Our Department of Transportation has been rated among the nation’s most efficient for five years, and is served by three railroads, three airports, and one of the nation’s most prolific ports.
Airports
Three airports stretch less than an hour from our borders, including our own Chester Catawba Regional Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport with 11 airlines and 600 daily flights. Ranked the nation’s 18th busiest airport, Charlotte Douglas offers non-stop flights to over 100 U.S. cities and to 30 European and Caribbean destinations. In addition to passenger service, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport serves as a major center for air cargo with major air freight carriers FedEx, UPS, Emory Worldwide and DHS.
AMTRAK
Three passenger trains serve the Amtrak Station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is located at 1914 North Tryon Street, about 1.5 miles northeast of downtown Charlotte. Built in 1961 by Southern Railway, the station replaces a former Southern Railway passenger station based at the downtown intersection of Trade Street and 4th Street.
The Columbia Amtrak Station in Columbia, South Carolina, is served by the Amtrak passenger train The Silver Star. Located three miles southeast of Columbia’s downtown area, the station’s street address is 850 Pulaski Street.
Foreign Trade Zones
Four strategically located foreign trade zones serve our county, offering substantial savings for companies which import or export manufactured goods or raw materials. Some of the benefits offered by our trade zones include:
Railways
Chester County is in the unique position of a having a long established shortline railroad, the L&C Railway, that connects with both Norfolk Southern and CSX. This allows industrial clients to negotiate for very competitive freight rates, and has resulted in 20-30% savings on rail freight costs in many cases versus being captive to one rail carrier. By having access to both eastern Class I railways, industrial clients also have access to a much wider supply base for raw and finished materials. With more than 3,300 acres of industrially zoned, rail served sites Chester County is an incredibly attractive location for companies who require cost-competitive rail service.
Ports
Chester County is served by Port of Charleston which ranks second only to New York ports in tonnage, yet offers the East Coast’s fastest time to open sea. Located three hours from Chester County, Port of Charleston welcomes companies to expand their global markets with over 50 steamship companies that call in more than 140 countries.
With fully automated customs, Port of Charleston provides a real-time cargo expediting and clearance system linking all involved parties for streamlined processing. In fact, 90% of container cargo can be cleared within just two hours, and 85% of break-bulk cargo is cleared within 24 hours.
Destination | Miles | Kilometers | |
---|---|---|---|
Closest Interstate | I-77 | Bisects Chester County | Bisects Chester County |
Closest Commercial Airport | Charlotte Douglas International | 37.6 | 60 |
Airlines | American, Canadian Airlines, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Northwest, Southwest, United, US Airways, US Airways Express | ||
Amtrak | Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC | 40/55 | 64/89 |
Nearest Civil Airport | Chester Catawba Regional | 10.4 | 17 |
Port Access: | Port of Charleston | 167 | 267 |
Rail Providers | CSX, Norfolk Southern, L&C Railway | throughout | throughout |
Commuting Patterns | |
---|---|
Commute into Chester County | 2,673 |
Commute out of Chester County | 8,136 |
Live and work in Chester County | 6,597 |