A crane operator lifts a container from the first train serving the Gainesville Inland Port on Monday, May 4, 2026. The Georgia Ports Authority says the new service will add more supply chain options into the local market’s 330 manufacturers. (Georgia Ports)
New infrastructure extends port services to Northeast Georgia and local market of 330 manufacturers
SAVANNAH, Ga., May 21, 2026 – Crews at Georgia Ports Authority’s Gainesville Inland Port has worked multiple trains and trucks at the facility since the opening on May 4, 2026, kicking off direct daily rail service between the inland manufacturing hub and the Port of Savannah.
“With the start of operations in Gainesville, we’re extending the reach of the Port of Savannah deep into Northeast Georgia,” said Georgia Ports President and CEO Griff Lynch. “Manufacturers across the region now have a seamless rail connection to more than 40 weekly vessel calls linking to global markets.”
The Gainesville Inland Port gives shippers an alternative to a 600-mile roundtrip truck route that will reduce trucks on Georgia’s highways and in the Atlanta region. GPA expects to shift 26,000 containers to rail in the first year of operation, improving highway traffic flow and reducing emissions.
About 80 percent of Savannah’s cargo moves inland by truck and 20 percent by rail, with rail becoming more cost-effective beyond 250 miles, especially as diesel prices rise. The port’s speed and flexibility stand out: 40 weekly vessel calls, 42 double-stack trains linking inland markets, and industry-leading rail dwell of 20 hours or less. Truck gates process 14,000–16,000 daily moves, with dual turns under 50 minutes and single moves in 30.
GPA is collaborating with Norfolk Southern on the new service. At full build-out, the $134 million Gainesville Inland Port will have an annual capacity of 200,000 containers.
To reduce the new railyard’s traffic impact on local communities in Gainesville, GPA funded $4.8 million in Hall County road projects, eliminating an at-grade rail crossing, rerouting White Sulphur Road and surfacing Cagle Road. The new White Sulphur route south of the inland terminal ensures free access for emergency vehicles and avoids traffic disruption from trains. The resurfacing of Cagle Road also offers an improved alternative for residents. Both projects were completed in late summer 2025.
ABOUT GEORGIA PORTS
Georgia’s Ports in Savannah and Brunswick are strategic gateways, creating the most competitive supply chains in the nation with their level of operations, connectivity and supply chain ecosystem. These attributes combined with Georgia’s ranking as the top state to do business for 12 consecutive years create a strong business model for growth. The Port of Savannah is one of the best-connected ports in the U.S. to world markets with 40 ship calls a week, 42 doublestack trains per week and 14,000 truck gate moves daily. The Port of Brunswick is the number 1 ranked U.S. RoRo port by annual volumes for autos and has an increasing amount of machinery cargoes with its expanded high and heavy cargo operating space. GPA has a self-financed investment plan of nearly $5 billion for the next ten years which will see five new big ship container berths added in Savannah (the most new berths of any U.S. container port) and a fourth RoRo berth in Brunswick to meet future growth. In the past decade, GPA has invested $3.2 billion in infrastructure improvements. As part of GPA’s community engagement efforts, $6 million is being donated to port communities to support a multi-year, local workforce housing initiative, helping 178 families repair, buy or build a home in the Savannah area since its start in September 2023. For further information, visit gaports.com or contact Edward Fulford, Manager of Media Relations at efulford@gaports.com, 912-964-3806.
