Railways

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 under 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.

Country Comparison Ranking

• Albania

  total: 677 km (447 km of major railway lines and 230 km of secondary lines) (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 677 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)

• Algeria

  total: 3,973 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.432-m gauge (283 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2014)

• Angola

  total: 2,852 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 2,729 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  
  123 km 0.600-m gauge

• Argentina

  total: 36,917 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 2,745.1 km 1.435-m gauge (41.1 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 7,523.3 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 26,391 km 1.676-m gauge (149 km electrified) (2014)
  
  258 km 0.750-m gauge

• Armenia

  total: 780 km (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 780 km 1.520-m gauge (780 km electrified) (2014)
  
  note: 726 km operational

• Australia

  total: 33,343 km (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 17,446 km 1.435-m gauge (650 km electrified) (2015)
  
  narrow gauge: 12,318 km 1.067-m gauge (2,075.5 km electrified) (2015)
  
  broad gauge: 3,247 km 1.600-m gauge (372 km electrified) (2015)

• Austria

  total: 5,800 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 5,300 km 1.435-m gauge (3,826 km electrified) (2016)

• Azerbaijan

  total: 2,944 km (2017)
  
  broad gauge: 2,944.3 km 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified) (2017)

• Bangladesh

  total: 2,460 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 659 km 1.676-m gauge (2014)

• Belarus

  total: 5,528 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 5,503 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) (2014)

• Belgium

  total: 3,592 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 3,592 km 1.435-m gauge (2,960 km electrified) (2014)

• Benin

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

• Bolivia

  total: 3,960 km (2019)
  
  narrow gauge: 3,960 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

• Botswana

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

• Brazil

  total: 29,850 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 194 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 23,341.6 km 1.000-m gauge (24 km electrified) (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 5,822.3 km 1.600-m gauge (498.3 km electrified) (2014)
  
  dual gauge: 492 km 1.600-1.000-m gauge (2014)

• Bulgaria

  total: 5,114 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 4,989 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 125 km 0.760-m gauge (2014)

• Burkina Faso

  total: 622 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire

• Burma

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

• Cambodia

  total: 642 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 642 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  note: under restoration

• Cameroon

  total: 987 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  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: 77,932 km note: 129 km electrified (2021) (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 77,932 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

• Chile

  total: 7,282 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 3,853.5 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 3,428 km 1.676-m gauge (1,691 km electrified) (2014)

• China

  total: 131,000 km 1.435-m gauge (80,000 km electrified); 102,000 traditional, 29,000 high-speed (2018)

• Christmas Island

  total: 18 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 18 km 1.435-m (not in operation) (2017)
  
  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 (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,991 km 0.914-m gauge (2015)

• Congo, Democratic Republic of the

  total: 4,007 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified) (2014)
  
  125 1.000-m gauge

• Congo, Republic of the

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

• Costa Rica

  total: 278 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  
  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 1.000-m gauge (2008)
  
  note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso

• Croatia

  total: 2,722 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 2,722 km 1.435-m gauge (980 km electrified) (2014)

• Cuba

  total: 8,125 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 8,195 km 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified) (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 172 km 1.000-m gauge (2017)
  
  note: As of 2013, 70 km of standard gauge and 12 km of narrow gauge track were not for public use

• Czechia

  total: 9,408 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 9,385 km 1.435-m gauge (3,218 km electrified) (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 23 km 0.760-m gauge (2017)

• Denmark

  total: 3,476 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 3,476 km 1.435-m gauge (1,756 km electrified) (2017)

• Djibouti

  total: 97 km (Djibouti segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 97 km 1.435-m gauge (2017)

• Dominican Republic

  total: 496 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 354 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (2014)

• Ecuador

  total: 965 km (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2017)
  
  note: passenger service limited to certain sections of track, mostly for tourist trains

• Egypt

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

• El Salvador

  total: 13 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 12.5 km 0.914-m gauge (2014)

• Eritrea

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

• Estonia

  total: 2,146 km (2016)
  
  broad gauge: 2,146 km 1.520-m and 1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2016)
  
  note: includes 1,510 km public and 636 km non-public railway

• Eswatini

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

• Ethiopia

  total: 659 km (Ethiopian segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 659 km 1.435-m gauge (2017)
  
  note: electric railway with redundant power supplies; under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia and managed by a Chinese contractor

• European Union

  total: 230,548 km (2013)

• Fiji

  total: 597 km (2008)
  
  narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge (2008)
  
  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: 5,926 km (2016)
  
  broad gauge: 5,926 km 1.524-m gauge (3,270 km electrified) (2016)

• France

  total: 29,640 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 29,473 km 1.435-m gauge (15,561 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (63 km electrified) (2014)

