Which Countries In The World Have No Railway Network?

By Ridam Sharma
Wed, 06 Aug 2025 06:47 PM (IST)

Source:JND

Countries Without Railways: Railways are known as one of the most convenient and affordable modes of transportation across the globe. However, can you imagine there are countries with no working railway system? The majority of these countries depend on other modes of transportation, like roads, air transport, and sea routes. The reason for countries existing without a railway network can vary, from geographical and economic to even political factors. To learn more, here is a list of countries without any railway systems as of 2025, according to the data by World Atlas.

What Countries Do Not Have a Railway System?

1. Andorra

Andorra is located in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. The nation is a small principality with no working railway network. Its mountainous terrain and small size have made massive railway development impossible here. People here depend primarily on road transport and bus links to nearby countries.

2. Bhutan

Bhutan is a Himalayan landlocked kingdom and primarily focuses on environmental preservation and sustainable development. The country's geography and policy to restrict large-scale infrastructure projects have taken railways out of consideration. However, there have been proposals for linking Bhutan to India by rail in the future.

3. Cyprus

Cyprus once had a railway system in the early 20th century, but it was closed in 1951. The country now depends on roads and air transport. Its small size makes road mobility convenient for domestic travel.

4. East Timor (Timor-Leste)

This Southeast Asian country, East Timor, is one of the poorest nations, and its infrastructure is still under development since its independence. The absence of a rail network is due same reasons related to economic strain and the small population.

5. Iceland

Iceland does not have a railway network because of its small population and its vulnerable volcanic landscape. Road transportation and local air transport that is apt for this island nation.

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6. Kuwait

Kuwait does not possess an operational rail system. But it has long been planned to connect it with the GCC railway project. People currently prefer road transportation, particularly for local and regional travel.

7. Libya

Libya once had ambitious plans for a domestic railway system, and work had already started before it was suspended by civil war. Currently, the nation still doesn't have an operational railway due to continued political instability.

8. Mauritius

Mauritius dismantled its rail network in the 1960s. Yet, in 2020, the nation introduced the Metro Express, a light rail operation in the capital, Port Louis, a slow revival of rail. Nevertheless, there is no national railway network.

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9. San Marino

San Marino, the smallest of nations, possessed a railroad to Italy until World War II destroyed it, and it was never rebuilt. Today, road transportation serves it in its entirety.

10. Somalia

Somalia had railroad tracks when it was a colony, but years of war and instability have denied the nation working rail systems.

Source: The Atlas

The majority of nations without rail are small countries or island nations, or have economic or geographical barriers. Though some are considering the viability of rail connectivity, others still depend upon other transport systems for movement and commerce.