Chicago, IL to Guadalajara, Jalisco freight

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

Direction

Southbound (U.S. to Mexico)

Equipment on this lane

Dry van-led, with open deck and reefer demand

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/chicago-il-to-guadalajara-jal.svg" alt="Chicago, IL to Guadalajara, JAL 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">U.S. leg</div><div class="trroute">Chicago, IL <span class="arr">→</span> Laredo, TX</div></div><b>3 days</b></div><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">Border crossing</div><div class="trroute">Laredo, TX <span class="arr">→</span> Nuevo Laredo, TAM</div></div><b>1–3 days</b></div><div class="trrow"><div class="trl"><div class="trlabel">Mexico leg</div><div class="trroute">Nuevo Laredo, TAM <span class="arr">→</span> Guadalajara, JAL</div></div><b>2 days</b></div><div class="trrow tot"><span>Total transit</span><b>6–8 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">$4K–$5K</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 Chicago market (Chicago, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Bensenville, Bedford Park) with the Guadalajara market (Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque, Zapopan, El Salto, Tlajomulco De Zúñiga, Tala), running southbound from the U.S. Over the past 12 months brokers posted this corridor to the Cargado marketplace regularly.

Recent carrier bids on this corridor typically land in the $4K–$5K range. Request a demo to see detailed, current rates for this lane.

What ships from Chicago

Freight out of the Chicago market leans toward automotive parts, machinery and industrial equipment and food and beverage 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, with open deck and reefer demand. 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.

Cargado is where brokers post corridors like this one to verified carriers. Every carrier is checked before it can bid, and banded market-rate context from real bids is built into the product.

More lanes from these markets

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

The markets on this lane

Origin 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.

Destination market

Guadalajara, JAL

Guadalajara is a major electronics center, with computing and electronic equipment making up about four-fifths of Jalisco's exports in the first quarter of 2026. The metro also ships tequila and auto parts, and has new logistics parks south of the city. Freight reaches the world through Manzanillo port and Guadalajara's cargo airport, and moves north to the U.S. by highway or by rail through Irapuato.

Industries: Electronics and computing equipment, tequila, auto parts, air cargo

Airport: International airport with a cargo area, third in Mexico by cargo volume. About 183,000 metric tons in 2025 (operating). Source
Seaport: Port of Manzanillo, Mexico's leading container port. Nearly 4 million TEUs in 2025 (operating). Source
Industrial park: Centro Logístico Jalisco, a logistics and industrial park in Acatlán de Juárez and Zacoalco de Torres. 1,200 hectares; 33 companies operating and 14 under construction as of August 2025. Source
Customs: State-backed dry port (inland customs office) planned inside Centro Logístico Jalisco in Acatlán de Juárez, to ease congestion at Manzanillo for cargo that can move by rail (planned as of December 2025). Source
Industrial park: El Salto corridor logistics park, first phase. 315,507 sq m of industrial buildings planned on a 535,185 sq m site (opened February 2025). Source
Industrial park: Tlajomulco technology park, with 28 industrial buildings planned for its first stage (opened May 2026). Source

Distribution: Industrial and logistics parks in Acatlán de Juárez, El Salto and Tlajomulco, with new buildings opened in 2025 and 2026.

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 Chicago to Guadalajara?

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 Chicago to Guadalajara corridor?

Postings here are mostly dry van, with some open-deck and reefer. 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.

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