Top 10 Countries With The Largest Railway Networks: USA, China, India And Others

Top 10 Countries With The Largest Railway Networks:  Railways play an important role in connecting cities, transporting goods and facilitating the people a comfortable transport to travel vast-distance. Each country covers thousands of kilometres of railway, making them essential for both domestic and intranational trade. 

Countries like the United States, China, Russia and India are among the countries having the largest railway system in the world. Japan is known for its world-class train facilities with the fastest bullet trains, its timeliness and efficiency. These countries mostly depend on railroads for daily passenger transit as well as the transportation of manufactured commodities, coal, and agricultural supplies. The top ten nations with the biggest rail networks will be discussed in this article, along with the contribution that railroads provide to their economy.

Indian Rail Network Carries More Than 2 Crore People Everyday

Indian railway (Image: Canva)

India has one of the largest Rail networks, covering more than 68,000 km and transporting 2.4 crore people across the country on average daily. Indian Railways runs more than 13,000 passenger trains and more than 8,000 freight trains every day. Still, the Indian Railway system is not meeting the demand as we frequently witness the issues around the festival and any religious events, when people migrate from one state to another. A recent example is Mahakumbh 2025, we can see a lot of rush in Indian railways.

Here is the list of the top 10 largest Rail networks in the world and more details, like how many passengers they transport every day;

Goods and Passengers: What’s Transported in the Largest Railway Networks?

1. United States

The greatest railway network in the world, mostly for transporting cargo, is in the United States. Its vast rail network is essential for transporting commodities around the nation, lowering reliance on automobile transportation, and guaranteeing economic viability.

2. China

China's railway network, which includes the longest high-speed rail system in the world, has grown quickly. It effectively connects key cities, speeding up travel, easing traffic, and stimulating the economy.

3. Russia

Russia's large rail system, which connects Europe and Asia, is crucial to the country's enormous land area. One of the world's longest and most significant train lines is the Trans-Siberian Railway.

4. India

With millions of travellers every day, India boasts one of the busiest railway systems in the world. It connects even the most isolated places and provides reasonably priced travel, making it an essential component of the national economy.

5. Canada

Top 10 Largest Rail Networks In The World (Image: Canva)

The railway system in Canada is an essential part of moving cargo over its large and sparsely populated territory. When it comes to exporting natural resources like lumber, minerals, and oil, it is crucial.

6. Germany

Germany's railway network is well-established and renowned for its high-speed trains and efficiency. Travelling across borders is made easy by the Deutsche Bahn, which links important towns across Europe.

7. Australia

The main purpose of Australia's railway system is to convey freight, particularly for the mining sector. One of the world's longest train trips for passengers is provided by the Indian Pacific Railway.

8. Brazil

Brazil's railway network is being expanded to improve trade and ease traffic. It is crucial for the transportation of industrial and agricultural goods.

9. Argentina

Historically built for agricultural exports, Argentina boasts one of the biggest railway networks in South America. Passenger train services are being expanded and modernized.

10. Japan

Bullet Train (Image: Canva)

Japan is renowned for having a world-class railway network, particularly the Shinkansen (bullet train), which travels at high speeds. The nation's trains are renowned for their efficiency, safety and timeliness. Japan sets the global benchmark for contemporary train travel because of its cutting-edge technology and smooth communication.

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