List of countries by rail usage
This is a list of countries by rail usage. Rail usage may be measured in tonne-kilometres or passenger-kilometres travelled for freight and passenger transport respectively. This is the number of tonnes or passengers multiplied by the average distance of their journeys in kilometres.
Overview
Almost 10,000 billion freight tonne-kilometres are travelled around the world. Roughly one quarter of these are travelled in the United States, another quarter in China, and a third in Russia. Of the 3,000bn passenger-kilometres travelled across the world, 1,346bn of these are travelled solely in China. The average Swiss person travels 2,430 km by train each year, almost 500 more than the average Japanese person.In 2014, there were around 1 million kilometres of railway in the world. Of this, 350,000 km were in Europe and mainly used for passenger service, 370,000 km were in North America and mainly used for freight, and 230,000 km were in Asia and used for both freight and passenger service. In America and Europe, there are many low cost airlines and motorways which compete with rail for passenger traffic, while Asia has seen a large growth in high-speed rail with 257bn pkm representing 72% of total world high-speed rail passenger traffic.
Passenger rail
These figures do not include metro railway systems; see Lists of rapid transit systems for metro rail statistics.Passenger-kilometres of rail transport per year
Countries with more than five billion passenger-kilometres travelled per year. Unless otherwise specified, data come from the by the International Union of Railways.| Rank | Country/Region | Billion passenger-kilometres | Data year |
| 1 | 1,346 | 2017 | |
| 2 | 1,161 | 2017 | |
| 3 | 431.8 | 2016 | |
| 4 | 129.4 | 2018 | |
| 5 | 110.5 | 2017 | |
| 6 | 95.5 | 2017 | |
| 7 | 80.2 | 2017 | |
| 8 | 77.8 | 2016 | |
| 9 | 52.2 | 2017 | |
| 10 | 37.1 | 2015 | |
| 11 | 27.5 | 2017 | |
| 12 | 20.8 | 2017 | |
| 13 | 20.3 | 2015 | |
| 14 | 20.3 | 2015 | |
| 15 | 19.8 | 2015 | |
| 16 | 18.5 | 2015 | |
| 17 | 18.4 | 2017 | |
| 18 | 16.6 | 2011 | |
| 19 | 16.3 | 2014 | |
| 20 | 15.7 | 2015 | |
| 21 | 13.3 | 2017 | |
| 22 | 12.6 | 2017 | |
| 23 | 10.6 | 2017 | |
| 24 | 10.2 | 2017 | |
| 25 | 9.5 | 2017 | |
| 26 | 9.0 | 2013 | |
| 27 | 8.4 | 2017 | |
| 28 | 7.7 | 2017 | |
| 29 | 7.5 | 2011 | |
| 30 | 7.3 | 2010 | |
| 31 | 6.7 | 2016 | |
| 32 | 5.7 | 2015 | |
| 33 | 5.3 | 2014 | |
| World | 2,954 | 2014 | - |
| 583.7 | 2015 | - |
Passengers carried in rail transport per year
Countries with more than 20 million passengers per year. Unless otherwise specified, data come from the by the International Union of Railways.| Rank | Country | Million passengers | Data year | Notes |
| 1 |  Japan | 9,392 | 2016 | Includes only the JR group rail companies. Including all passenger rail the figure in 2016 was 24.6 billion |
| 2 |  India | 8,116 | 2017 | |
| 3 |  Germany | 2,865.1 | 2018 | |
| 4 |  China | 1,792.8 | 2018 | Excludes most urban passenger trips which are handled by rapid transit systems. Rapid transit lines in China alone handled 23.71 billion passengers in 2019. |
| 5 |  France | 1,762 | 2017 | Includes only SNCF services and RATP sections of the RER. |
