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This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge, which is the measure of the distance between the inner sides of the load-bearing rails. The four typical types of gauges are: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed in a note. Some 60% of the world's railways use the standard gauge of 1.4 m (4.7 ft). Gauges vary by country and sometimes within countries. The choice of gauge during initial construction was mainly in response to local conditions and the intent of the builder. Narrow-gauge railways were cheaper to build and could negotiate sharper curves, broad-gauge railways gave greater stability and permitted higher speeds. Standard-gauge railways were a compromise between narrow and broad gauges.

Albania

total: 424 km (2017)

2021-All the trains in the country suspended

Algeria

total: 4,020 km (2019)

Angola

total: 2,761 km (2022)

narrow gauge: 2,638 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

123 km 0.600-mm gauge

Argentina

total: 17,866 km (2018)

Armenia

total: 686 km (2017)

Australia

total: 32,606 km (2022) 3,448 km electrified

standard gauge: 18,007 km (2022) 1.435 mm

narrow gauge: 11,914 km (2022) 1.067 mm

broad gauge: 2,685 km (2022) 1.600 mm

Austria

total: 6,123 km (2022) 3,523 km electrified

Azerbaijan

total: 2,944.3 km (2017)

broad gauge: 2,944.3 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified)

Bangladesh

total: 2,460 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

broad gauge: 659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

Belarus

total: 5,528 km (2014)

standard gauge: 25 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

broad gauge: 5,503 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)

Belgium

total: 3,602 km (2020) 3,160 km electrified

Benin

total: 438 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 438 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Bolivia

total: 3,960 km (2019)

narrow gauge: 3,960 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Bosnia and Herzegovina

total: 965 km (2014)

standard gauge: 965 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (565 km electrified)

Botswana

total: 888 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 888 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Brazil

total: 29,849.9 km (2014)

standard gauge: 194 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 23,341.6 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (24 km electrified)

broad gauge: 5,822.3 km (2014) 1.600-m gauge (498.3 km electrified)

dual gauge: 492 km (2014) 1.600-1.000-m gauge

Bulgaria

total: 4,029 km (2020) 2,871 km electrified

Burkina Faso

total: 622 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 622 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire

Burma

total: 5,031 km (2008)

narrow gauge: 5,031 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge

Cambodia

total: 642 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 642 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

note: under restoration

Cameroon

total: 987 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 987 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

note: railway connections generally efficient but limited; rail lines connect major cities of Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, and Garoua; passenger and freight service provided by CAMRAIL

Canada

total: 49,422 km (2021) note: 129 km electrified (2021)

standard gauge: 49,422 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge

Chile

total: 7,281.5 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 3,853.5 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

broad gauge: 3,428 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge (1,691 km electrified)

China

total: 150,000 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge (100,000 km electrified); 104,0000 traditional, 40,000 high-speed

Christmas Island

total: 18 km (2017)

standard gauge: 18 km (2017) 1.435-m (not in operation)

note: the 18-km Christmas Island Phosphate Company Railway between Flying Fish Cove and South Point was decommissioned in 1987; some tracks and scrap remain in place

Colombia

total: 2,141 km (2019)

standard gauge: 150 km (2019) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,991 km (2019) 0.914-m gauge

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

total: 4,007 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 3,882 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified)

125 1.000-mm gauge

Congo, Republic of the

total: 510 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 510 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Costa Rica

total: 278 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 278 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

note: the entire rail network fell into disrepair and out of use at the end of the 20th century; since 2005, certain sections of rail have been rehabilitated

Cote d'Ivoire

total: 660 km (2008)

narrow gauge: 660 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge

note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso

Croatia

total: 2,617 km (2020) 980 km electrified

Cuba

total: 8,367 km (2017)

standard gauge: 8,195 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 172 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

note: As of 2013, 70 km of standard gauge and 12 km of narrow gauge track were not for public use

Czechia

total: 9,548 km (2020) 3,242 km electrified

Denmark

total: 2,682 km (2020) 876 km electrified

Djibouti

total: 97 km (2017) (Djibouti segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)

standard gauge: 97 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

Dominican Republic

total: 496 km (2014)

standard gauge: 354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 142 km (2014) 0.762-m gauge

Ecuador

total: 965 km (2022)

narrow gauge: 965 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

note: passenger service limited to certain sections of track, mostly for tourist trains

Egypt

total: 5,085 km (2014)

standard gauge: 5,085 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified)

El Salvador

total: 12.5 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge

Eritrea

total: 306 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 306 km (2018) 0.950-m gauge

Estonia

total: 1,441 km (2020) 225 km electrified

Eswatini

total: 301 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 301 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Ethiopia

total: 659 km (2017) (Ethiopian segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)

standard gauge: 659 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

note: electric railway with redundant power supplies; under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia and managed by a Chinese contractor

