-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 RwvD8F+N8lDMyUcJYfAIRX22DeyQ49muEXxXFCMPDrw32szOTdaz1r9JqOALZwc2
 D1IjjizF6DaAVuoZjs+PPw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-036531.txt : 20031223
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-036531.hdr.sgml : 20031223
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031223165653
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-036531
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031223
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031223

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BESTEN C HENRY JR
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001046078
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13105
		FILM NUMBER:		031071673

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CITYPLACE ONE STE 300
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63141
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3149942700

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ARCH COAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001037676
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	BITUMINOUS COAL & LIGNITE SURFACE MINING [1221]
		IRS NUMBER:				430921172
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CITY PLACE ONE STE 300
		STREET 2:		ARCH MINERAL CORP
		CITY:			ST LOUIS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63141
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3149942700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CITYPLACE ONE SUITE 300
		STREET 2:		ARCH MINERAL CORP
		CITY:			CREVE COEUR
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63141

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ARCH MINERAL CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19970411
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-23</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001037676</issuerCik><issuerName>ARCH COAL INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>ACI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001046078</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>BESTEN C HENRY JR</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>ONE CITYPLACE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>ST. LOUIS</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>63141</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior VP-Strategic Dev.</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwne
r><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.5000</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1717.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common S
tock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>32.0000</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By 401(k)</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTit
le><value>Employee Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>28.5000</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.5000</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1997-07-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-03-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSec
urity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Janet L. Horgan, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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