Track gauge in Europe

Track gauge
By transport mode
Tram · Rapid transit Miniature · Scale model
By size (list)
Minimum   Fifteen inch 381 mm (15 in) Narrow   600 mm, Two foot 597 mm 600 mm 603 mm 610 mm (1 ft ​11 1⁄2 in) (1 ft ​11 5⁄8 in) (1 ft ​11 3⁄4 in) (2 ft)   750 mm, Bosnian, Two foot six inch, 800 mm 750 mm 760 mm 762 mm 800 mm (2 ft ​5 1⁄2 in) (2 ft ​5 15⁄16 in) (2 ft 6 in) (2 ft ​7 1⁄2 in)   Swedish three foot, 900 mm, Three foot 891 mm 900 mm 914 mm (2 ft​11 3⁄32 in) (2 ft ​11 7⁄16 in) (3 ft)   Metre 1,000 mm (3 ft ​3 3⁄8 in)   Three foot six inch 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)   Four foot six inch 1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in)   Standard 1,435 mm (4 ft ​8 1⁄2 in) Broad   1520 mm, Five foot 1,520 mm 1,524 mm (4 ft ​11 27⁄32 in) (5 ft)   Five foot three inch 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)   Iberian 1,668 mm (5 ft ​5 21⁄32 in)   Five foot six inch 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)   Six foot 1,829 mm (6 ft)   Brunel 2,140 mm (7 ft ​1⁄4 in)
Change of gauge
Break-of-gauge · Dual gauge · Conversion (list) · Bogie exchange · Variable gauge
By location
North America · South America · Europe · Australia

Most railways in Europe use the standard gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in). Some countries use broad gauge, of which there are three types. Narrow gauges are also in use.

Broad gauge

• Russian gauge
  • 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in): former Soviet Union states
  • 1,524 mm (5 ft): Finland

  (The difference is within tolerance limits, so it is possible to exchange trains between 1520 mm and 1524 mm networks without changes to the wheelsets.)

• Irish gauge
  • 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in): Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
• Iberian gauge
  • 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in): Portugal and Spain

Narrow gauge

High-speed rail

Apart from Russia and Finland, all high-speed rail in Europe uses standard-gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in)) tracks.

See also

• Rail gauge in North America
• Rail gauge in South America
• Rail gauge in Australia

References