Here are some interesting facts about railway lines around the world, from the highest and deepest to the longest railway that spans two continents.
The United States has the largest railway network in the world with a total length of 250,000 km.
The Glacier Express of Switzerland is the slowest high-speed train in the world, taking up to 8 hours to cover a distance of 291 km. This is because the train’s route passes through stunning landscapes, from the highest point of the journey at Oberalp Pass to the Landwasser Viaduct, which is 65 meters high and plunges directly into a tunnel through the mountain. This all-day journey goes through 91 tunnels and 291 bridges.
The steepest railway in the world is also located in Switzerland. Clinging to the mountainside, this train passes through tunnels carved into the mountain, creating a breathtaking sight.
Spanning two continents, the fascinating route from Porto in Portugal to Singapore is the longest journey you can take entirely by train. This route is about 16,000 km long and takes 12 days to complete.
The longest direct railway in the world is the Trans-Siberian Railway, which runs from Moscow to Vladivostok. This route covers a distance of 9,289 km across 8 time zones and takes 166 hours to complete. The train has 142 stops, passing through 87 cities and towns.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland is not only the longest railway tunnel but also the deepest in the world, with a length of 57 km and a maximum depth of 2,450 m.
The Middleton Railway is the oldest operating railway in the world. Established in 1758, the Middleton Railway in Leeds, England, is now a heritage railway but was initially opened primarily for coal transportation. In 1812, it became the first commercial railway to successfully use a steam locomotive. Passenger services only began in 1969.
Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan, is the busiest railway station in the world, with over 3.6 million passengers passing through each day (before the COVID-19 pandemic). This station has 200 exits and is made up of 5 smaller stations. The busiest station in Europe is Gare du Nord in Paris, France, serving 214 million passengers annually, while Penn Station in New York City is the busiest station in North America, with thousands of people passing through every 90 seconds.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest railway in the world. The highest point of this railway, and also the highest point on Earth that a train can reach, is Tanggula Pass, at an altitude of 5,071 meters above sea level.
There are over 20 countries in the world without a railway network, such as island nations like Tonga, the smallest countries like San Marino, and some countries like Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait. Countries like Malta and Cyprus once had railways but closed them due to financial unsustainability. Iceland also lacks a public railway system primarily due to its harsh climate.
