Intermodal Drayage in Miami: Container to Rail Transfer

Intermodal Drayage in Miami: Connecting Port to Rail

Intermodal drayage is the truck move that connects ocean containers to rail transport. In Miami, container drayage from PortMiami to nearby rail terminals enables cost-effective long-distance shipping via the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway and other Class I railroads.

How Intermodal Drayage Works

When an import container at PortMiami needs to go to a destination hundreds of miles away — say, Jacksonville, Atlanta, or beyond — it’s often cheaper to dray the container to a rail terminal and load it onto a train rather than trucking it the entire way. The container rides the train to a ramp near its final destination, then gets drayed again by a local carrier for the last mile.

PortMiami’s Rail Advantage

PortMiami has an on-dock rail connection via the FEC Railway, which allows some containers to be loaded directly onto rail cars at the port — eliminating the drayage step entirely. However, not all containers qualify for on-dock rail, and many need to be drayed to intermodal ramps at Hialeah or other FEC terminal locations for specific routing.

When to Choose Intermodal vs Direct Trucking

Intermodal makes sense for destinations 500+ miles from Miami where transit time flexibility exists (rail adds 1-2 days vs direct full truckload). For shorter distances within Florida — Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville — direct trucking is usually faster and similarly priced. Your freight forwarder can compare options.

Go Freight’s Intermodal Drayage

Go Freight provides intermodal drayage connecting PortMiami and Port Everglades to rail terminals throughout South Florida. Whether you need containers moved to the FEC Hialeah yard or another intermodal ramp, our fleet handles the connection seamlessly. For destinations within Florida, we also offer direct FTL service as an alternative.