European Union

total: 4,894,173 km (2019)

Fiji

total: 597 km (2008)

narrow gauge: 597 km (2008) 0.600-m gauge

note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to December

Finland

total: 5,918 km (2020) 3,349 km electrified

France

total: 27,860 km (2020) 16,660 km electrified

narrow gauge: -5 km

Gabon

total: 649 km (2014)

standard gauge: 649 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Georgia

total: 1,363 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 37 km (2014) 0.912-m gauge (37 km electrified)

broad gauge: 1,326 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (1,251 km electrified)

Germany

total: 39,379 km (2020) 20,942 km electrified

15 km 0.900-mm gauge, 24 km 0.750-mm gauge (2015)

Ghana

total: 947 km (2022)

narrow gauge: 947 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

Greece

total: 2,345 km (2020) 731 km electrified

Guatemala

total: 800 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 800 km (2018) 0.914-m gauge

note: despite the existence of a railway network, all rail service was suspended in 2007 and no passenger or freight train currently runs in the country (2018)

Guinea

total: 1,086 km (2017)

standard gauge: 279 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 807 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

Honduras

total: 699 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

115 km 1.057-mm gauge
420 km 0.914-mm gauge

Hungary

total: 7,687 km (2020) 3,111 km electrified

India

total: 65,554 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 1,604 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

broad gauge: 63,950 km (2014) (39, 329 km electrified)

Indonesia

total: 8,159 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 8,159 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified)

note: 4,816 km operational

Iran

total: 8,483.5 km (2014)

standard gauge: 8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified)

broad gauge: 94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

Iraq

total: 2,272 km (2014)

standard gauge: 2,272 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Ireland

total: 1,688 km (2020) 53 km electrified

Isle of Man

total: 63 km (2008)

narrow gauge: 6 km (2008) 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified)

57 0.914-mm gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions

Israel

total: 1,497 km (2021) (2019)

standard gauge: 1,497 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge

Italy

total: 18,475 km (2020) 12,936 km electrified

1289.3 0.950-mm gauge (151.3 km electrified)

Japan

total: 27,311 km (2015)

standard gauge: 4,800 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 124 km (2015) 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified)

dual gauge: 132 km (2015) 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified)

22,207 km 1.067-mm gauge (15,430 km electrified)
48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified)

Jordan

total: 509 km (2020)

narrow gauge: 509 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

Kazakhstan

total: 16,636 km (2021)

broad gauge: 16,636 km (2021) 1.520-m gauge (4,237 km electrified)

Kenya

total: 3,819 km (2018)

standard gauge: 485 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 3,334 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge

Korea, North

total: 7,435 km (2014)

standard gauge: 7,435 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (5,400 km electrified)

note: figures are approximate; some narrow-gauge railway also exists

Korea, South

total: 3,979 km (2016)

standard gauge: 3,979 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (2,727 km electrified)

Kosovo

total: 437 km (2020)

Kyrgyzstan

total: 424 km (2022)

broad gauge: 424 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge

Laos

total: 422 km (2023)

standard gauge: 422 km (2023) 1.435-m gauge (422 km overhead electrification)

Latvia

total: 2,216 km (2020) 257 km electrified

Lebanon

total: 401 km (2017)

standard gauge: 319 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 82 km (2017) 1.050-m gauge

note: rail system is still unusable due to damage sustained from fighting in the 1980s and in 2006

Liberia

total: 429 km (2008)

standard gauge: 345 km (2008) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 84 km (2008) 1.067-m gauge

note: most sections of the railways inoperable due to damage sustained during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt

Liechtenstein

total: 9 km (2018)

standard gauge: 9 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (electrified)

note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland

Lithuania

total: 1,911 km (2020) 152 km electrified

Luxembourg

total: 271 km (2020) 262 km electrified

Madagascar

total: 836 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 836 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge

Malawi

total: 767 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 767 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Malaysia

total: 1,851 km (2014)

standard gauge: 59 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,792 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified)

Mali

total: 593 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 593 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Mauritania

total: 728 km (2014)

standard gauge: 728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Mexico

total: 23,389 km (2017)

standard gauge: 23,389 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (27 km electrified)

Moldova

total: 1,171 km (2014)

standard gauge: 14 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

broad gauge: 1,157 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge

Monaco

note: Monaco has a single railway station but does not operate its own train service;  the French operator SNCF operates rail services in Monaco

Mongolia

total: 1,815 km (2017)

broad gauge: 1,815 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge

note: national operator Ulaanbaatar Railway is jointly owned by the Mongolian Government and by the Russian State Railway

Montenegro

total: 250 km (2017)

standard gauge: 250 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (224 km electrified)

Morocco

total: 2,067 km (2014)

standard gauge: 2,067 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (1,022 km electrified)

