HOME / Upstate Advantages / Transportation & Infrastructure

TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

Upstate South Carolina’s central location within the booming Southeastern United States provides access to major markets, raw materials and growing industries. Companies here have access to the most efficient port on the East Coast as well as interstate and rail connecting to more than 100 million consumers in a day’s drive. One thing is for sure: business never stops moving here.

By Land

I-85 spans the region, connecting Atlanta and Charlotte. I-26 provides a direct route to the Port of Charleston. One-day truck service reaches 44% of the U.S. population.

By Air

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport offers Upstate residents over 100 total daily flights to 19 nonstop destinations and easy connections to hundreds of cities worldwide.

  • Offers the only scheduled nonstop international air cargo service in the Carolinas with regular flights to Germany and Mexico.
  • Currently provides cargo services from FedEx and UPS
  • 1,500 acres surrounding the terminal for development, presenting major opportunity for manufacturing and logistics

Additionally, Charlotte Douglas International Airport is less than 1.5 hours from the center of the Upstate, and, even closer from Cherokee and Spartanburg counties. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is within a 2-3 hour drive time from the Upstate.

By Sea

Accessibility to the Port of Charleston and the Inland Port Greer offer a significant advantage. Upstate businesses are in proximity to the deepest sea port in the Southeast, boasting the most productive crane moves per hour and a 60-minute truck turn time. Adjacent to the Greenville-Spartanburg International airport, Inland Port Greer is an intermodal rail hub serviced by Norfolk Southern mainline with direct connection to the Port of Charleston.

By Rail

Whether your company is receiving raw materials or shipping finished goods to market, the Upstate’s well-connected rail system can save companies time and money. Our region is served by major rail providers CSX and Norfolk Southern, with short-line services available.

By the Grid and Beyond

We know availability, capacity and redundancy of power sources are also vital assets for companies when considering relocations or expansions. Within the Palmetto State, electricity sources are diverse, with nuclear, hydroelectric and coal sources feeding our grids. Our state also has a competitive energy pricing environment created by the presence of Duke Energy and a number of community-based cooperatives, resulting in costs far below the national average and lower than surrounding states.