List of railway companies explained
This is an incomplete list of the world's railway operating companies listed alphabetically by continent and country. This list includes companies operating both now and in the past.
In some countries, the railway operating bodies are not companies, but are government departments or authorities. Particularly in many European countries beginning in the late-1980s, with privatizations and the separation of the track ownership and management from running the trains, there are now many track-only companies and train-only companies.
Africa
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Côte d'Ivoire
Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)
Due to civil war, a significant portion of the railway system of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not presently functioning.
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Ghana
Guinea
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
See main article: Rail transport in Mauritius.
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
TransNamib
Nigeria
Senegal
South Africa
Sudan
Eswatini
Tanzania
Togo
- Togo Railways (RCFT)
- Although Togo has railways in place, no trains have run on them for many years.
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
(There are no railways in Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, and Somalia.)
Asia
Afghanistan
See main article: Rail transport in Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan has only 24.6 km of railway which are railheads from neighbouring countries. Iran and Turkmenistan plan to help Afghanistan build a rail network that would enable Iran and Turkey to link up with Central Asia.[1]
Bangladesh
Myanmar
China (People's Republic of China-PRC)
See main article: Rail transport in China.
Hong Kong (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region-HKSAR)
See main article: Rail transport in Hong Kong.
India
See main article: List of railway companies in India. Railway Operator
Urban Transit
[2]
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
See main article: List of railway companies in Japan and List of defunct railway companies in Japan.
Jordan
Kazakhstan
North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea-DPRK)
South Korea (Republic of Korea-ROK)
See main article: Rail transport in South Korea.
- passenger/freight train
- passenger train
- subway
- track management
- signaling system
Lebanon
Macau (Macau Special Administrative Region-RAEM)
Malaysia
Freight, intercity and commuter rail
Metro and rapid transit
Airport train
Mongolia
- UBTZ (Ulaanbaatar Railways)
Nepal
Pakistan
There are few private companies offering private carrying.
Philippines
See main article: Rail transportation in the Philippines.
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
See main article: Rail transport in Singapore, Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) and Light Rapid Transit (Singapore).
- Main operators
- Other operators
Sri Lanka
Syria
Taiwan (Republic of China-ROC)
Thailand
Turkmenistan
Vietnam
Europe
Albania
- HSH (Albanian Railways - Hekurudha Shqiptare)
Armenia
Austria
- ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways - Österreichische Bundesbahnen, till 1938 called BBÖ)
- STB (Stubai Valley Railway - Stubaitalbahn)
- StLB (Styrian Provincial Railways - Steiermärkische Landesbahnen)
- MBS (Montafonerbahn Schruns, from Bludenz to Schruns)
- GKB (Graz-Köflacher Eisenbahn)
- LTE (Logistik- und Transport GmbH)
- WESTbahn (WESTbahn Management GmbH)
Azerbaijan
- Passenger/freight train
- ADY (Azerbaijan Railways - Azərbaycan Dəmir Yolları)
- Subway
Belarus
Belgium
- NMBS/SNCB (Belgian National Railways - Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen / Société Nationale des Chemins de fer belges), abbreviated in Dutch/French.
- Lineas
- Thalys
- Eurostar
- Dillen & Le Jeune Cargo NV
Bosnia-Herzegovina
- ŽFBH (Railways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Željeznice Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine)
- ŽRS (Railways of Republika Srpska - Željeznice Republike Srpske)
Bulgaria
- BDZh (Bulgarian State Railways - Български Държавни Железници, Bălgarski Dărzhavni Zheleznitsi)
Croatia
- HŽ Passenger Services ltd. - HŽ Putnički prijevoz d.o.o.
- HŽ Cargo ltd. - HŽ Cargo d.o.o.
- HŽ Infrastructure ltd. - HŽ Infrastruktura d.o.o.