Mozambique

total: 4,787 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 4,787 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Namibia

total: 2,628 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 2,628 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Nepal

total: 59 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 59 km (2018) 0.762-m gauge

Netherlands

total: 3,055 km (2020) 2,310 km electrified

New Zealand

total: 4,128 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 4,128 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified)

Nigeria

total: 3,798 km (2014)

standard gauge: 293 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 3,505 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

note: as of the end of 2018, there were only six operational locomotives in Nigeria primarily used for passenger service; the majority of the rail lines are in a severe state of disrepair and need to be replaced

North Macedonia

total: 699 km (2020) 313 km electrified

Norway

total: 3,848 km (2020) 2,482 km electrified

Pakistan

total: 11,881 km (2021)

narrow gauge: 389 km (2021) 1.000-m gauge

broad gauge: 11,492 km (2021) 1.676-m gauge (286 km electrified)

Panama

total: 77 km (2014)

standard gauge: 77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Paraguay

total: 30 km (2014)

standard gauge: 30 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Peru

total: 1,854.4 km (2017)

standard gauge: 1,730.4 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (34 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 124 km (2014) 0.914-m gauge

Philippines

total: 77 km (2017)

standard gauge: 49 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 28 km (2017) 1.067-m gauge

Poland

total: 19,461 km (2020) 11,946 km electrified

Portugal

total: 2,526 km (2020) 1,696 km electrified

Romania

total: 10,628 km (2020) 4,030 km electrified

Russia

total: 85,494 km (2019)

narrow gauge: 957 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis

total: 50 km (2008)

narrow gauge: 50 km (2008) 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists

Saudi Arabia

total: 5,410 km (2016)

standard gauge: 5,410 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings)

Senegal

total: 906 km (2017) (713 km operational in 2017)

narrow gauge: 906 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

Serbia

total: 3,333 km (2020) 1,274 km electrified

Slovakia

total: 3,627 km (2020) 1,585 km electrified

Slovenia

total: 1,207 km (2020) 609 km electrified

South Africa

total: 30,400 km (2021)

standard gauge: 80 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge (80 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 19,756 km (2014) 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified)

South Sudan

total: 248 km (2018)

note: a narrow gauge, single-track railroad between Babonosa (Sudan) and Wau, the only existing rail system, was repaired in 2010 with $250 million in UN funds, but is not currently operational

Spain

total: 15,489 km (2020) 9,953 km electrified

Sri Lanka

total: 1,562 km (2016)

broad gauge: 1,562 km (2016) 1.676-m gauge

Sudan

total: 7,251 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations

Sweden

total: 10,910 km (2020) 8,184 km electrified

narrow gauge: 65 km

Switzerland

total: 5,296 km (2020) 5,296 km electrified; Switzerland remains the only country with a fully electrified network

Syria

total: 2,052 km (2014)

standard gauge: 1,801 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 251 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

Taiwan

total: 1,613.1 km (2018)

standard gauge: 345 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (345 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,118.1 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (793.9 km electrified)

150 0.762-m gauge note: the 0.762-gauge track belongs to three entities: the Forestry Bureau, Taiwan Cement, and TaiPower

Tajikistan

total: 680 km (2014)

broad gauge: 680 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge

Tanzania

total: 4,097 km (2022)

standard gauge: 421 km (2022)

narrow gauge: 969 km (2022) 1.067 m gauge

broad gauge: 2,707 km (2022) 1.000 m guage

Thailand

total: 4,127 km (2017)

standard gauge: 84 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (84 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 4,043 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

Togo

total: 568 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 568 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Tunisia

total: 2,173 km (2014) (1,991 in use)

standard gauge: 471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,694 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

dual gauge: 8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge

Turkey (Turkiye)

total: 11,497 km (2018)

standard gauge: 11,497 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge (1.435 km high speed train)

Turkmenistan

total: 5,113 km (2017)

broad gauge: 5,113 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge

Uganda

total: 1,244 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 1,244 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Ukraine

total: 21,733 km (2014)

standard gauge: 49 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (49 km electrified)

broad gauge: 21,684 km (2014) 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified)

United Kingdom

total: 16,390 km (2020) 6,167 km electrified

United States

total: 293,564.2 km (2014)

standard gauge: 293,564.2 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Uruguay

total: 1,673 km (2016) (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km)

standard gauge: 1,673 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge

Uzbekistan

total: 4,642 km (2018)

broad gauge: 4,642 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified)

Venezuela

total: 447 km (2014)

standard gauge: 447 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (41.4 km electrified)

Vietnam

total: 2,600 km (2014)

standard gauge: 178 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge; 253 km mixed gauge

narrow gauge: 2,169 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

World

total: 1,148,186 km (2013)

Zambia

total: 3,126 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 3,126 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

note: includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)

Zimbabwe

total: 3,427 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 3,427 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)