<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-25</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100885</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UNION PACIFIC CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UNP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200010</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KORALESKI JOHN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>UNION PACIFIC CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1416 DODGE ST</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OMAHA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68179</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP Marketing &amp; Sales</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2121</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>65.9</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>115884</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1452.7426</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Managed Account</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4004</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Partnership</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes holdings in Union Pacific's Payroll-based and Tax-reduction stock ownership plans and 401(k) plan as of Transaction Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents shares held in the Koraleski Family Limited Partnership (FLP), of which the reporting person and his wife are the sole general partners and the reporting person, his wife, and his children are the sole limited partners.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Carl W. von Bernuth, Attorney-in-Fact, for John J. Koraleski</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2004-01-25
0
0000100885
UNION PACIFIC CORP
UNP
0001200010
KORALESKI JOHN J
UNION PACIFIC CORP
1416 DODGE ST
OMAHA
NE
68179
0
1
0
0
EVP Marketing & Sales
Common Stock
2004-01-25
4
F
0
2121
65.9
D
115884
D
Common Stock
1452.7426
I
by Managed Account
Common Stock
4004
I
by Partnership
Includes holdings in Union Pacific's Payroll-based and Tax-reduction stock ownership plans and 401(k) plan as of Transaction Date.
Represents shares held in the Koraleski Family Limited Partnership (FLP), of which the reporting person and his wife are the sole general partners and the reporting person, his wife, and his children are the sole limited partners.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
By: Carl W. von Bernuth, Attorney-in-Fact, for John J. Koraleski
2004-01-27