<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-15</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000277948</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CSX CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CSX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237373</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SHEPARD DONALD J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>AEGON, N.V.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1111 NORTH CHARLES STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BALTIMORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21201</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>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>195.6947</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>31.36</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1095.4126</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By trustee</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">By Trustee, CSX Stock Plan for Directors</footnote><footnote id="F2">Exempt payment of director's fees and/or annual retainer in the form of CSX common stock pursuant to the CSX Corporation Stock Plan for Directors. </footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Donald J. Shepard by Rachel E. Geiersbach, Attorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-16</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

