Train categories in Europe

Railway companies in Europe assign their trains to different categories or train types depending on their role. Passenger trains may be broadly split into long-distance and local trains; the latter having average journey times of under an hour and a range of less than 50 kilometres. Goods trains have their own train types. The names of these train types has changed continually in the course of time.

A train type is not essentially a trademark name. However, there are trademark names that are also used as train types (e.g. CityNightLine, Cisalpino, VogtlandExpress).

NOTE: Long distance trains are identified (in passenger information systems) by train number prefixed with the train type abbreviation (e.g. "IC 90"). However, the Helsinki region commuter trains are identified by their "route letters" only (e.g. "K") and usually do not show their train number to passengers at all.

The SNCF use a different system of trains categories, based on politics wishes and commercial trademarks. Categories do not necessarily match with distance.

This trains make connections with Intercity trains from smaller towns. Air conditioned, allowed to travel with bike or wheelchair.

Categories without * are of Trenitalia.

These trains are long international services generally with reservation mandatory. They are operated by different companies such as Thello (Italy-Paris).

SVI (Società Viaggiatori Italia, a company of SNCF) has TGV as category.

These categories are also used by regional railways (generally isolated from national railway network). These trains are financed by administratives regions:

Circumvesuviana (a group of narrow-gauge railways connecting towns to the south-east of Naples) has a special classification: accelerato, diretto and direttissimo. Diretto is also used by Società Subalpina Imprese Ferroviarie for the cross-border railway Domodossola–Locarno.

Because of its small size and its location, Luxembourg has more international trains than national ones.

International trains connecting Belgium and Switzerland through Luxembourg and France (Brussels-South - Basel/Chur/Zurich).

Long-distance trains from either Belgium (InterCity J: Brussels-South - Luxembourg) and Germany (Cologne - Luxembourg).

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