Rail transport in Europe

Rail transport in Europe is characterised by its diversity, both technical and infrastructural.

Rail networks in Western and Central Europe are often well maintained and well developed, whilst Eastern, Northern and Southern Europe often have less coverage and/or infrastructure problems. Electrified railway networks operate at a plethora of different voltages AC and DC varying from 750 to 25,000 volts, and signalling systems vary from country to country, hindering cross-border traffic.

The European Union aims to make cross-border operations easier as well as to introduce competition to national rail networks. EU member states were able to separate the provision of transport services and the management of the infrastructure by Directive 91/440/EEC. Usually, national railway companies were split to separate divisions or independent companies for infrastructure, passenger and freight operations. The passenger operations may be further divided to long-distance and regional services, because regional services often operate under public service obligations (which subsidise unprofitable but socially desirable routes), while long-distance services usually operate without subsidies.

While most railways in Europe use 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge, in some other countries, like Spain or countries which territories used to be a part of Russian Empire and Soviet Union, widespread broad gauge exists. For instance in Spain it is 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 ²¹⁄₃₂ in) (also known as Iberian gauge), while in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Finland, Baltic states gauge width is 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 ²⁷⁄₃₂ in) or 1,524 mm (5 ft) (also known as Russian gauge). Ireland uses the somewhat unusual 5 ft 3 in (1600mm) gauge, which is referred to in Ireland as "Irish Gauge". The reason for different track gauges between countries was mainly because of the idea of preventing trains from an invading country running on "your" track, but historically competition between railroads and perceived benefits of certain gauges also played a role in divergent standards.

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