Charlotte intermodal ramps: a drayage driver's guide to the rail yards

The short version

Charlotte has three main places to pick up or drop containers as of September 2026. Norfolk Southern runs a ramp at the airport, CSX runs one on Hovis Road, and NC Ports runs the Charlotte Inland Port on Exchange Street. [11][7][12]

To pull boxes at the rail ramps, your company needs to be in the UIIA, the standard interchange agreement. Your drivers must also be listed in the Intermodal Driver Database under your carrier. Both Norfolk Southern and CSX require it. [20][22]

Each railroad has its own gate app. Norfolk Southern uses ExpressNS+, and CSX uses XGate inside the ShipCSX app. Set them up before your first load, not in the gate line. [4][9]

The Charlotte Inland Port is different. It has weekday business hours, and drivers need a TWIC card for unescorted access. [13]

Where the yards are

Norfolk Southern's Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility sits at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. When NS announced it in 2012, it described a $92 million, 200-acre terminal replacing a 40-acre downtown yard that couldn't grow. [1]

The chassis pool lists the NS ramp at 5710 West Boulevard, Charlotte 28208. The airport's development plan names the NS facility as part of the land around the airport, and the NS release says a new I-485 interchange serves it. [11][3][1]

CSX's Charlotte ramp is at 5430 Hovis Road, Charlotte 28208, phone 704-392-3102. It handles domestic, international, private container and door-to-door freight. [7][8]

The NC Ports Charlotte Inland Port is at 1301 Exchange Street, Charlotte 28208, phone 704-398-2076. It's a 20-acre container yard for ocean carriers, with room for about 2,000 containers and a repair vendor on site. [12]

All three share the 28208 ZIP code on Charlotte's west side. Traffic around the I-85 and I-485 interchange near the airport is worth planning for, and NCDOT calls it a choke point for commercial traffic. [11][7][12][36]

Paperwork before your first pickup

The UIIA is the standard contract between truckers and the railroads, ocean carriers and leasing companies that own the equipment. Any motor carrier working in and out of ports or rail ramps needs it. [20]

To apply, you'll need a SCAC code from NMFTA, an active USDOT and MC number, an EIN and agreements with equipment providers. Finish within 30 days of starting online, or the pending application is deleted. [21]

The UIIA baseline is $1 million in auto liability and $1 million per occurrence in general liability, with the required interchange endorsement. Each equipment provider can ask for more, including trailer interchange coverage. [20][21]

Carriers working with BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern or Union Pacific must register their drivers in the Intermodal Driver Database and keep it current. A driver who isn't listed under your company can expect trouble at the gate. [22]

Every truck entering a CSX facility must show the carrier name and USDOT number on both sides of the power unit, readable from 50 feet in daylight. [17]

CSX also has its own contracted drayage program, which has tougher rules. It requires at least 10 trucks, no brokering and $100,000 in cargo coverage, among other limits. You don't need to be in that program just to pull a box through the gate. [17]

Norfolk Southern: ExpressNS+

ExpressNS+ is Norfolk Southern's driver app, and Charlotte is on its terminal list. You send pre-gate information, then get through the gate with a QR code or a seven-character Express Code. [4]

The app gives you parking and pickup spots, lets you photograph damage and report bad orders, and sends electronic J1 interchange receipts. To register, enter your CDL number with no spaces or dashes. [4]

Hazmat moves can't be done in the app yet. SCAC changes must be handled at a terminal office. The ExpressNS+ help desk is 1-800-525-2360. [4]

NS posts service alerts for the Charlotte yard. A January 2026 alert, for example, blocked part of row 13 for construction and told drivers to follow signs and use the app. Check alerts before you head over. [5]

We couldn't confirm NS Charlotte gate hours for this guide, because the NS terminal lookup was down. Check the app or call NS intermodal customer support at 1-800-497-2919. [14]

CSX: XGate and hours

XGate is CSX's gate system, and it runs in the ShipCSX app. It takes your information before you arrive, shows parking and pickup spots and gives you an electronic gate receipt. There's no paper ticket. [9][10]