Former
- HŽ (Croatian Railways - Hrvatske željeznice)
Czech Republic
- Správa železnic, infrastructure
- ČD (České dráhy, a.s. - Czech Railways), passenger carrier
- ČDC (ČD Cargo, a.s.), freight
- JHMD (Jindřichohradecké místní dráhy - Jindřichův Hradec Local Railways)
- PCI (PKP Cargo International, a.s.)
- UNIDO (Orlen Unipetrol Doprava, a.s.)
- MTR (METRANS Rail, s.r.o.)
- RJ (RegioJet, a.s.)
- LEO (LEO Express, a.s.)
- GWTR (GW Train Regio, a.s.)
- SDKD (SD - Kolejová doprava, a.s.)
- CZL (CZ Logistics, s.r.o.)
Denmark
Current
State ownership
- DSB (Danish State Railways - Danske Statsbaner)
- Banedanmark (Rail Net Denmark)
Public ownership
- Lokaltog (Local trains)
- Nordjyske Jernbaner (North Jutland Railways)
- Midtjyske Jernbaner (Central Jutland Railways)
- Vestbanen (Western railway)
- Aarhus Letbane (Aarhus Light Rail)
- Odense Letbane (Odense Light Rail)
- Hovedstadens Letbane (Greater Copenhagen Light Rail)
- Metroselskabet (Metro company - Copenhagen Metro)
Private ownership
- Arriva Danmark
- Keolis Danmark
- Metro Service A/S
- DB Cargo Scandinavia A/S
- Contec Rail ApS
Former
- GDS/HFHJ (Gribskovbanen / Hillerød-Frederiksværk-Hundested Jernbane)
- HHJ (Odderbanen (Hads-Ning Herreders Jernbane))
- HL (Capital City Local Railways - Hovedstadens Lokalbaner)
- HTJ/OHJ (Høng-Tølløse Jernbane / Odsherreds Jernbane)
- LJ (Lollandsbanen)
- LN (Lille Nord)
- LNJ (Lyngby-Nærum Jernbane)
- ØSJS (Eastern Railway - Østbanen (Østsjællandske Jernbaneselskab))
- VLTJ (Lemvigbanen (Vemb-Lemvig-Thyborøn Jernbane)). A popular song about the railway by Danish band Tørfisk is simply called VLTJ.
Estonia
- CoalTerminalTrans Coal train operator to Muuga coal terminal (operated in 2006)
- Edelaraudtee (passenger and freight; 1997–2014)
- Eesti Raudtee (Estonian Railways, national railway company; privatized 2001, re-nationalized 2006–2007)
- Elektriraudtee (Electric Railway, Tallinn suburban passenger railway; 1998–2013)
- Elron (government-owned passenger train operator; 2013–)
- Go Rail (named EVR Ekspress until 2006; Tallinn–Moscow passenger service operator; 1998–2015)
- Põlevkivi Raudtee (Coal train operator to Narva Power Plants)
- Raudteeinspektsioon (formerly Raudteeamet; Estonian Railway Inspectorate (regulator); 1999–)
- Spacecom (freight train operator; 2004–)
- Westgate Transport (Transoil, freight train operator)
Finland
Passenger services
-
- Suomen Lähijunat Oy
- VR Group (VR Ltd—VR Oy)
Freight only
- Fenniarail
- Teollisuuden Raideliikenne Oy
- North Rail Oy
France
- Chemins de Fer de Provence (CFP) (operating trains Nice - Digne)
- Euro Cargo Rail
- Getlink
- SNCF (French National Railways - Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français)
- RATP (Paris Transport Authority - Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens)
- SNCB : services between Lille, its suburbs and Belgium
- Eurostar : services between Alps, Marseille, Paris, Lille and London
- Thalys : services between Alps, Marseille, Paris, Aachen, Brussel, Cologne, Amsterdam
- Lyria : services between Montpellier, Marseille, Paris and Switzerland
- Renfe : services between Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille, Barcelona and Madrid
- Thello : services between Paris, Marseille, Nice, Milan, Torino and Venice
- RDT13
- Ouigo : services between Marseille, Montpellier, Lyon Airport and Disneyland Resort Paris
- RTM : Marseille Public Transport Authority - Régie des Transports de Marseille
- DB
- CFL : services between Luxembourg and Volmerange-les-Mines.
