Port of Richmond, CA rail freight: what lands here and where it goes inland
The largest vessel import here, year to date through July 2026, is mineral fuels (about $3,747 million) among the 22 commodity chapters Steel Wheel Logistics tracks. The port district is reached by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, which is what makes the Richmond gateway useful for shippers whose plants sit hundreds of miles inland. This page pairs the Census import data behind the Commodity Flow Map port layer with the railroads, transload capacity and inland lanes that turn a vessel arrival into a rail move.
Top imports by vessel
Vessel imports at Richmond, CA, year to date through July 2026, US$ millions, for the commodity chapters Steel Wheel Logistics tracks.
| HS chapter | Commodity group | Vessel imports YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels · crude oil by rail | $3,747M |
| Total, tracked chapters | $3,747M | |
Railroads at the port
- BNSF Railway (BNSF)
- Union Pacific (UP)
Where more than one Class I reaches a port, the routing choice sets the inland rate, the interchange points and which inland terminals are single-line. That is the first question a lane audit answers.
Rail transload and terminal capacity nearby
Rail-served transload facilities within 30 miles of the port, from the Steel Wheel Transload Directory:
- A&R Transport Inc — Vina Vista, CA (13 mi): third-party-warehouse; Blower, Sampling Services, Scale
- Dreisbach Enterprises — Richmond, CA (1 mi): third-party-warehouse
- Levin Richmond Terminal — Richmond, CA (1 mi): transload-terminal
- Impact Transportation — Oakland, CA (8 mi): third-party-warehouse
- Dreisbach Enterprises — Oakland, CA (12 mi): third-party-warehouse
- A&G Transport Inc. / A&G Warehouse LLC — Oakland, CA (14 mi): third-party-warehouse
- Antioch Rail & Trans Loading — Antioch, CA (30 mi)
- Santa Clara Warehouses (Yandell Companies) — Benicia, CA (15 mi): third-party-warehouse
Distances are straight-line from the port's Census coordinates. Capabilities are as listed by the operator; confirm before routing.
Typical inland lanes from this port
How the top import groups typically move inland from Richmond. These describe the flow, not a price: run the indicative rail rate from Richmond for a first number.
- Imported crude, refined products and petroleum coke move in tank cars and hoppers to refineries, blending terminals, cement kilns and power plants inland. Indicative rail rate from Richmond.
- Bulk and break-bulk cargo unloaded at Richmond terminals transfers to railcars at dockside or at a nearby transload facility and moves to inland consignees on BNSF Railway and Union Pacific lanes. Indicative rail rate from Richmond.
- Railcars that deliver inland freight into Richmond reposition with outbound export loads, so import lanes are often paired with export moves to keep equipment cycles balanced. Indicative rail rate from Richmond.
- Shippers consolidating imports from Richmond with domestic production can route both through the same inland terminal, which simplifies car supply and switching. Indicative rail rate from Richmond.
Common questions
Which railroads serve the Port of Richmond?
BNSF Railway and Union Pacific reach the Richmond, CA port district.
What does the Port of Richmond import the most?
By vessel value, year to date through July 2026, the largest import at Richmond among the chapters Steel Wheel Logistics tracks is mineral fuels (about $3,747 million). Total tracked vessel imports were about $3,747 million. Source: U.S. Census Bureau International Trade API.
Can I move imported mineral fuels from Richmond inland by rail?
The largest tracked vessel import group at Richmond is mineral fuels (about $3,747 million year to date through July 2026), and the port district is reached by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. The Steel Wheel transload directory lists at least 8 rail-served transload facilities within 30 miles of the port. Use the indicative rail rate tool for a first estimate and a lane audit to confirm routing; estimates are indicative until confirmed with the serving railroad.
Moving imports inland from Richmond?
Steel Wheel Logistics is an outsourced rail department: we route, price and manage rail moves from the port to your plant. Rate estimates are indicative only until confirmed with the serving railroad.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API, general imports by port of entry, vessel value, year to date through July 2026. Steel Wheel Logistics analysis.