The app locks when it senses the truck moving, so update it only while parked. If you don't have a smartphone, the gate can process you by hand. Don't pull into an XGate-only lane if you need manual help, or you'll hold everyone up. [10]

CSX takes no photos at the out-gate. It's up to you to check the equipment, note damage and record the seal number correctly before you leave. [10]

Hours need checking. As of June 30, 2026, CSX's terminal table lists Charlotte lift hours as 1:30 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays and 7:30 am to 5:30 pm on weekends. NC Ports lists the same ramp as open 24/7 with 2026 holiday closures, including Thanksgiving and several days at Christmas. [7][12]

Because the two sources don't match, call the ramp at 704-392-3102 before a late or weekend move. XGate help is 1-877-744-7279, weekdays 8 am to 6 pm. [7][10]

Charlotte Inland Port and the Wilmington train

The Charlotte Inland Port links to the Port of Wilmington by rail. NC Ports runs the Queen City Express train to serve shippers along the I-85 and I-77 corridors. [12][18]

Imports leave Wilmington at 1 am and are available at the inland port at 8 am the next day. Exports have a 5:30 pm cutoff at the CSX Charlotte terminal and reach the Port of Wilmington yard at 8 am the next day. [12]

As of September 2026, the inland port is open weekdays from 8 am to noon and 1 pm to 5 pm. The last truck is accepted at 4:45 pm. There are no appointments, and service is first come, first served. [13]

Every driver checks in at the Shipping and Receiving office. You need a valid TWIC card for unescorted access, or you must use the approved escort service. No passengers, weapons or alcohol are allowed. [13]

NC Ports' general trucker rules also apply. You'll need an account in its terminal system, the right orders, a safety vest and safety shoes. Keep to 20 mph unless posted, and stay in your truck in the container yard. [13]

Out east, NC Ports also runs a daily Wilmington to Rocky Mount train through CSX's Carolina Connector terminal. CSX lists that gate as open 24 hours, XGate only. [19][7]

Chassis and interchange inspections

Most Charlotte chassis come from the South Atlantic Chassis Pool, run by Consolidated Chassis Management. It covers six southeastern states, including North Carolina. [23]

To use the pool, register on its onboarding portal, be UIIA registered and sign the CCM contract. CCM bills the motor carrier directly for chassis days. [23]

The pool's NC start and stop points are the CSX and NS ramps in Charlotte and the NC Ports chassis yard in Wilmington. Your chassis clock runs until you return the bare chassis to one of them. [11]

Federal rules require you to inspect intermodal equipment before you drive it. Check brakes and air lines, lights and reflective tape, wheels and tires, the king pin, frame rails, locking pins and clamps, and the slider lock. [24][25]

When you return the equipment, report any damage or defects you know about to the provider. The provider must give you space to do the pre-trip and fix defects you find before you leave. [24][27]

If you get a roadside violation for a defect you reported, both sides can challenge it through FMCSA's DataQs system. [28]

Weight, per diem and billing

North Carolina's legal limits are 20,000 lb on a single axle, 38,000 lb on a tandem and 80,000 lb gross under the bridge table. Ask for the box weight before you hook. [29]

NC's overweight permit for sealed ship containers only covers moves to or from a seaport. The truck needs at least five axles and must be licensed for its maximum weight. A move between two Charlotte rail yards doesn't qualify. [30]

Running over weight without a required permit, or off the permit route, carries a $500 civil penalty. The owner can also be assessed up to $10,000 more. [31]

Per diem rules depend on who owns the box. For ocean carrier containers, federal rules say invoices must go out within 30 days after charges stop, or the billed party doesn't have to pay. [32][33]

Ocean carrier invoices must list the free time and the date the container was available. You get at least 30 days from the invoice to dispute it. [35][34]

Rail-owned domestic boxes fall under the UIIA instead. Under the UIIA, the provider has 60 days after you return the equipment to invoice you. Keep your J1 receipts, since they're your proof of when you picked up and returned the box. [20][4][10]