Georgia
Germany
Passenger railways
Historic state railways
Greece
- TrainOSE and OSE (Greek Railways Organization - Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδας, Organismós Sidirodrómon Elládas)
- Rail Cargo Goldair (Private freight rail operator, joint venture with Rail Cargo Austria)
Hungary
Passenger services
- MÁV-START
- GySEV/ROeEE (Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurth Railway - Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasút / Raab-Oedenburg-Ebenfurter Eisenbahn - Hungaro-Austrian regional railway company)
Freight only
- Rail Cargo Hungaria - formerly MÁV-Cargo
- AWT RAIL HU (Subsidiary of Advanced World Transport Group)
- MMV
- Eurogate Rail Hungary (Hungarian private rail undertaking)
Infrastructure managers
- MÁV (Hungarian State Railways - Magyar Államvasutak),
- GySEV/ROeEE (Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurth Railway - Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasút / Raab-Oedenburg-Ebenfurter Eisenbahn - Hungaro-Austrian regional railway company)
Iceland
- Apart from a short line used in the construction of Reykjavik harbour in the early 20th century, there have never been any railways in Iceland.
Ireland
Italy
- Alifana, operates, also as Metrocampania Nordest, in northern Campania region
- ATM operates tramway routes in and around Milan, and the Milan Metro underground network
- FAL, operates in Basilicata and Calabria regions
- Metropolitana di Roma, Metro or Subway in Rome
- FCU, operates in the Umbria region
- Ferrovia Circumetnea, the local narrow-gauge line around Mount Etna
- Bernina Railway, Linea del Bernina in italian, the local railway of the Bernina mountain range
- Ferrovia Genova-Casella, a narrow-gauge line in Genoa
- Ferrovie del Gargano, operates in the northern Apulia region
- Ferrovie della Calabria, operates in the Calabria region
- Ferrovie della Sardegna, operates narrow gauge lines in almost all of the island and region of Sardinia
- Ferrovie dello Stato, or "FS", Italian State Railways, nationwide
- Ferrovie del Sud Est, operates in the central and southern Apulia region
- FNM, operates trains in Lombardy and Piedmont
- FUC, operates Ferrovia Udine-Cividale in the Friuli region
- GTT, operates in the Turin metropolitan area
- LFI, operates in the Tuscany region
- Met.Ro., operates Ferrovia Roma-Viterbo in the area of Rome
- NTV, a private high-speed train operator
- Ferrovia Adriatico Sangritana, operates in the Abruzzo region
- SEPSA, operates the Cumana railway and the Circumflegrea railway in the Naples metropolitan area
- SFSM, operates as Ferrovia Circumvesuviana narrow-gauge lines in the Naples metropolitan area
- Sistemi Territoriali, operates in the Veneto region
- TFT (the passenger division of LFI)
- Trenitalia (passenger division of FS)
- Trenitalia Tper operates trains in Emilia-Romagna
- Trenord operates trains in Lombardy
- Trentino trasporti, railway Ferrovia Trento-Malè and a bus company in the Province of Trento
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
- Kosovo Railways (Kosovo Railways J.S.C - Hekurudhat e Kosovës Sh.A - Kosovske Železnice D.O.O.)
