| Field Listing - Railways
Home Reference Maps Appendixes Rank Order List
Country | Railways (km)
Albania | total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Algeria | total: 3,973 km standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2003)
Angola | total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2003)
Argentina | total: 34,091 km (167 km electrified) broad gauge: 20,594 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)
Armenia | total: 845 km broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified) note: some lines are out of service (2003)
Australia | total: 44,015 km (5,290 km electrified) broad gauge: 1,957 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 27,095 km 1.435-m gauge (2,828 km electrified) narrow gauge: 14,957 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified) dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2003)
Austria | total: 6,021 km (3,552 km electrified) standard gauge: 5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified) narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km 0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2003)
Azerbaijan | total: 2,957 km broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2003)
Bangladesh | total: 2,706 km broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Belarus | total: 5,523 km broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2003)
Belgium | total: 3,518 km standard gauge: 3,518 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2003)
Benin | total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Bolivia | total: 3,519 km narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Bosnia and Herzegovina | total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Botswana | total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Brazil | total: 29,412 km (1,610 km electrified) broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (942 km electrified) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge narrow gauge: 23,915 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified) dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2003)
Bulgaria | total: 4,294 km standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified) narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)
Burkina Faso | total: 622 km narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire (2003)
Burma | total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Cambodia | total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Cameroon | total: 1,008 km narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Canada | total: 48,909 km standard gauge: 48,909 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Chile | total: 6,585 km broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
China | total: 70,058 km standard gauge: 68,000 km 1.435-m gauge (18,668 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,600 km 1.000-m and 0.750-m gauge local industrial lines dual gauge: 22,640 km (not included in total) (2003)
Colombia | total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | total: 5,138 km narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2003)
Congo, Republic of the | total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Costa Rica | total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)
Cote d'Ivoire | total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2003)
Croatia | total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (984 km electrified) (2003)
Cuba | total: 4,226 km standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2003)
Czech Republic | total: 9,520 km standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified) narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)
Denmark | total: 3,002 km standard gauge: 3,002 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2003)
Djibouti | total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2003)
Dominican Republic | total: 1,743 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2003)
Ecuador | total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Egypt | total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2003)
El Salvador | total: 283 km narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2003)
Eritrea | total: 306 km narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge note: railway is being rebuilt; 117 km open (2003)
Estonia | total: 958 km broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) note: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2003)
Ethiopia | total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2003)
European Union | total: 222,293 km broad gauge: 28,438 km standard gauge: 186,405 km narrow gauge: 7,427 km other: 23 km (2003)
Fiji | total: 597 km narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2003)
Finland | total: 5,851 km broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2003)
France | total: 32,175 km standard gauge: 32,008 km 1.435-m gauge (14,320 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Gabon | total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Georgia | total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified) broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2003)
Germany | total: 46,039 km (20,100 km electrified) standard gauge: 45,801 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified) narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)
Ghana | total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Greece | total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2003)
Guatemala | total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
Guinea | total: 837 km standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Guyana | total: 187 km standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)
Honduras | total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
Hungary | total: 7,937 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified) narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)
India | total: 63,140 km (15,994 km electrified) broad gauge: 45,099 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 14,776 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,265 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2003)
Indonesia | total: 6,458 km narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)
Iran | total: 7,203 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2003)
Iraq | total: 1,963 km standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Ireland | total: 3,312 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2003)
Israel | total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Italy | total: 19,507 km (11,651 km electrified) standard gauge: 18,070 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified) narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,314 km 0.950-m gauge (188 km electrified) (2003)
Jamaica | total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)
Japan | total: 23,705 km (16,519 km electrified) standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,393 km 1.067-m gauge (13,227 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2003)
Jordan | total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)
Kazakhstan | total: 13,601 km broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2003)
Kenya | total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Korea, North | total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2003)
Korea, South | total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2003)
Kyrgyzstan | total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)
Latvia | total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)
Lebanon | total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m note: rail system was unusable because of damage during the civil war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2003)
Liberia | total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railways are in operation (2003)
Libya | 0 km note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track; it hopes to open a 191 km line by the end of 2004 (2003)
Lithuania | total: 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2003)
Luxembourg | total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2003)
Macedonia | total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2003)
Madagascar | total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Malawi | total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Malaysia | total: 2,418 km (207 km electrified) standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified) narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2003)
Mali | total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Man, Isle of | total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003)
Mauritania | 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Mexico | total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Moldova | total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Mongolia | 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)
Morocco | total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2003)
Mozambique | total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2003)
Namibia | total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Nepal | total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2003)
Netherlands | total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2003)
New Zealand | total: 3,898 km narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2003)
Nicaragua | total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Nigeria | total: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Norway | total: 4,077 km standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2003)
Pakistan | total: 8,163 km broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Panama | total: 355 km standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
Paraguay | total: 441 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Peru | total: 3,462 km standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
Philippines | total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2003)
Poland | total: 23,852 km broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (11,962 km electrified) (2003)
Portugal | total: 2,850 km broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified) narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Puerto Rico | total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Romania | total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified) standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)
Russia | total: 87,157 km broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified) narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island) note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve industries (2003)
Saint Kitts and Nevis | total: 50 km narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations during harvest season (2003)
Saudi Arabia | total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2003)
Senegal | total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2003)
Serbia and Montenegro | total: 4,380 km standard gauge: 4,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1,445 km electrified) (2003)
Slovakia | total: 3,661 km broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified) narrow gauge: 49 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2003)
Slovenia | total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2003)
South Africa | total: 22,298 km narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314 km 0.610-m gauge note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2003)
Spain | total: 14,268 km (7,718 km electrified) broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified) standard gauge: 526 km 1.435-m gauge (526 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,910 km 1.000-m gauge (755 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2003)
Sri Lanka | total: 1,449 km broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2003)
Sudan | total: 5,978 km narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for cotton plantations (2003)
Swaziland | total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Sweden | total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2003)
Switzerland | total: 4,533 km standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,004 km 1.000-m gauge (974 km electrified); 46 km 0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2003)
Syria | total: 2,711 km standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)
Taiwan | total: 2,544 km narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2003)
Tajikistan | total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)
Tanzania | total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Thailand | total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Togo | total: 568 km narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Tunisia | total: 2,152 km standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2003)
Turkey | total: 8,671 km standard gauge: 8,671 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2003)
Turkmenistan | total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)
Uganda | total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Ukraine | total: 22,473 km broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2003)
United Kingdom | total: 17,186 km standard gauge: 16,726 km 1.435-m gauge (5,243 km electrified) broad gauge: 460 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2003)
United States | total: 228,464 km standard gauge: 228,464 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Uruguay | total: 2,073 km standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2003)
Uzbekistan | total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2003)
Venezuela | total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Vietnam | total: 2,600 km standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (2003)
World | total: 1,115,205 km broad gauge: 257,481 km standard gauge: 671,413 km narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)
Zambia | total: 2,173 km narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2003)
Zimbabwe | total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2003)
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005