<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000702165-03-000340
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031201
<FILING-DATE>20031204
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CORCORAN JOHN F
<CIK>0001187176
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08339
<FILM-NUMBER>031038058
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP
<STREET2>THREE COMMERCIAL PLACE
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-9219
<PHONE>7576292680
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<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>2003-12-01</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000702165</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NSC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001187176</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CORCORAN JOHN F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1500 K STREET, NW, SUITE 375</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20005</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior V.P.- Public Affairs</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>62171</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Units (Deferred)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8907.2144</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F4"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F5"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F5"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F5"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>345000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Effective December 1, 2003, the reporting person ceased to be considered an &quot;Executive Officer&quot; and thus no longer is (i) obligated to file Forms 4 and 5 and (ii) subject to the current-reporting or &quot;profit&quot;-recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Securitities Exchange Act.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes 22,169 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 December 1, 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="F3">Reports the number of deferred stock units accumulated in the account of the reporting person under the terms of the Norfolk Southern Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan (a Rule 16b-3 plan).  These deferred units were credited based on the market value of the Common Stock on the dividend payment dates, as previously reported, and ultimately will be satisfied in cash, not in shares of Common Stock.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Reports the number of Restricted Stock Units, exempt under Rule 16b-3, granted and credited to the account of the reporting person under the terms of the Norfolk Southern Corporation Restricted Stock Unit Plan.  The units will ultimately be satisfied in cash, not shares of common stock.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Reports shares beneficially owned by the reporting person as of December 1, 2003.  Includes options to purchase 345,000 shares of common stock under the Norfolk Southern Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan (a Rule 16b-3 plan) granted at various times and at various exercise prices, as previously reported.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>D. M. Martin, via P.O.A. for John F. Corcoran</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SUBMISSION>
