Mississippi and parts of Canada. Their networks meet freight needs through different routes, gateways and connections. For a shipper, the useful comparison is not simply which company has more route miles or revenue: it is whether the railroad can serve the specific origin-to-destination lane, commodity and service plan.
Both companies’ 2025 filings show substantial freight operations, but their revenue categories and operating statistics are not directly comparable. The figures below use company-reported data for fiscal year 2025, with the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern transaction treated separately from the networks currently in operation.
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What is the difference between Union Pacific and CSX?
The clearest difference is geography. Union Pacific Railroad (UP), the principal operating railroad of Union Pacific Corporation, serves the western two-thirds of the United States and connects with other carriers to reach additional regions. CSX Transportation (CSXT), CSX Corporation’s principal operating railroad, serves the eastern United States and extends into Ontario and Quebec.
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In practical terms, UP’s published network description emphasizes links between Pacific and Gulf ports, the Midwest and eastern gateways, plus connections to Mexico and Canada. CSX’s description emphasizes eastern population centers and access to a broad range of ports, inland waterways and Great Lakes routes. These are different network strengths, not a guarantee that one railroad is the better choice for every shipment in its region. A customer still needs to establish which carrier or carriers serve the actual facility and route.
Which states and regions do the railroads serve?
Union Pacific: western and central coverage, with connections beyond
Union Pacific’s 2025 Form 10-K reports 32,889 route miles across 23 states in the western two-thirds of the United States, based on its network at December 31, 2025. The company says its system links Pacific and Gulf Coast ports with Midwest and eastern gateways. It also coordinates schedules with other rail carriers for freight moving to and from the Atlantic Coast, Southeast, Southwest, Canada and Mexico. UP says it serves all six major Mexico gateways. Those broader movements rely on interline, trackage or other connections; they do not mean UP owns every track on the route. Union Pacific 2025 Form 10-K
The distinction between a carrier’s own network and its connected reach matters. A shipment can travel across a broader geography through cooperating railroads, but that may involve one or more handoffs and service arrangements. For a cross-country move, a shipper should ask which carrier handles each segment, where interchange occurs and how the schedule is coordinated. A corridor shown on a corporate map is a starting point for that conversation, not proof that a specific origin, destination or interchange is available for a particular shipment.
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CSX: eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada
CSX describes an approximately 20,000-route-mile system serving major population centers in 26 states east of the Mississippi River, Washington, D.C., and Ontario and Quebec. The company reports access to more than 70 ocean, river and lake port terminals on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Its network also connects with thousands of production and distribution facilities through other Class I carriers and approximately 250 short-line and regional railroads. CSX 2025 Form 10-K
CSX’s reach includes more than its mainline mileage: its reported connections to short-line and regional railroads link the larger system to production and distribution facilities. That does not establish service at every facility. Customers should verify whether the serving railroad reaches the precise location directly, whether a connecting carrier is needed, and whether the necessary track, terminal and equipment arrangements are in place.
So, does CSX operate in the western United States? Its described core system is east of the Mississippi. Freight can move beyond that core through connections with other carriers, but a connection is not the same as CSX operating the entire route. Likewise, UP’s gateways and coordinated schedules provide reach beyond its owned network without making every connecting line part of UP.
At a glance
| Measure | Union Pacific | CSX |
|---|---|---|
| Network footprint in 2025 filing | 32,889 route miles; 23 states in the western two-thirds of the United States | Approximately 20,000 route miles; 26 states east of the Mississippi, Washington, D.C., Ontario and Quebec |
| Port and gateway reach | Links Pacific and Gulf Coast ports with Midwest and eastern gateways; corridors to Mexico and Canada through connections | Access to more than 70 port terminals on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Mississippi River, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway |
| Connections | Coordinated schedules and interline, trackage or other connections extend reach beyond UP-operated lines | Connections to other Class I carriers and approximately 250 short-line and regional railroads |
Route-mile totals describe network scale, not the number of states in which any given customer can receive service. A railroad map is useful for identifying a likely regional fit, but it cannot confirm that a particular facility, siding, terminal or route is available. Ask the carrier to confirm the actual lane.
