What are the top ten countries with Longest Railway Networks?
Railways have been a prominent mode of commutation and transportation, ever since its existence. No matter how much advanced the air and water transport has become, railways remain affordable and convenient mode of travel. Despite being cheaper mode of commute, it is also quite efficient for long distance travel.
British railway system is the oldest rail network in this world. The first steam locomotive was built by Richard Trevithick in the year 1804, and the initial locomotives were only used to haul the minerals. Gradually, rail networks were made as a public carrier and both passengers and freight could travel. Today, the railways are bit modern with our air conditioned cabins and much-comfortable berths. High speed trains are being built around the world, while still being cost-effective.
The United states of America has the largest railway network, stretching about 182,412 miles. However, 80% of these rails are for the freight transportation, leaving a much lesser amount of railway transport for passengers. The US freight rail network is mostly operated by giant private companies, like the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway.
Holding the largest population in the world, China ensures convenient transport accessibility to its people, with its superior rail network. The country stands second having 77,050 miles of railway network. There are numerous high-speed routes, having different speed limits. The longest high-speed rail line of the world is in China, and the route is between two major business cities Beijing and Guangzhou.
Here is the list of top 10 longest railway networks, as per last updates by CIA Factbook:
| Rank | Country | Railway Length (miles) | Year of information |
| 1 | UNITED STATES | 182,412 | 2014 |
| 2 | CHINA | 77,050 | 2017 |
| 3 | RUSSIA | 54,157 | 2014 |
| 4 | CANADA | 48,425 | 2014 |
| 5 | INDIA | 42,579 | 2014 |
| 6 | GERMANY | 27,010 | 2014 |
| 7 | AUSTRALIA | 22,971 | 2014 |
| 8 | ARGENTINA | 22,939 | 2014 |
| 9 | BRAZIL | 18,548 | 2014 |
| 10 | FRANCE | 18,417 | 2014 |
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