Transportation
Pearland’s significant growth can be attributed to the community’s accessibility to the greater Houston region and the world. From our convenient location, we offer excellent access to air, rail, port and major roadways. Pearland’s proximity to William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and its location within the Central Time Zone, allows business travelers easy access to both the east and west coasts.
Learn about:
Air Transportation
Roadways
Rail
Ports
Air Transportation
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) Houston’s second largest airport, is located just eight miles from Pearland and has been serving the region for more than 80 years. With six scheduled passenger airlines, more than 8.5 million passengers were served at Hobby in 2009. HOU offers more than 32 direct or nonstop domestic flights. Airlines that service Hobby Airport include Southwest, American Airlines, Delta, AirTran Airways, Frontier and JetBlue.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is Houston’s largest airport, located just 32 miles north of Pearland. IAH currently ranks 3rd in the United States among U.S. airports for direct flights with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service (over 170 destinations). Nearly 40 million passengers were serviced through IAH in 2009. With 17 passenger airlines and 5 terminals, over 700 flights depart from IAH daily. IAH is a hub for Continental Airlines and is also serviced by most major domestic airlines. International airlines include AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, Emirates Airline, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and TACA.
Pearland Regional Airport (LVJ), formerly known as Clover Field, is a public-use general aviation airport located just east of the city limits of Pearland. Pearland Regional Airport covers an area of 450 acres with one 4,313 ft. concrete runway. Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport (LBX) is owned and operated by Brazoria County and located 32 miles south of Pearland on State Highway 288. Constructed in 1981 on property that was largely donated by The Dow Chemical Company, Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport serves as a reliever for Hobby airport and other Houston area commercial airports. The 7,000 ft. runway accommodates general aviation aircraft including business jets and turboprops.
Ellington Field (EFD) is located 6 miles east of Pearland and was acquired by the City of Houston in 1984. It supports the operations of the United States military, NASA and a variety of general aviation tenants. The airport is home to the annual Wings Over Houston Air Show and is also the place where astronauts from the world-renowned Johnson Space Center receive their ongoing space training.
Roadways
Pearland’s convenient location to Houston makes for very efficient transit in the region. The Houston MSA has 3,703 lane miles of freeways and is the crossroads for Interstates 10 and 45. In Pearland, north-south freeway access to Interstates 10 and 45 is available on State Highway 288, which is a 6-lane controlled access freeway that runs from Freeport on the Gulf of Mexico to downtown Houston. West-east freeway access is provided by Sam Houston Beltway across the northern limits of the City of Pearland. Beltway 8 is an 83-mile loop around the Houston region and provides Pearland with easy access to all freeways in the region and the Port of Houston.
Rail
The Houston area is served by Burlington Northern Sante Fe, Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern Railway Company. Pearland has a Burlington Northern Sante Fe line that runs north and south across the community adjacent to State highway 35. Multiple industries in Pearland receive regular service along this line. Port areas along the Houston Ship Channel are served by the Port Terminal Railroad Association, of which the three railroads are members.
Ports
The Port of Houston, located just 14 miles from Pearland, is a 25-mile complex of diversified public and private facilities located just a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico. The port is ranked:
• First in the United States in foreign waterborne tonnage (14 consecutive years)
• First in U.S. imports (19 consecutive years)
• Second in U.S. export tonnage
• Second in the U.S. in total tonnage (19 consecutive years)
The Port of Houston is made up of the Port of Houston Authority and the 150+ private industrial companies along the Houston Ship Channel. All together, the port authority and its neighbors along the ship channel are a large and vibrant piece of the regional economy.
Port Freeport, located just 46 miles south of Pearland on State Highway 288 in Freeport Texas, is one of the most accessible ports on the Gulf Coast. The Port has become one of the fastest growing in the country and is currently ranked as the 16th largest port in the United States in terms of foreign tonnage. Their central Texas location offers efficient transportation via highway, railroad or intercoastal waterway, and a 400 ft. wide, 45 ft. deep channel ensures a fast, safe turnaround.
The Port of Galveston is located just 38 miles southeast of Pearland in beautiful Galveston, Texas. The Port’s facilities handle all types of cargo, including containers, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk, RO/RO and refrigerated and project cargoes. The Port of Galveston is also the home port to Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean vessels.