| 6 |  United Kingdom | 1,762.7 | 2018 | The London Underground had an additional 1.34 billion passengers in 2015-16 |
| 7 | 1,157.2 | 2018 | Moscow Metro alone had 2.45 billion passengers in 2014 | |
| 8 |  Italy | 863.9 | 2018 | |
| 9 | 702.9 | 2016–17 | Heavy urban passenger rail statistics | |
| 10 | 636 | 2019 | Madrid Metro alone had 657.2 million passengers in 2018. | |
| 11 | 550 | 2018 | ||
| 12 | 527.78 | 2017 | Amtrak had 30.8 million passengers in Fiscal Year 2017. Among regional systems that report to the American Public Transportation Association, there were 496.08 million commuter rail riders in calendar year 2017. | |
| 13 | 482.3 | 2018 | ||
| 14 | 399 | 2014 | ||
| 15 | 393.3 | 2018 | ||
| 16 | 320 | 2015 | ||
| 17 | 297.23 | 2018 | Passengers carried by all rail passenger transport companies in Poland. | |
| 18 | 291.84 | 2018 | ||
| 19 | 269 | 2017–18 | ||
| 20 | 267.96 | 2018 | Vienna U-Bahn alone had 463.1 million passengers in 2018. | |
| 21 | 246.94 | 2018 | ||
| 22 | 246.49 | 2018 | Stockholm metro alone had 353 million passengers in 2017. | |
| 23 | 205.3 | 2018 | ||
| 24 | 189.2 | 2018 | Prague Metro alone had 435.6 million passengers in 2017. | |
| 25 | 147.5 | 2018 | Lisbon Metro alone had 169 million passengers in 2018. | |
| 26 | 138.66 | 2017 | ||
| 27 | 127.84 | 2018 | ||
| 28 | 119 | 2018 | Budapest Metro alone had 409.3 million passengers in 2017. | |
| 29 | 101 | 2018 | Istanbul Metro alone had 469.7 million passengers in 2018. | |
| 30 | 84 | 2017 | ||
| 31 | 83 | 2018 | 13 million / year long-distance 70 million / year in Helsinki commuter traffic | |
| 32 | 79.86 | 2018 | ||
| 33 | 77.81 | 2018 | ||
| 34 | 73.51 | 2017 | Oslo Metro alone had 122 million passengers in 2018. | |
| 35 | 73.38 | 2018 | ||
| 36 | 67.69 | 2018 | Heavy rail only. The Jerusalem Light Rail had an additional 42.5 million passengers in 2017. | |
| 37 | 64.5 | 2018 | Bucharest Metro alone had 178.9 million passengers in 2017. | |
| 38 | 52.39 | 2018 | ||
| 39 | 50 | 2017 | Bangkok MRT alone had 113.7 million passengers in 2018. | |
| 40 | 48 | 2017 | ||
| 41 | 47.9 | 2018 | ||
| 42 | 47 | 2018 | Santiago Metro alone had 721 million passengers in 2018. | |
| 43 | 44.51 | 2018 | ||
| 44 | 41 | 2017 | ||
| 45 | 39 | 2018 | ||
| 46 | 35 | 2018 | ||
| 47 | 35 | 2019 | ||
| 48 | 28.09 | 2018 | Tehran Metro alone had 721 million passengers in 2016. | |
| 49 | 23.3 | 2018 | ||
| 50 | 22.9 | 2018 | ||
| 51 | 21.84 | 2018 | ||
| 52 | 21.59 | 2018 | ||
| 53 | 21.32 | 2018 | ||
| 54 | 20.27 | 2018 |
Passenger modal share for rail
The modal share of railway transport as compared to other modes of transport.| Rank | Country | Modal share | year |
| 1 | 37.2 | 2016 | |
| 2 | 24.4 | 2018 | |
| 3 | 20.9 | 2017 | |
| 4 | 12.1 | 2016 | |
| 5 | 11.0 | 2016 | |
| 6 | 9.7 | 2016 | |
| 7 | 9.4 | 2016 | |
| 8 | 9.3 | 2016 | |
| - | 9.3 | 2016 | |
| 10 | 8.9 | 2016 | |
| 11 | 8.8 | 2016 | |
| 12 | 8.6 | 2016 | |
| - | 8.6 | 2016 | |
| 14 | 7.7 | 2016 | |
| 15 | 7.3 | 2016 | |
| 16 | 6.6 | 2016 | |
| 17 | 6.3 | 2005 | |
| 18 | 6.1 | 2012 | |
| 19 | 5.6 | 2016 | |
| 20 | 5.1 | 2016 | |
| 21 | 4.6 | 2016 | |
| 22 | 4.2 | 2016 | |
| - | 4.2 | 2016 | |
| 24 | 3.4 | 2016 | |
| 25 | 2.9 | 2016 | |
