Lanes/
Aguascalientes to Chicago, IL freight

Aguascalientes to Chicago, IL freight

The Aguascalientes to Chicago corridor runs northbound from Mexico into the U.S. and typically crosses at Laredo (World Trade Bridge).

Direction

Northbound (Mexico to U.S.)

Equipment on this lane

Dry van-led corridor

Carrier availability

Vetted carriers cover this corridor

Marketplace activity

Posted by brokers on the Cargado marketplace

<div class="lane-viz"><div class="lane-viz-mapwrap"><img class="lane-viz-map" src="https://cargado-lane-maps.pages.dev/aguascalientes-agu-to-chicago-il.svg" alt="Aguascalientes, AGU to Chicago, IL freight route map on Cargado" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="620"></div><div class="lane-viz-panel"><div class="lane-viz-title">Transit time</div><div class="tr"><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">Mexico leg</div><div class="trroute">Aguascalientes, AGU <span class="arr">&#8594;</span> Nuevo Laredo, TAM</div></div><b>1 day</b></div><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">Border crossing</div><div class="trroute">Nuevo Laredo, TAM <span class="arr">&#8594;</span> Laredo, TX</div></div><b>1–3 days</b></div><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">U.S. leg</div><div class="trroute">Laredo, TX <span class="arr">&#8594;</span> Chicago, IL</div></div><b>3 days</b></div><div class="trrow tot"><span>Total transit</span><b>5&#8211;7 days</b></div></div><div class="lane-viz-title">Typical market range</div><div class="lane-rate-band" style="font-size:1.75rem;font-weight:700;color:#16295c;margin:.15rem 0 .6rem">$6K–$7K</div><a class="lane-cta" href="https://cargado.com/brokers/get-a-demo">Request a demo for detailed rates </a><div class="lane-viz-fine">Estimated drive time by road, split at the border. Border dwell varies with documentation and crossing.</div></div></div>

This corridor connects the Aguascalientes market (Aguascalientes, Loretito, San Francisco De Los Romo, Jesús María, Parque Industrial San Francisco, Valle De Aguascalientes) with the Chicago market (Chicago, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Bensenville, Bedford Park), running northbound from Mexico into the U.S. Over the past 12 months brokers posted this corridor to the Cargado marketplace.

Recent carrier bids on this corridor typically land in the $6K–$7K range. Request a demo to see detailed, current rates for this lane.

What ships from Aguascalientes

Freight out of the Aguascalientes market leans toward food and beverage, automotive parts and machinery and industrial equipment based on what brokers actually post there. You can read more about moving these goods on the freight types pages.

Equipment on this corridor

Dry van-led corridor. Browse equipment definitions in the glossary if a term is unfamiliar.

Border crossing

Most freight on this corridor crosses at Laredo (World Trade Bridge). Loads either run direct with a through-trailer or transload at the border, and the transfer step is priced into carrier bids. See transloading and the Laredo (World Trade Bridge) crossing page.

On Cargado, this corridor is covered by a marketplace of verified carriers bidding on freight from brokers, with rate context drawn from real bids rather than surveys.

More lanes from these markets

Every lane guide for Aguascalientes is listed on its lane hub, by direction and destination country.

The markets on this lane

Origin market

Aguascalientes, AGU

Automotive manufacturing is the base of Aguascalientes freight, with vehicle assembly plants and a large tier of supplier plants around them. The state reported US$6.46 billion of exports in the first half of 2025, led by transport equipment and electronics.

Industries: Auto and auto parts, electrical and electronics, agribusiness, textiles and apparel

  • Vehicle assembly: Land vehicles, parts and accessories are the state's top export sector. US$4,288 million of exports, with data through December 2023. Source
  • Auto parts: Tier 1 and lower-tier supplier plants serving vehicle assemblers. 35 Tier 1 plants with about 20,000 direct jobs; 117 Tier 2 and lower plants with about 15,000 direct jobs. Source
  • Industrial parks: FINSA Aguascalientes, a park with direct access to vehicle assembly plants, on the Aguascalientes-Mexico highway at km 114.5. 106 hectares occupied. Source
  • Rail: Ferromex and CPKC de México rail links to the main customs offices and ports. Source
  • Customs: Aduana de Aguascalientes, a customs office for import and export. Open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Source

Distribution: Distribution follows the automotive base, with just-in-time supplier delivery from industrial parks beside the assembly plants and rail links to the main customs offices and ports.

Destination market

Chicago, IL

Metropolitan Chicago has six Class I railroads and is the largest U.S. point of origin and termination for intermodal shipments, with about 50 percent of U.S. intermodal trains passing through. Canada and Mexico are Illinois's two largest export markets.

Industries: Intermodal and logistics, chemicals, machinery and electronics, automotive, food and beverage

  • Industrial park: CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Joliet and Elwood, anchored by the BNSF Logistics Park Chicago and the Union Pacific Joliet Intermodal Terminal. 6,400 acres (operating). Source
  • Rail: CN intermodal terminals in Harvey and Joliet; the Harvey terminal is open 24 hours daily (operating). Source
  • Rail: Union Pacific Border Direct intermodal service linking Chicago with Port Laredo and El Paso (operating). Source
  • Industrial park: Elk Grove Village Business Park. 62 million sq ft of industrial space (operating). Source
  • Airport: O'Hare International Airport cargo area, with a northeast cargo campus and three south-airfield cargo ramps. More than 2 million metric tons of cargo (operating). Source

Distribution: Warehouse and distribution space concentrated in the Will County and Greater O'Hare freight clusters, including the CenterPoint park in Joliet and Elwood.

Market profiles describe industries and facility types from public government, industry, port, railroad and industrial-park sources. They name no shippers, manufacturers, retailers or logistics companies.

Common questions about this lane

How do I find carriers for Aguascalientes to Chicago?

On Cargado, brokers post the corridor and vetted carriers bid on it. Every carrier is verified before it can bid, which replaces cold-calling unknown carriers.

What equipment is available on the Aguascalientes to Chicago corridor?

Postings here are mostly dry van. If you need a type you do not see, post the load anyway. Carriers with matching equipment get notified automatically.

Does freight on this corridor transload at the border or run direct?

Both happen. Most freight crosses at Laredo (World Trade Bridge), where carriers either transfer the trailer to a cross-border drayage carrier or run direct with a through-trailer. The bid reflects the carrier's setup.

Moving freight on this lane?

Post it to 2,350+ vetted Mexico and Canada carriers, or check market rates built from real carrier bids before you quote.