Transportation in Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee has developed into a major Mid-American commercial and transportation hub because of its location on the Mississippi River and a convergence of numerous rail and highway links.

Travel and shipment of freight are facilitated by two major Interstate highways, I-40 and I-55, that intersect at Memphis.

Memphis is served by seven primary U.S. highways, more than any other city in the Southeastern United States.

Amtrak Train 58, the northbound City of New Orleans, is scheduled to depart Memphis at 10:40pm daily with service to Newbern-Dyersburg, Fulton, Carbondale, Centralia, Effingham, Mattoon, Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Homewood, and Chicago.

[3] Five Class I railroads operate in Memphis: Union Pacific (UP), Norfolk Southern (NS), Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), CSX Transportation (CSXT), and Canadian National (CN).

Short-line railroad RJ Corman also owns track branching off of BNSF's Memphis Intermodal Facility.

Three express bus lines were added in 2008 to provide service into Downtown Memphis from outer suburbs.

MATA also operates a heritage trolley system in Downtown Memphis with 24 stations along three lines.

General Dewitt Spain Airport, located about 4 miles from Downtown Memphis, is the only one within city limits.

At present only trains use the Harahan Bridge, but a pedestrian walkway and bike path was completed in fall 2016.

The Hernando de Soto Bridge (August 2, 1973) with its steel arches carries Interstate 40.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists the de Soto bridge for its unique structural "letter" shape.