• Gabon

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

• Georgia

  total: 1,363 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 km electrified) (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 1,326 km 1.520-m gauge (1,251 km electrified) (2014)

• Germany

  total: 33,590 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 33,331 km 1.435-m gauge (19,973 km electrified) (2015)
  
  narrow gauge: 220 km 1.000-m gauge (79 km electrified)
  
  15 km 0.900-m gauge, 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2015)

• Ghana

  total: 947 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 947 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

• Greece

  total: 2,548 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  22 0.750-m gauge

• Guatemala

  total: 800 km (2018)
  
  narrow gauge: 800 km 0.914-m gauge (2018)
  
  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 1.435-m gauge (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (2017)

• Honduras

  total: 699 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 164 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  
  115 km 1.057-m gauge
  420 km 0.914-m gauge

• Hungary

  total: 8,049 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 7,794 km 1.435-m gauge (2,889 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge (2014)

• India

  total: 68,525 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,604 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 63,950 km (39, 329 km electrified) (2014)

• Indonesia

  total: 8,159 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 8,159 km 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified) (2014)
  
  note: 4,816 km operational

• Iran

  total: 8,484 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 8,389.5 km 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified) (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge (2014)

• Iraq

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

• Ireland

  total: 4,301 km (2018)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,930 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2018)
  
  broad gauge: 2,371 km 1.600-m gauge (53 km electrified) (2018)

• Isle of Man

  total: 63 km (2008)
  
  narrow gauge: 6 km 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified) (2008)
  
  57 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions

• Israel

  total: 1,599 km (2019) (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 1,384 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

• Italy

  total: 20,182 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 18,770.1 km 1.435-m gauge (12,893.6 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 122.3 km 1.000-m gauge (122.3 km electrified) (2014)
  
  1289.3 0.950-m gauge (151.3 km electrified)

• Japan

  total: 27,311 km (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 4,800 km 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified) (2015)
  
  narrow gauge: 124 km 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified) (2015)
  
  dual gauge: 132 km 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2015)
  
  22.207 km 1.067-m gauge (15,430 km electrified)
  48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified)

• Jordan

  total: 1,596 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 509 km 1.050-m gauge (2014)

• Kazakhstan

  total: 16,614 km (2017)
  
  broad gauge: 16,614 km 1.520-m gauge (4,200 km electrified) (2017)

• Kenya

  total: 3,819 km (2018)
  
  standard gauge: 485 km 1.435-m gauge (2018)
  
  narrow gauge: 3,334 km 1.000-m gauge (2018)

• Korea, North

  total: 7,435 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 7,435 km 1.435-m gauge (5,400 km electrified) (2014)
  
  note: figures are approximate; some narrow-gauge railway also exists

• Korea, South

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

• Kosovo

  total: 333 km (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 333 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)

• Kyrgyzstan

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

• Latvia

  total: 1,860 km (2018)
  
  narrow gauge: 34 km 0.750-m gauge (2018)
  
  broad gauge: 1,826 km 1.520-m gauge (2018)

• Lebanon

  total: 401 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m gauge (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m gauge (2017)
  
  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 1.435-m gauge (2008)
  
  narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
  
  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 1.435-m gauge (electrified) (2018)
  
  note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland

• Lithuania

  total: 1,768 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 1,746 km 1.520-m gauge (122 km electrified) (2014)

• Luxembourg

  total: 275 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (275 km electrified) (2014)

• Madagascar

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

• Malawi

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

• Malaysia

  total: 1,851 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 59 km 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified) (2014)

• Mali

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

• Mauritania

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

• Mexico

  total: 20,825 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 20,825 km 1.435-m gauge (27 km electrified) (2017)

• Moldova

  total: 1,171 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 1,157 km 1.520-m gauge (2014)

• 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 1.520-m gauge (2017)
  
  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 1.435-m gauge (224 km electrified) (2017)

• Morocco

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

• Mozambique

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

• Namibia

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

• Nepal

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

• Netherlands

  total: 3,058 km (2016)
  
  standard gauge: 3,058 km 1.435-m gauge (2,314 km electrified) (2016)

• New Zealand

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

• Nigeria

  total: 3,798 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 293 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  
  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: 925 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 925 km 1.435-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2017)

• Norway

  total: 4,200 km (2019)
  
  standard gauge: 4,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2,480 km electrified) (2019)

• Pakistan

  total: 11,881 km (2019)
  
  narrow gauge: 389 km 1.000-m gauge (2019)
  
  broad gauge: 11,492 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) (2019)

• Panama

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

• Paraguay

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

• Peru

  total: 1,854 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 1,730.4 km 1.435-m gauge (34 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 124 km 0.914-m gauge (2014)

