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South Carolina offers numerous options for transportation within its borders. For traveling and
commerce, the state offers the fifth largest maintained highway system in the U.S., with over 64,000
miles (102,998 kilometers) of roads aiding business throughout the state and to points beyond. Major
automobile routes include several Interstates: east-west routes I-20 and I-26; and north-south routes
I-77, I-85, I-385, and I-95.
Air travel is provided primarily by several major airports in the Palmetto State. Among these are
the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE),
serving over 1.4 million passengers annually; Greenville-Spartanburg
International Airport (GSP), serving more than 1.5 million passengers per year; Myrtle Beach International Airport, serving over 750,000 passengers per year;
Florence Regional Airport (FLO); and
Hilton Head Airport (HHH). Many
smaller regional airports can be found throughout the state.
South Carolina’s largest cities offer public transportation options for commuters. The Charleston Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA) offers fixed route and
paratransit routes throughout the greater Charleston Metropolitan area. The Spartanburg Area Regional Transit Agency (SPARTA) offers eight fixed bus routes and
paratransit services to the Spartanburg area. The Central
Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA) provides bus service to the Midlands area, including
Columbia, Cayce, West Columbia, Forest Acres, Arcadia Lakes, Springdale and the St. Andrews area.
Additionally, the Pee Dee Regional Transportation
Authority (PDRTA) covers the Pee Dee region with 165 vehicles including transit, intercity buses,
trolleys, and lift-equipped vans, and serves over 2,400 people daily.
The Palmetto State contains over 2,600 miles (4,184 kilometers) of rail, making it one of the
nation’s most extensive railway networks. Rail service is provided by Norfolk Southern Corporation and CSX
Corporation. Amtrak provides passenger rail
service to South Carolina via the Palmetto/Silver Service route (with the Silver Meteor and Silver Star trains)
connecting New York to Miami; the Crescent route, connecting New Orleans to New York; and the Auto Train, connecting Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Florida.
South Carolina’s location along the Atlantic seaboard yields a thriving seaport system. Port
facilities in Charleston, Georgetown, and Port Royal help to make the state’s port industry one of the
busiest in the Southeast. Additionally, the ports are in close proximity to open sea, therefore
avoiding upriver slowdowns.
Intercity bus lines serving South Carolina include Greyhound
Lines and Southeastern Stages.
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