Transportation　is　an　important　part　of　industrial　production　systems,　with　serious　energy　consumption　and　environmental　pollution.　In　this　study,　environment　impact　of　road　transportation,　river　freight　in　the　Yangtze　River,　and　railway　transportation　was　established　and　analyzed　by　life　cycle　assessment　method.　The　analysis　results　show　that　CO2　is　the　largest　emission　of　pollutants　for　freight　transport　in　China.　abiotic　depletion　potential　(ADP)　of　electric　locomotives　significantly　lower　than　the　other　five　kinds　of　shipping　methods,　only　3.2%　of　diesel　locomotive,　3.9%　of　the　Yangtze　barges　fleet;　1.2%　of　the　Yangtze　Cargo　vessel,　0.2%　of　heavy-duty　trucks　and　0.1%　of　light-duty　trucks.　The　results　show　that　accomplishing　the　same　cargo　turnover,　light-duty　truck　has　the　largest　environmental　impact,　while　the　Electric　locomotive　freight　has　the　minimum　environmental　impact.　Although　the　environmental　impact　of　river　freight　transport　is　greater　than　rail　transport,　but　it　is　far　less　than　road　transport.　©　(2014)　Trans　Tech　Publications,　Switzerland.