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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-02-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200009</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KNIGHT ROBERT M JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1400 DOUGLAS STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></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 &amp; CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2724</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>127400</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27234</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>154634</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14133</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>140501</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2805</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>124.86</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>137696</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>192842.636</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>(1)</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>492.2442</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Managed Account</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13550</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>97097</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Trust 2</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>124.86</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>62679</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2019-02-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-02-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>62679</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>62679</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a four year vesting period from grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Performance retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a three year vesting period from the grant date. The amount of shares in column 4 is the maximum number of shares that the reporting person is eligible to receive. The actual number of shares paid out at vesting, if any, depends on applicable performance criteria being met.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes shares acquired through dividend reinvestment.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents conversion of restricted stock units to fully vested stock units with a distribution ratio of 1:1 - Payable only in shares of common stock at termination of employment or a date certain.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Includes holdings in employee benefit plans, Tax Reduction and Payroll Based Stock Plans, as of Transaction Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">This option becomes exercisable in three equal installments starting one year from the grant date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Trevor L. Kingston, Attorney-in-Fact For: Robert M. Knight, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-02-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2018-02-08
0
0000100885
UNION PACIFIC CORP
UNP
0001200009
KNIGHT ROBERT M JR
1400 DOUGLAS STREET
OMAHA
NE
68179
0
1
0
0
EVP & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Common Stock
2018-02-08
4
A
0
2724
0.0
A
127400
D
Common Stock
2018-02-08
4
A
0
27234
0.0
A
154634
D
Common Stock
2018-02-08
4
D
0
14133
0.0
D
140501
D
Common Stock
2018-02-08
4
F
0
2805
124.86
D
137696
D
Common Stock
192842.636
I
(1)
Common Stock
492.2442
I
by Managed Account
Common Stock
13550
I
by Trust
Common Stock
97097
I
by Trust 2
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
124.86
2018-02-08
4
A
0
62679
0.0
A
2019-02-08
2018-02-08
Common Stock
62679
62679
D
Retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a four year vesting period from grant date.
Performance retention unit award with a distribution ratio of 1:1. This award is payable only in shares of common stock with a three year vesting period from the grant date. The amount of shares in column 4 is the maximum number of shares that the reporting person is eligible to receive. The actual number of shares paid out at vesting, if any, depends on applicable performance criteria being met.
Includes shares acquired through dividend reinvestment.
Represents conversion of restricted stock units to fully vested stock units with a distribution ratio of 1:1 - Payable only in shares of common stock at termination of employment or a date certain.
Includes holdings in employee benefit plans, Tax Reduction and Payroll Based Stock Plans, as of Transaction Date.
This option becomes exercisable in three equal installments starting one year from the grant date.
By: Trevor L. Kingston, Attorney-in-Fact For: Robert M. Knight, Jr.
2018-02-12