For comparing footprints, keep the measures in perspective. UP’s 32,889 miles and CSX’s approximately 20,000 miles come from their respective 2025 filings and describe each company’s network in its own terms. The filings establish that UP reports more route miles; they do not measure whether a given railroad has a more convenient route, shorter transit time or lower cost for a specific customer.
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Which railroad is bigger?
By the route-mile figures in their 2025 filings, Union Pacific is larger: 32,889 miles compared with CSX’s approximately 20,000. UP also reported more 2025 freight revenue than CSX reported total revenue, but those dollar figures have different scopes and should not be treated as a direct size or market-share comparison.
UP reported $23.220 billion in freight revenues. CSX reported $14.1 billion in total revenue, including its trucking business. The figures are useful descriptions of each company’s reported business, not a like-for-like comparison of railroad-only revenue, network productivity or customer service.
For readers using “bigger” to mean overall business scale, the answer depends on the metric. Route miles are one measure, and revenue is another; neither tells a shipper which railroad can serve a lane or what it will cost. Revenue mix also matters: UP reports freight revenues in three groups, while CSX’s breakdown includes trucking through Quality Carriers. Treating the totals as directly comparable would obscure those differences.
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What kinds of freight do they carry?
Union Pacific’s 2025 freight revenue groups
UP groups its freight revenue into Bulk, Industrial and Premium. The amounts and shares below are company-reported for fiscal year 2025; the percentages are shares of freight revenue, not shares of carloads or freight volume.
| UP category | 2025 freight revenue | Share of freight revenue | Examples in the category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk | $7.586 billion | 33% | Grain and grain products, fertilizer, food and refrigerated products, coal, renewables |
| Industrial | $8.604 billion | 37% | Chemicals and plastics, metals and minerals, forest products, petroleum and LPG, soda ash, sand, specialized markets |
| Premium | $7.030 billion | 30% | Finished automobiles, auto parts, domestic and international intermodal freight |
| Total freight revenues | $23.220 billion | 100% | UP’s reported freight-revenue total |
Source: Union Pacific 2025 Form 10-K.
The groupings show the range of traffic included in UP’s business, from agricultural and other bulk commodities to industrial materials and higher-value premium freight. They are accounting categories for freight revenue, however, rather than a direct count of how many shipments, cars or tons fall into each group.
CSX’s 2025 revenue categories
CSX reported $14.1 billion in total revenue for 2025. Its report divides revenue among merchandise, intermodal, coal, trucking and other. The categories and percentages below reflect the company’s published breakdown; “other” is shown as a share because that is how the cited breakdown states it.
| CSX category | 2025 revenue | Share of total revenue | Examples or scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchandise | $8.8 billion | 62% | Chemicals, agriculture and food, automotive, minerals, forest products, metals and equipment, fertilizers |
| Intermodal | $2.1 billion | 15% | Rail freight connected to trucks and terminals |
| Coal | $1.9 billion | 13% | Coal traffic |
| Trucking | $816 million | 6% | Reported through Quality Carriers |
| Other | Not stated in the cited category breakdown | 4% | Other revenue |
| Total revenue | $14.1 billion | 100% | Includes trucking revenue |
Source: CSX 2025 Form 10-K; CSX’s annual-report announcement was published March 30, 2026.
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The categories are not interchangeable. UP’s Premium group combines automobiles and intermodal, while CSX lists intermodal and merchandise separately and also reports trucking. CSX says its intermodal business connects rail with trucks and terminals through approximately 30 terminals serving major markets east of the Mississippi. The revenue mix indicates each company’s reported business emphasis; it does not show comparable freight volumes or market share. CSX investor information
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For a freight buyer, the category labels can help identify whether a company reports activity in a relevant commodity or service type, but they do not show whether the railroad serves the buyer’s particular origin and destination. A product may appear in both companies’ broad business descriptions while using different equipment, terminals or interchange partners depending on the route. Ask for a lane-specific proposal rather than inferring service availability from the annual-report categories.
How do their operating-performance figures compare?