Latvia
- LDz (Latvian Railway - Latvijas dzelzceļš - infrastructure manager)
- Baltijas Ekspresis (Private rail company - Cargo Train)
- Baltijas Tranzita Servis (Private rail company - Cargo Train)
- LDz Cargo (Cargo Train)
Lithuania
Luxembourg
- CFL (Luxembourg Railways - Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois)
North Macedonia
- MZ (Macedoniann Railways - Makedonski Zeleznici)
Malta
Moldova
- CFM (Moldovan Railway - Calea Ferată din Moldova)
Monaco
- SNCF (French National Railways - Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français)
Montenegro
Netherlands
A few Dutch railway stations are served, even for journeys within the country, by foreign railway companies under the responsibility of NS. These companies are:
Cargo operators include:
Norway
- Vy (current) (State owned)
- Bane NOR (infrastructure) (State owned)
- CargoNet (State owned)
- Railcare Tåg (Swedish Rail Infrastructure Companies)
- Airport Express Train (State owned)
- Hector Rail (Private Swedish freight rail carrier with permission to operate in Norway on certain lines)
- Malmtrafikk (Owned by Swedish government under state owned mining company LKAB)
- NSB Gjøvikbanen (State owned)
- SJ (Swedish State Railroads)
- Go-Ahead Norge (Private company)
- Sporveien (Metro and trams in oslo)
- Bybanen (light railway)
- Green Cargo (Swedish state owned freight rail company)
- Norske Tog (state owned rolling stock manager)
Poland
Portugal
State Companies
- CP (Portuguese Railways - Caminhos de ferro portugueses); Since 2004: Portuguese Trains - Comboios de Portugal
- IP Infrastructure management; since 2015
State Subway Companies
Private Companies
Romania
State companies
- CFR Călători, passenger services
- CFR Marfă, freight transport
- Compania Națională de Căi Ferate CFR, infrastructure
Private companies
Private Company rail operator
Light rail
Former companies
Russia
Serbia
Slovakia
- ŽSR (Železnice Slovenskej Republiky - The Railways of the Slovak Republic, infrastructure manager)
- ZSSK (Železničná Spoločnosť Slovensko, a.s., passenger transport operator)
- ZSSKC (Železničná Spoločnosť Cargo Slovakia, a.s., freight transport operator)
- LTE (LTE Logistik a Transport Slovakia s.r.o.)
- SŽDS (Slovenská železničná dopravná spoločnosť, a.s.)
Slovenia
- SŽ (Slovenian Railways, passenger carier)
- SŽ-Infrastruktura, infrastructure
- SŽ-Tovorni promet, freight
- Adria Transport, First private railway company in Slovenia
Spain
State Companies
Private Companies
Sweden
Switzerland
See also: Rail transport in Switzerland and List of railway companies in Switzerland.
- AB (Appenzeller Bahnen,)
- ASm (Aare Seeland mobil)
- BC (Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway)
- BDWM (BDWM Transport AG), merger of
- BLM (Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren)
- BLS (BLS AG), merger of
- BLT (Baselland Transport,)
- BOB (Berner Oberland Bahnen), also owns
- BRB (Brienz Rothorn Bahn)
- BVB (Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe)
- CIS (Cisalpino), Train operating company
- CJ (Chemins de fer du Jura)
- Db (Dolderbahn, Zürich)
- DFB (Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke)
- DVZO (Dampfbahn-Verein Zürcher Oberland), preserved line ex-SBB
- FART (Ferrovie autolinee regionali ticinesi)
- FB (Forchbahn)
- FLP (Ferrovia Lugano-Ponte Tresa)
- FW (Frauenfeld-Wil-Bahn)
- GGB (Gornergrat-Monte Rosa-Bahnen)
- JB (Jungfraubahn)
- KLB (Kriens-Luzern-Bahn), short freight line until December 2009, remaining infrastructure to Zentralbahn
- LEB (Chemin de fer Lausanne-Echallens-Bercher)
- LO (Métro Lausanne-Ouchy)