| 26 | 2.7 | 2016 | |
| 27 | 2.2 | 2016 | |
| 28 | 2.0 | 2016 | |
| - | 2.0 | 2016 | |
| 30 | 1.4 | 2016 | |
| 31 | 1.0 | 2016 | |
| - | 1.0 | 2016 | |
| - | 1.0 | 2016 | |
| 34 | 0.3 | 2004 |
Passenger rail by passenger-kilometres per capita
Countries with more than five billion passenger-kilometres travelled per year.| Country | Kilometers/year | Year |
| 2013 | ||
| 2,142 | 2016 | |
| 1,505 | 2018 | |
| 1,329 | ||
| 1,298 | 2014 | |
| 1,220 | ||
| 1,150 | ||
| 1,030 | ||
| 1,009 | ||
| 981 | 2015 | |
| 959 | 2014 | |
| 940 | ||
| 880 | ||
| 780 | ||
| 777 | ||
| 690 | ||
| 660 | ||
| 653 | ||
| 650 | ||
| 620 | ||
| 550 | ||
| 460 | ||
| 450 | ||
| 410 | ||
| 380 | ||
| 180 | ||
| 170 | ||
| 160 | ||
| 150 | ||
| 110 | ||
| 80 | ||
| 80 |
Freight rail
Tonne-kilometres of rail transport per year
Countries with more than one billion tonne-kilometres travelled per year. Unless otherwise specified, data come from the by the International Union of Railways.| Rank | Country | Billion tkm | Data year |
| 1 | 2,696 | 2017 | |
| 2 | 2,596 | 2018 | |
| 3 | 2,326 | 2016 | |
| 4 | 690.7 | 2018 | |
| 5 | 352 | 2011 | |
| 6 | 267 | 2014 | |
| — | 261 | 2014 | |
| 7 | 237 | 2011 | |
| 8 | 236 | 2012 | |
| 9 | 198 | 2008 | |
| 10 | 135 | 2014 | |
| 11 | 81 | 2014 | |
| 12 | 75 | 2014 | |
| 13 | 45 | 2014 | |
| 14 | 32 | 2014 | |
| 15 | 32 | 2014 | |
| 16 | 24.4 | 2014 | |
| 17 | 22 | 2012 | |
| 18 | 22 | 2013 | |
| 19 | 21.1 | 2014 | |
| 20 | 21 | 2014 | |
| 21 | 16 | 2014 | |
| 22 | 15 | 2014 | |
| 23 | 14 | 2014 | |
| 24 | 12 | 2010 | |
| 25 | 12 | 2012 | |
| 26 | 12 | 2009 | |
| 27 | 11 | 2014 | |
| 28 | 10 | 2013 | |
| 29 | 10 | 2014 | |
| 30 | 10 | 2014 | |
| 31 | 10 | 2014 | |
| 32 | 9.6 | 2014 | |
| 33 | 9 | 2014 | |
| 34 | 8 | 2014 | |
| 35 | 8 | 2014 | |
| 36 | 8 | 2010 | |
| 37 | 7 | 2010 | |
| 38 | 6 | 2013 | |
| 39 | 6 | 2011 | |
| 40 | 5 | 2014 | |
| 41 | 5 | 2012 | |
| 42 | 4 | 2013 | |
| 43 | 4 | 2009 | |
| 44 | 4 | 2012 | |
| 45 | 3 | 2011 | |
| 46 | 3 | 2014 | |
| 47 | 3 | 2011 | |
| 48 | 2 | 2014 | |
| 49 | 2 | 2014 | |
| 50 | 2 | 2013 | |
| 51 | 2 | 2010 | |
| 52 | 2 | 2010 | |
| 53 | 1.7 | 2014 | |
| 54 | 1.4 | 2016 | |
| 55 | 1 | 2012 | |
| 56 | 1 | 2011 |
Tonnes carried in rail transport per year
Countries with more than ten million tonnes carried per year. Unless otherwise specified, data come from the by the International Union of Railways.| Rank | Country | Million tonnes | Data year |
| 1 | 3,358 | 2015 | |
| 2 | 1,710 | 2011 | |
| 3 | 1,298 | 2014 | |
| 4 | 1,221 | 2018 | |
| 5 | 1,218 | 2015 | |
| 6 | 460 | 2014 | |
| 7 | 457 | 2011 | |
| 8 | 310 | 2011 | |
| 9 | 295 | 2012 | |
| 10 | 225 | 2015 | |
| 11 | 221 | 2014 | |
| 12 | 197 | 2011 | |
| 13 | 141 | 2014 | |
| 14 | 110.1 | 2014 | |
| 15 | 105 | 2010 | |
| 16 | 82 | 2014 | |
| 17 | 74 | 2014 | |
| 18 | 65 | 2015 | |
| 19 | 63 | 2011 | |
| 20 | 59 | 2014 | |
| 21 | 57 | 2014 | |
| 22 | 57 | 2014 | |
| 23 | 50 | 2014 | |
| 24 | 49 | 2014 | |
| 25 | 44 | 2014 | |
| 26 | 40 | 2013 | |
| 27 | 38 | 2014 | |
| 28 | 37 | 2014 | |
| 29 | 37 | 2009 | |
| 30 | 36 | 2014 | |
| 31 | 37 | 2011 | |
| 32 | 33 | 2013 | |
| 33 | 31 | 2010 | |
| 34 | 27 | 2012 | |
| 35 | 26 | 2014 | |
| 36 | 26 | 2012 | |
| 37 | 25 | 2014 | |
