Brownsville has always been a gateway for trade. Now, it’s the front door to a rail shortcut connecting Mexico’s industrial heartland with the Southeastern U.S. — a corridor that could reshape ground transportation logistics across the Rio Grande Valley.

The Southeast Mexico Express (SMX), launched Dec. 1, 2024, is the result of a partnership between Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and CSX. The Class I freight line links cities in Mexico: Monterrey, Matamoros, and Reynosa directly with South Texas, entering through Brownsville before pushing east across CSX tracks into the U.S. states of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

“The Southeast Mexico Express has created new opportunities across intermodal, carload, and bulk,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President & CEO. “Together, we are delivering faster transit times, greater efficiency, and enhanced reliability.”

Economic impact of the Brownsville rail line

For Valley businesses, the implications are immense: shipments that once took nearly a week by truck now arrive in just three days by rail. Each SMX train replaces up to 300 trucks, a shift that cuts bridge congestion, reduces emissions, and creates new efficiencies for exporters.