By rail, by road, by sea or sky, North Carolina’s central location on the eastern seaboard and excellent transportation infrastructure make it an optimal point for access to markets and customers, keeping freight and delivery costs low. With the second-largest state highway system, four major airports and two seaports, North Carolina is a global access point for businesses to Thrive.

Air Access

North Carolina is home to the sixth largest major airline hub in the nation, with:

• Four major airports
• More than 1,000 daily departures
• Non-stop service to over 100 domestic and international destinations.

In addition, the North Carolina Global TransPark  combines transportation, accessibility and prime commercial real estate to meet a wide range of business and industrial needs, including the longest commercial runway in the state to accommodate the world’s largest cargo jets.
 
The state also has 11 regional and more than 100 general aviation facilities. Equipped to accommodate the world’s largest cargo jets, our airports have been recognized nationally for on-time arrivals, departures and operations, passengers served and cargo handled.
 
The state’s airports offer commercial and general aviation services, including U.S. Customs, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services to clear international flights.
 
Our transportation network offers a seamless distribution infrastructure, providing the ability to quickly transport goods.  FedEx has chosen North Carolina for its new mid-Atlantic hub that is expected to open before the end of the decade.

Airports with Scheduled Passenger Service

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Shipping

North Carolina helps companies find overseas distribution with two deep-water international ports and two strategically located inland terminals.

The Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City handle containerized bulk and breakbulk cargoes.  Both ports have access to North Carolina Ports' Intermodal Terminal Network, the first port-operated inland container staging and storage network in the nation that includes over 400 shippers and receivers providing inexpensive inland transportation. The Charlotte Inland Terminal is located at the heart of the manufacturing and distribution sites in the southeast serving the I-77 and I-85 corridors.  The Piedmont Triad Inland Terminal serves the I-40/I-85 corridor.

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Rail Service

North Carolina’s businesses can tap the largest consolidated rail system in the country.  More than 3,200 miles of track provide excellent freight railway service to business and industry.

The rail system is supported by more than 20 carriers including CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern.  With service to 22 states in the eastern half of the country, the rail connections extending to the coast enable the ports of Wilmington and Morehead City to offer import and export services to a large market.

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Highway Access

North Carolina accesses the nation’s primary transportation arteries with the second largest highway system in the nation, spanning more than 98,000 miles.

• Interstate 95 is the major east coast interstate linking New England to Florida.
• Interstate 40 links the country coast-to-coast from N.C. to California.
• Interstate 85 forms the backbone of the largest manufacturing region in the Southeast, from Richmond, Va. to Montgomery, Ala.
• Interstate 77 connects Cleveland, Ohio to Columbia, S.C.
• Interstate 26 stretches from Colonial Heights, Tenn. to Charleston, S.C.
• Interstate 73 is currently an intrastate and runs from Candor to Greensboro.
• Interstate 74 extends from Cana, Va. to Mount Airy, N.C.

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Trucking Service

The intersection of major north-south and east-west interstates make North Carolina a natural hub for trucking access to points nationwide.

Within 700 miles of our borders are 170 million U.S. and Canadian consumers, and 65 of the country’s top 100 metropolitan areas.  Many of these potential customers can be reached in two days or less by truck. North Carolina’s trucking firms serve a wide array of industry sectors with a range of local and regional cross-country capabilities.

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Public Transportation

More than 100 urban and rural public transportation systems serve millions of commuters throughout North Carolina’s 100 counties. A network of transit authorities offers bus and shuttle services and encourages ride sharing through carpools and vanpools, providing energy-efficient, low-cost travel options. In the wake of recent growth, many of the state’s urban centers and outlying communities are stepping up plans for high-speed rail service and rapid area transit.
 
Currently, six Amtrak rail lines offer passenger railway service up and down the East Coast and to points west, connecting major points within our state as well as connecting us to our neighbors.

For more information check out VisitNC.com or download the Market Access Chapter (PDF) of our Fact Book.