| 38 | 25 | 2013 | |
| 39 | 24 | 2010 | |
| 40 | 23 | 2012 | |
| 41 | 20 | 2012 | |
| 42 | 20 | 2010 | |
| 43 | 18 | 2011 | |
| 44 | 17 | 2014 | |
| 45 | 13 | 2014 | |
| 46 | 12 | 2011 | |
| 47 | 12 | 2014 | |
| 48 | 11 | 2012 | |
| 49 | 11 | 2011 | |
| 50 | 10 | 2014 | |
| 51 | 10 | 2012 |
Freight modal share for rail
The modal share carried by rail of all freight in a given country.| Rank | Country | Modal share | Data year |
| 1 | 68 | 2009 | |
| 2 | 61 | 2012 | |
| 3 | 59 | 2010 | |
| 4 | 47 | 2012 | |
| 5 | 46 | 2012 | |
| 6 | 44 | 2008 | |
| 7 | 41 | 2012 | |
| 8 | 40 | 2012 | |
| 9 | 40 | 2009 | |
| 10 | 38 | 2012 | |
| 11 | 31 | 2009 | |
| 12 | 31 | 2016 | |
| 13 | 27 | 2012 | |
| 14 | 25 | 2005 | |
| 15 | 24 | 2012 | |
| 16 | 23 | 2012 | |
| 17 | 22 | 2012 | |
| 18 | 21 | 2012 | |
| 19 | 20 | 2012 | |
| 20 | 18 | 2012 | |
| 21 | 18 | 2012 | |
| 22 | 15 | 2012 | |
| 23 | 14 | 2012 | |
| 24 | 12 | 2012 | |
| 25 | 9 | 2012 | |
| 26 | 6.2 | 2010 | |
| 27 | 5 | - | |
| 28 | 0.7 | 2007 |
Freight rail by tonne-kilometres per capita
Brief railway statistics by country
| Country | area | pop | Rail company | Net | Double | Electrified | HSR | passenger-km | tonne-km | HS. pkm | Pass. modal % | Frt. modal % | Pass/ pop % | Elec % |
| 0.08 | 8.57 | ÖBB | 9.8 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 0.28 | 11.2 | 32.9 | 12.1 | 41 | 73 | |||
| 8.54 | 209 | 29 | 0.5 | 232 | ||||||||||
| 9.6 | 1,382 | CR | 127 | 71 | 86 | 25 | 876 | 2764 | 68 | |||||
| 1 | 93 | ENR | 5 | 1.5 | 0.07 | 41 | 4 | 6.1 | ||||||
| 0.55 | 64 | SNCF | 29 | 16 | 14 | 1.8 | 81 | 40 | 48 | 16.8 | ||||
| 0.36 | 80.68 | DB | 34 | 18 | 20 | 1.2 | 74 | 91 | 22 | 10 | 17 | 22.4 | 60 | |
| 3.28 | 1,326 | IR | 67.3 | 17.4 | 25.3 | 696 | 481 | 5.5 | 49 | |||||
| 1.6 | 80.04 | RAI | 7 | 1 | 0.15 | 0.25 | 13 | 21 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0.3 | 1 | |
| 0.3 | 59 | FS | 16 | 7 | 12 | 0.82 | 45 | 21 | 9 | |||||
| 0.38 | 126 | JR | 20 | 8 | 12 | 2.5 | 253 | 23 | 79 | 29 | 69.6 | 100 | ||
| 2.72 | 17 | KTZ | 14 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 191 | |||||||
| 0.44 | 34 | ONCFM | 2 | 0.6 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0.8 | 89 | |||||
| 0.04 | 17 | NS | 3.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 17.8 | 6 | 8.8 | 5 | 76.4 | |||
| .796 | 192 | PR | 7 | 0.3 | 26 | 6 | ||||||||
| 0.31 | 38 | PKP | 19 | 9 | 12 | |||||||||
| 17.09 | 143 | RZD | 128 | 36 | 48 | 1.3 | 173 | 2090 | 14 | 42 | 67 | 9.1 | 80 | |
| 0.049 | 5.45 | ŽSR | 3.627 | 1.587 | 0 | 3.815 | 6.729 | 0 | ||||||
| 1.22 | 54 | SAR | 24 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 109 | 11 | ||||||
| 0.1 | 50 | KNR | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.32 | 32 | 11 | 10 | 20.4 | 20 | |||
| 0.51 | 46 | Renfe | 15 | 5 | 9 | 1.27 | 21 | 11 | 4 | |||||
| 0.041 | 8.38 | SBB | 4 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 40.9 | 100 | |||||
| 0.036 | 23 | TRA | 1 | 0.67 | 0.69 | 0.33 | 9 | 1 | ||||||
| 0.78 | 79 | TCDD | 9 | 04 | 1.9 | 0.25 | 6 | 10 | 24 | |||||
| 0.24 | 65 | NR | 16 | 5 | 0.3 | 48 | 21 | |||||||
| 9.6 | 324 | AMTK | 227 | 2820 | 42 | 1 | ||||||||
| World | 149 | 7,432 | 900 | 250 | 240 | 35.44 | 2468 | 9486 | 178 | 10 | 20 | 50 |