The companies publish different operating indicators and use different measurement frameworks. A number that sounds similar may describe a different measure, so the figures below should be read as separate company-reported indicators rather than a ranking.
| Company and measure | 2025 figure | What the figure represents or caveat |
|---|---|---|
| UP freight-car velocity | 225 daily miles per car | Reported within UP’s performance framework |
| UP average train speed | 24.3 miles per hour | Not the same measure as CSX train velocity |
| UP average terminal dwell | 20.9 hours | Reported within UP’s performance framework |
| CSX train velocity | 18.4 mph | CSX says its calculation method differs from STB methods |
| CSX dwell | 10.3 hours | CSX says its calculation method differs from STB methods |
| CSX cars online | 125,379 | CSX says its calculation method differs from STB methods |
| CSX on-time originations | 72% | Company-reported measure; certain statistics may be estimates |
| CSX on-time arrivals | 61% | Arrival within two hours of scheduled time; certain statistics may be estimates |
| CSX carload trip-plan performance | 78% | CSX says its calculation method differs from STB methods |
| CSX intermodal trip-plan performance | 91% | CSX says its calculation method differs from STB methods |
Sources: UP 2025 Form 10-K and CSX 2025 Form 10-K. CSX notes that some statistics are estimates that can be updated as actuals settle; it also says its calculation methods for velocity, dwell, cars online and trip-plan performance differ from Surface Transportation Board methods.
UP’s average train speed should not be directly compared with CSX’s train velocity, and their dwell figures should not be read as if calculated on identical terms. Network structure, traffic mix, schedules, congestion and the companies’ definitions all affect the measures. None establishes which railroad will provide better service on a specific lane. For an actual shipment, ask for a lane-specific service commitment and evaluate transit-time consistency using the same metric and period.
CSX’s figures illustrate why a single headline number is insufficient: its 2025 filing reports separate on-time originations, on-time arrivals and trip-plan performance for carload and intermodal traffic. Its on-time-arrival definition is arrival within two hours of the scheduled time. CSX also cautions that certain statistics are estimates that may be updated as actual figures settle, and its methods for several measures differ from STB methods. When comparing a carrier proposal, clarify the exact measure, the reporting window and what counts as on time.
Likewise, UP’s freight-car velocity, train speed and terminal dwell capture distinct parts of operations. They are useful as company-reported context, but the values should not be substituted for a service commitment on an individual shipment. A shipper concerned with reliability should ask how the quoted transit plan is tracked and compare equivalent traffic types and time periods, rather than drawing a winner from national averages.
How should a shipper choose between Union Pacific and CSX?
Start with the shipment’s endpoints and work outward. A national footprint is only a first filter: terminal access, interchange arrangements, shipment type and the agreed service plan determine whether a carrier is a practical fit.
- Confirm origin and destination access. Provide the exact shipping and receiving locations, including facility or siding details, and ask each railroad whether it can serve both ends directly or through a connection.
- Describe the commodity and shipment size. Commodity, volume and frequency can affect equipment, handling and service options. Clarify whether the movement is single-car freight, a unit train or intermodal.
- Identify equipment and transfer needs. State whether the shipment needs railcars, containers, trailers, temperature control or a truck transfer. For intermodal freight, check terminal locations and the first- and last-mile plan.
- Check ports, borders and interchange gateways. For international or port-linked freight, identify the relevant port or border crossing and which carrier handles each segment. Ask who coordinates handoffs and where interchange occurs.
- Compare the lane-specific service plan. Request the planned transit time, schedule, service commitment and how performance is measured. Compare equivalent lanes and periods rather than broad company statistics.
- Request commercial terms directly. Public annual filings do not list customer-specific rates or contract terms. Obtain a quote and clarify accessorial charges, volume assumptions, equipment arrangements and any service conditions with the carrier.
This comparison is as much about the shipment and route as it is about the railroad. A port move may depend on access to the particular port terminal; a border move may depend on the relevant gateway and connecting carrier; an intermodal move may depend on the terminal and truck-transfer plan. The filings provide broad network descriptions and business categories, not a list of customer-specific lane rates, transit times or contract terms.
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Before selecting a carrier, request a proposed service plan for the specific shipment and confirm how handoffs will work if another railroad participates. A useful comparison should put the same information side by side: origin and destination access, commodity and equipment, shipment size and frequency, route or gateway, planned transit time, reliability measure and quoted commercial terms. If the proposals use different service definitions, ask the carriers to explain them before treating the figures as equivalent.
UP and CSX annual reports describe networks and company-wide operations, not whether a particular customer’s facility is served, what a shipment will cost or what transit time is available. Those answers must come from the carrier or relevant connecting railroad for the actual lane.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern transaction mean for CSX?