- MBC (Transports de la région Morges-Bière-Cossonay), was before
- MG (Monte Generoso Railway)
- MGB (Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn) (merger between FO and BVZ)
- MIB (Meiringen-Innertkirchen Bahn), owned by KWO (Kraftwerke Oberhasli)
- MOB (Chemin de fer Montreux-Oberland Bernois)
- MVR (Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera)
- NStCM (Chemin de fer Nyon-St-Cergue-Morez)
- OeBB (Oensingen-Balsthal-Bahn)
- PB (Pilatusbahn)
- RB (Rigi Railways)
- RBS (Regionalverkehr Bern-Solothurn,)
- RhB (Rhätische Bahn / Viafier retica)
- RiT (Riffelalp Tramway)
- SBB CFF FFS (Swiss Federal Railways - Schweizerische Bundesbahnen - Chemins de fer fédéraux - Ferrovie federali svizzere)
- SEFT (Società Esercizio Ferroviario Turistico operating Ferrovia Mesolcinese)
- SOB (Schweizerische Südostbahn AG)
- ST (Sursee-Triengen railway)
- SVB (Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Bern, "Bernmobil",)
- SZU (Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn)
- THURBO (THURBO), passenger operation, also successor of
- TMR (Transports de Martigny et Régions)
- TN (Transports publics du littoral neuchatelois)
- TPC (Transports Publics du Chablais (merger of AL, AOMC, ASD and VB)
- TPF (Transports publics Fribourgeois)
- GFM (Chemins der fer Fribourgeios (Gruyére-Friburg-Morat))
- TPG (Transports Publics Genevois)
- TRAVYS (Transports Vallée de Joux - Yverdon-les-Bains - Ste-Croix)
- TRN (TRN SA for "Transports publics neuchâtelois")
- TSOL (société du tramway du sud-ouest lausannois S.A.)
- VBG (Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal)
- VBZ (Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich)
- WAB (Wengernalpbahn)
- WB (Waldenburgerbahn,)
- WSB (Wynental- und Suhrentalbahn)
- ZB Zentralbahn (2005 merger of the Luzern-Stans-Engelberg-Bahn and the Swiss Federal Railways' Bruenigbahn)
Turkey
- TCDD (TCDD - Turkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları)
- İstanbul Ulaşım A.Ş. (operating subways in city of Istanbul)
- İZBAN (operating commuter trains in city of İzmir)
- TUVASAS (Turkish wagon industry)
- TULOMSAS (Turkish Locomotiveand Engines industry)
- TUDEMSAS (Turkish carriage wagon industry)
- EUROTEM (Railway Vehicles Industry and Trade Joint Stock Company)
- SİTAŞ (Sivas Sleeper Manufacturing Industry and Trade Joint Stock Company)
- RAYSİMAŞ (Rail Systems Engineering, Consultancy Joint Stock Company)
- VADEMSAŞ (Voestalpine Kardemir Railway Systems Industry and Trade Joint Stock Company)
Ukraine
- UZ (Ukrainian Railway - Укрзалізниця, Ukrzaliznytsia)
United Kingdom
See also: List of railway companies involved in the 1923 grouping and List of companies operating trains in the United Kingdom.
Vatican City
- FS, Italian State Railways
- Trenitalia (Passenger division of FS)
Latin America and the Caribbean
Argentina
Freight operators
Suburban operators
- Ferrovías - http://www.ferrovias.com.ar operates services over Linea Belgrano Norte.
- Metrovias - http://www.metrovias.com.ar operates services over Linea Urquiza and also operates the Buenos Aires Underground
- Trenes Argentinos (formerly known as Ferrocarriles Argentinos, Nuevos ferrocarriles argentinos and SOFSE) operates most of the suburban lines in Argentina, including the Roca line, the Sarmiento line, the Mitre line, the South Belgrano line, the San Martín line and the Tren de la costa line in Buenos Aires metro area. It also operates suburban lines in Resistencia, Chaco, Paraná, Entre Ríos, and Neuquén, Neuquén. Currently, another suburban rail system is being built in Córdoba.
