<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000702165-03-000256
<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>SAMUELS JOHN M
<CIK>0001186077
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08339
<FILM-NUMBER>03891623
</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
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?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>0001186077</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SAMUELS JOHN M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>THREE COMMERCIAL PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORFOLK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>23510</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior V.P.- Oper.Plan.&amp;Supp.</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16803</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></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="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>292.3519</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>19.155</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>292.3519</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7125.3796</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 1,203 shares, the approximate number of whole shares of Common Stock estimated -- on the basis of the unit accounting system used by the Plan Administrator -- as of September 10, 2003, the last date on which a formal statement was available, to have been credited to the reporting person's account in the Norfolk Southern Corporation Thrift and Investment Plan (TIP), a trusteed 401(k) plan.  In accordance with TIP's terms applicable to all participants, acquisitions were made at various times and at various prices.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Reports the number of deferred stock units credited to the account of the reporting person on the basis of the market value of the Common Stock on the dividend payment date.  These deferred 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 John M. Samuels</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-11</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SUBMISSION>
