Why are train tracks wider in Russia?

The broad-gauge railway tracks Such railway lines are built in Russia (1524 mm), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Spain, Portugal, Finland (1524 mm), Ireland (1600 mm) and India (1676 mm). In Russia, the wider gauge was chosen to increase the carrying capacity and driving stability.



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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.

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If locomotives were imported from elsewhere, especially in the early days, the track would be built to fit them. In some cases standard gauge was adopted, but many countries or companies chose a different gauge as their national gauge, either by governmental policy, or as a matter of individual choice.

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1. Switzerland. Tucked inside the small but incredibly beautiful country of Switzerland is one of the most efficient and scenic rail networks in the world.

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Russia and Ukraine use what are known as broad-gauge rails, meaning that the width between a pair of rails is approximately 100 mms wider (1520 mms) than in Europe. Whenever a train from Ukraine crosses into EU territory, goods are moved from broad-gauge to normal-gauge wagons.

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Trains in Russia. Few feats of engineering are as impressive as Russia's railway network. The world's largest country boasts 85,555 kilometers of track (second only to the United States), carrying millions of passengers annually from everywhere between Moscow (??????) and Vladivostok (???????????).

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Standard gauge is 4 feet, 8-1/2 inches. This is the gauge used when steam railroading began. It became the common gauge of Britain, North America, and Western Europe — except for Spain, Portugal, and Ireland.

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It mandated the track gauge with a width of 1435 mm to be the standard for Great Britain. At that time, the UK was the only one capable of exporting railway rolling stock. As a result, the vast majority of railways in Europe adopted the 1435mm gauge.

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The international train network connects Spain with Portugal and France. It features the AVE high-speed train connection with France.

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It probably comes as no surprise that in a global 2019 survey of railroad efficiency, the top two places went to Japan and Hong Kong, with scores of 6.8 and 6.5 (out of seven) respectively.

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If you're planning to travel around Spain, in addition to buses, you should consider taking a ride on one of the country's high-speed trains. Spain's high-speed rail system is one of the best in the world, as it offers travelers a fast and convenient way to explore this gorgeous Mediterranean country.

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Germany has rail links with the following countries. All are to countries of the same gauge (1435 mm), although electrification (15 kV AC 16.7 Hz) and other systems such as signalling may differ.

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The Portuguese rail network primarily uses Iberian track gauge (1 668 mm). In November 2022, the Portuguese Government presented a National Rail Plan, which includes new lines, such as a new Lisbon-Porto high speed line, to be built using Iberian track gauge.

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