What is the total length of all the railway lines in all the world?

Question

What is the total length of all the railway lines in all the world?

Answer 1

HOGHEAD is wrong about one thing, India has the worlds largest railway network. How would you measure it would a double tracked line be counted the same as a single track line? what about railway lines that have been abandoned or are used only for freight, mine tracks and narrow gauge lines?

Answer 2

I ran into several dead-ends while looking up this question but I am inclined to believe it is over 5 million miles. I know the 4 main US railroads have nearly 300k miles of track between them and since there are railroads in nearly every other country worldwide, i am putting my money on 5 million.

Answer 3

As an estimate - at least one million miles.

Answer 4

Don't know if this question could actually be answered, but I must disagree with 5 million miles.  This is equal to 100 times around the planet at the equator.

The US has the most amount of rail road trackage, although I don't know the total.  250 to 300 thousand sounds like a plausible amount.  Even at ten times that amount, we're still very short of 5 million miles, I would guess, and without a detailed search, a guess would be all anyone can provide.

Good question though............