Transportation

Highways

Galveston is situated in an advantageous position along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Interstate 45 serving as the main corridor connects Galveston Island to the Houston Metropolitan region. Three beltways (610 Loop, Beltway 8, and 99 Grand Parkway) around Houston all intersect with I-45, giving Galveston access to every major city in the State of Texas.

Airports

Scholes International Airport is a General Aviation Reliever Airport owned and operated by the City of Galveston. Scholes features two 6,000 ft. runways, and includes activities such as; private aviation, air taxi operations, and corporate air travel.

Approximately 40 miles to the north of Galveston are William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Field. Hobby Airport is Houston’s oldest commercial airport, offering international flights. Ellington Field supports operations with the U.S. Military, NASA, and a wide range of aviation tenants. As of 2015, the Houston Airport System (HAS) and NASA entered into an agreement allowing the newly formed Houston Spaceport at Ellington Field, to tap into NASA’s assets in order to expand the spaceflight industry in Houston.

Rail Access

Galveston Railroad (GVSR) is a 38-mile short-line railroad that serves the Port of Galveston, which interchanges with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Commodities that are transported include food products, agriculture feed, machinery, paper, wind generation equipment, and chemicals. GVSR was acquired by Genesee and Wyoming (G&W) in 2005 and became a part of Genesee 7 Wyoming’s Coastal Region Railroads. The G&W region serves 10 major U.S. ports.

Deepwater Port Access

The Port of Galveston provides a tremendous impact, providing 13,892 jobs, 1,861,549 cruise passengers, and $2.3 Billion in economic impact. The Port of Galveston’s facilities are located 9.3 miles from open sea, or 30 minutes sailing time. The Galveston Channel has an authorized minimum depth of 45 feet and is 1,200 feet wide at its narrowest point. Shipping lines that regularly serve the Port of Galveston include American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC), Del Monte, Hoegh Autoliners, K Line, and Wallenius Willhelmsen.

The Port of Texas City immediately across Galveston Bay provides direct access to the 14th largest port in the United States. The Port of Texas City has had tremendous success as a privately owned port, with shareholders that include Union Pacific Railroad, and BNSF Railway. The Texas City Terminal Railway provides switching inside the port, and for the petrochemical industry requires rail services.

Port Houston lies north of Galveston and includes a 25 mile long complex of approximately 200 private and public industrial terminals along the 52 mile Houston Ship Channel. Port Houston is the largest port on the Gulf Coast, moving more than 247 million tons of cargo each year.