<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000702165-03-000267
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030910
<FILING-DATE>20030911
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP
<CIK>0000702165
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4011
<IRS-NUMBER>521188014
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>VA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>THREE COMMERCIAL PL
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-2191
<PHONE>7576292680
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>THREE COMMERCIAL PL
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-2191
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HILLIARD LANDON
<CIK>0001185661
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08339
<FILM-NUMBER>03891925
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP
<STREET2>THREE COMMERCIAL PLACE
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-9219
<PHONE>7576292680
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP
<STREET2>THREE COMMERCIAL PLACE
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-9219
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-10</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000702165</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NSC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001185661</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HILLIARD LANDON</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>140 BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10005</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Deferred Stock Units </value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>102</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>19.155</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>102</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>24461</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Reports the number of Deferred Stock Units, exempt under Section 16b(3), credited to the account of the reporting person as of September 10, 2003, under the terms of the Outside Directors' Deferred Stock Unit Program, on the basis of the market value of the Common Stock on the dividend payment date.  These Units ultimately will be satisfied in cash, not in shares of Common Stock.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>D. M. Martin, via P.O.A. for Landon Hilliard</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-11</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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