The proposal is relevant to the competitive landscape, but it is not a completed merger and CSX is not a party. The Surface Transportation Board’s project page says Union Pacific Corporation, Union Pacific Railroad Company, Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway filed a revised application on April 30, 2026, seeking authority for UP to acquire control of Norfolk Southern and consolidate the rail operations. The STB page was last updated August 19, 2026. Surface Transportation Board: Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger proceeding
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe STB describes the application as proposing a mostly end-to-end combination, with existing UP and Norfolk Southern systems overlapping in Missouri and Illinois. If authorized, the combined system would be known as Union Pacific and comprise approximately 50,000 miles across 43 states, counting lines over which the applicants have trackage rights. That is a proposed footprint contingent on regulatory authorization, not the current UP network. The proceeding’s status may change after the page’s August 19, 2026 update.
The proposal should therefore be kept separate from a comparison of the railroads operating today. UP’s 32,889-mile figure is its 2025 network; the roughly 50,000-mile figure describes the applicants’ projected combined system if the regulator authorizes the transaction. It is not an update to UP’s current route-mile total, and it does not mean CSX is included in the proposed combination.
What the company statements do—and do not—tell you
UP’s 2025 Form 10-K says, “Service is all about delivering what we sold our customers.” That is the company’s description of its service strategy, not an independent finding about service quality. Union Pacific 2025 Form 10-K
CSX CEO Steve Angel wrote in the company’s March 30, 2026 annual-report release: “Our objective is to build CSX into the best-performing railroad in North America, measured by the safety of our operations, the reliability of our service, the efficiency of our cost structure, and the returns we generate on the capital our shareholders entrust to us.” This is a stated company objective, not a comparative performance result. CSX annual-report release, March 30, 2026
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11These statements explain how each company frames its priorities, but they do not substitute for service records on a shipper’s lane. For a procurement decision, use the carrier’s actual proposal and performance definitions alongside the route, equipment and contract details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Union Pacific and CSX?
Union Pacific’s 2025 filing describes a network of 32,889 route miles in 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States. CSX reports approximately 20,000 route miles in 26 states east of the Mississippi, plus Washington, D.C., Ontario and Quebec. Both extend reach through connections, but those connections do not mean either company operates every track in a longer route.
Which railroad is bigger, Union Pacific or CSX?
By reported route miles, UP is larger: 32,889 compared with CSX’s approximately 20,000 in their 2025 filings. Their revenue figures are not a like-for-like comparison: UP reported $23.220 billion in freight revenues, while CSX reported $14.1 billion in total revenue, including trucking through Quality Carriers.
Does CSX operate in the western United States?
CSX describes its core system as serving states east of the Mississippi. Freight can move farther west through connections with other carriers, but connected reach is not the same as CSX operating the entire route. Verify the specific origin, destination and handoffs with the carrier.
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Compare the specific lane, commodity, shipment size, equipment, rail-versus-intermodal needs, port or border gateway, interchange arrangements, service plan and quoted terms. Annual filings describe company-wide networks and performance measures; they do not establish customer-specific rates, transit times or service availability.
Do the 2025 service statistics prove one railroad is more reliable?
No. UP reports measures such as average train speed, car velocity and terminal dwell; CSX reports train velocity, dwell, on-time measures and trip-plan performance. The companies use different definitions and frameworks, and CSX says some figures are estimates and certain calculation methods differ from STB methods. Compare the same lane, traffic type, period and metric.
Is CSX part of the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger?
No. The STB page describes a revised application filed by UP and Norfolk Southern entities on April 30, 2026, seeking authority to combine their operations. As of the page’s August 19, 2026 update, it was a proposal under regulatory review, not a completed merger; CSX is not a party.
The Bottom Line
Union Pacific is the larger western and central network by reported route miles, while CSX is centered on the eastern United States and reaches Ontario and Quebec. Their 2025 revenue categories and operating statistics use different scopes and definitions, so they do not support a simple winner on freight mix or service quality. For a real shipment, compare access and connections on the exact lane, handling and equipment needs, a clearly defined service plan, and commercial terms quoted by the carrier. The proposed UP–Norfolk Southern combination remains a separate regulatory matter and does not include CSX.
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