• Philippines

  total: 77 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 49 km 1.435-m gauge (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 28 km 1.067-m gauge (2017)

• Poland

  total: 19,231 km (2016)
  
  standard gauge: 18,836 km 1.435-m gauge (11,874 km electrified) (2016)
  
  broad gauge: 395 km 1.524-m gauge (2016)

• Portugal

  total: 3,075 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 108.1 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 2,439 km 1.668-m gauge (1,633.4 km electrified) (2014)
  
  other: 528 km (gauge unspecified) (2014)

• Romania

  total: 11,268 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 10,781 km 1.435-m gauge (3,292 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge (2014)

• Russia

  total: 87,157 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island) (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified) (2014)
  
  note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve industries

• Saint Kitts and Nevis

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

• Saudi Arabia

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

• Senegal

  total: 906 km (713 km operational in 2017) (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-m gauge (2017)

• Serbia

  total: 3,809 km (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 3,809 km 1.435-m gauge (3,526 km one-track lines and 283 km double-track lines) out of which 1,279 km electrified (1,000 km one-track lines and 279 km double-track lines) (2015)

• Slovakia

  total: 3,580 km (2016)
  
  standard gauge: 3,435 km 1.435-m gauge (1,587 km electrified) (2016)
  
  narrow gauge: 46 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge (2016)
  
  broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge (2016)

• Slovenia

  total: 1,229 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (503 km electrified) (2014)

• South Africa

  total: 20,986 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge (80 km electrified) (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 19,756 km 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified) (2014)
  
  other: 1,150 km (passenger rail, gauge unspecified, 1,115.5 km electrified) (2014)

• 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: 15,333 km (9,699 km electrified) (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 2,571 km 1.435-m gauge (2,571 km electrified) (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,207 km 1.000-m gauge (400 km electrified) (2017)
  
  broad gauge: 11,333 km 1.668-m gauge (6,538 km electrified) (2017)
  
  mixed gauge: 190 km 1.668-m and 1.435m gage (190.1 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified); 4 km 0.600-m gauge

• Sri Lanka

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

• Sudan

  total: 7,251 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 5,851 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  
  1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations

• Sweden

  total: 14,127 km (2016)
  
  standard gauge: 14,062 km 1.435-m gauge (12,322 km electrified) (2016)
  
  narrow gauge: 65 km 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2016)

• Switzerland

  total: 5,690 km (includes 19 km in neighboring countries) (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 3,836 km 1.435-m gauge (3,634 km electrified) (2015)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,630 km 1.200-m gauge (2 km electrified) (includes 19 km in neighboring countries) (2015)
  
  1188 km 1.000-m gauge (1,167.3 km electrified)
  36 km 0.800-m gauge (36.4 km electrified)

• Syria

  total: 2,052 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 1,801 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2014)

• Taiwan

  total: 1,613 km (2018)
  
  standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge (345 km electrified) (2018)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,118.1 km 1.067-m gauge (793.9 km electrified) (2018)
  
  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 1.520-m gauge (2014)

• Tanzania

  total: 4,567 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,860 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  
  2707 km 1.000-m gauge

• Thailand

  total: 4,127 km (2017)
  
  standard gauge: 84 km 1.435-m gauge (84 km electrified) (2017)
  
  narrow gauge: 4,043 km 1.000-m gauge (2017)

• Togo

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

• Tunisia

  total: 2,173 km (1,991 in use) (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 1,694 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2014)
  
  dual gauge: 8 km 1.435-1.000-m gauge (2014)

• Turkey

  total: 12,710 km (2018)
  
  standard gauge: 11,497 km 1.435-m gauge (1.435 km high speed train) (2018)

• Turkmenistan

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

• Uganda

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

• Ukraine

  total: 21,733 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 49 km 1.435-m gauge (49 km electrified) (2014)
  
  broad gauge: 21,684 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2014)

• United Kingdom

  total: 16,837 km (2015)
  
  standard gauge: 16,534 km 1.435-m gauge (5,357 km electrified) (2015)
  
  broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2015)

• United States

  total: 293,564 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 293,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

• Uruguay

  total: 1,673 km (operational; government claims overall length is 2,961 km) (2016)
  
  standard gauge: 1,673 km 1.435-m gauge (2016)

• Uzbekistan

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

• Venezuela

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

• Vietnam

  total: 2,600 km (2014)
  
  standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge; 253 km mixed gauge (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

• World

  total: 1,148,186 km (2013)

• Zambia

  total: 3,126 km (2014)
  
  narrow gauge: 3,126 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  
  note: includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)

• Zimbabwe

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