What is the gauge of Indian railways?

Broad gauge of 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in), commonly known as Indian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Chile, and on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is the widest gauge in common use anywhere in the world.



As of 2026, Indian Railways primarily utilizes Broad Gauge (1,676 mm or 5' 6"), which is the widest gauge used for passenger trains globally. Under the ambitious "Project Unigauge," the network has successfully converted almost all of its older, narrower tracks (Metre Gauge and Narrow Gauge) into Broad Gauge to create a seamless, high-capacity national network. While some historic "Mountain Railways" like the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway remain on Narrow Gauge (2' 0" or 2' 6") for tourism and preservation, the vast majority of the 68,000+ kilometer network is standardized. Interestingly, the new high-speed Standard Gauge (1,435 mm) is being used for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project and various Metro Rail systems across major cities, as this gauge allows for higher speeds and easier access to global rolling stock. Broad Gauge, however, remains the "backbone" of the country's massive freight and passenger operations.

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