BNSF Railway and the Mexican railroad Ferromex have announced new intermodal service between Chicago and Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Trains carrying intermodal containers will interchange at El Paso, Texas to and from FXE, Mexico’s largest railroad, which will operate the trains between the border crossing and Silao five days a week.

"Our partnership with Ferromex to launch this service from Chicago to Silao means that automakers and manufacturers in the U.S. and Mexico will now have direct access to the advantages of intermodal rail in the Bajio region," said Steve Bobb, BNSF executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "This service offers Mexico’s fast growing manufacturing sector in the Bajio region a simple way to reduce trucking costs and delays."

According to a joint announcement from both railroads the new service offers advantages such as:

• Lower cost than over-the-road trucking and faster transit times in comparison to a single truck driver.

• A centrally located intermodal hub within 100 highway miles of the Bajio’s major manufacturing centers of Leon, Irapuato, Celaya, Salamanca, Queretaro and Aguascalientes.

• Avoids highway congestion in the U.S. and Mexico.

• Dedicated customer support team to track shipments from the in-gate in Mexico to out-gate in the U.S. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“The service is better at the border when compared to trucking because there is no cross-border trucking across congested highway bridges. Southbound shipments are moved in-bond (which means shipment documentation is handled at the final destination) to minimize Mexico Customs clearance delays,” the companies said in a release. “Once the shipments arrive in Silao customers can clear their cargo with the customs broker of their choice through Mexico Customs. Northbound shipments are pre-cleared by a customs broker of the customer’s choice with U.S. Customs.”