- Sociedad de Transporte de Mendoza is a company run by the government of the city of Mendoza that currently operates the suburban light rail and tram system of that city and the city of Godoy Cruz.
Long distance and regional passenger operators
- Trenes Argentinos (formerly known as Ferrocarriles Argentinos, Nuevos ferrocarriles argentinos and SOFSE) operates almost every long distance and regional train in Argentina.
- Tren Patagonico is a company run by the government of the province of Río Negro. It currently operates two lines.
Belize
Bolivia
- Empresa Nacional de Ferrocarriles (ENFER) (Bolivia National Railways, 1996 split and partly privatized)
- Empresa Ferroviaria Andina (FCA) (Western railway network)
- Ferroviaria Oriental S.A. (FO) (Eastern railway network, 50% owned by Genesee & Wyoming) http://www.ferroviariaoriental.com
Brazil
Those lines were always privately owned:
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
- Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (INCOFER), llamado antes de 1991 FECOSA (Ferrocarriles de Costa Rica)
- National Atlantic Railroad Formerly called Northern Railway Company before being taken by Costa Rican government
- Pacific Electric Railroad
Cuba
Ecuador
Falkland Islands
Guatemala
Guyana
See main article: Transport in Guyana.
Haiti
See main article: Rail transport in Haiti.
- Compagnie des Chemins de Fer de Port-au-Prince, January 17, 1878 - April 1888
- Société des Tramways de Port-au-Prince, April 18, 1897 - 1901
(purchased by Compagnie des Chemins de Fer de la Plaine du Cul-de-Sac)
- Chemin de Fer Central (owned by Haitian American Sugar Company/Hasco) 1915 - 1932(?)
- Compagnie des Chemins de Fer de la Plaine du Cul-de-Sac 1896 - 1950s(?)
- Compagnie Nationale (Compagnie de Fer Nationale?/Haitian National Railroad?) 1905 - 1940s(?)
(probably purchased by Société Haitiano-Américaine de Développement Agricole/SHADA in 1940s)
Honduras
Here are some pictures and information on Ferrocarril Nacional de Honduras http://www.fahrplancenter.com/FCNacionalHondurasEntry.html
Jamaica
See main article: Transport in Jamaica.
Nicaragua
See main article: Rail transport in Nicaragua.
- (There are no longer any railways in Nicaragua)
- Ferrocarril del Pacifico de Nicaragua (Pacific Railway of Nicaragua)
see some pictures on http://www.fahrplancenter.com/NicaraguaTitel.html
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
El Salvador
- Ferrocarriles Nacionales del Salvador (FENADESAL) (National Railways of El Salvador)
Suriname
- Suriname Government Railway
Uruguay
Venezuela
North America
See also: Oldest railroads in North America.
Canada
See main article: List of Canadian railways.
Mexico
See main article: List of Mexican railroads.
United States
See also: List of Class I railroads and List of U.S. Class II railroads.
Oceania
Australia
See main article: List of Australian railway companies and List of former Australian railway companies.
See also: Rail transport in Australia.
New Zealand
See main article: Rail transport in New Zealand.
See also
See also: Rail transport by country.
Notes and References
- https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071020/wl_nm/afghan_conference_dc
- http://www.lmrcl.ltd{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- http://www.doellnitzbahn.de/index1024.html
- Web site: Trenes Argentinos Operadora Ferroviaria. Trenes Argentinos. 4 November 2014.
- Web site: Ferrosur Roca | Home . Ferrosur.com.ar . 2013-09-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130721105647/http://www.ferrosur.com.ar/ . July 21, 2013 .
- Web site: NCA- Home page . NCA . 2013-09-04.
- Web site: Railways and Trains in Belize. A Guide to the Past . Guidetobelize.info . 2013-09-04.
- Web site: Lost Railroads of Belize - Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board . Ambergriscaye.com . 2013-09-04.
