Rapid transit track gauge explained

The vast majority of rapid transit systems use . Some of the largest and oldest subway systems in the world use standard gauge in agreement with the country wide dominant usage for track gauge, e.g. London Underground (1863), Chicago "L" (1892), Vienna Metro (1898), Paris Métro (1900), Berlin U-Bahn (1902), New York City Subway (1904), Stockholm Metro (1950), Milan Metro (1964), Mexico City Metro (1969), Beijing Subway (1971), Seoul Metropolitan Subway (1974), Shanghai Metro (1993), Guangzhou Metro (1997), Shenzhen Metro (2004). Many rapid transit systems in countries where the main lines do not use standard gauges are built in standard gauge, including the Barcelona Metro, Santiago Metro, Taipei Metro, and many systems in India.

There are also systems that use (some systems in Japan and Jakarta MRT), (the standard in former Soviet Union), (the standard in Brazil) and few others.

Some systems use rubber tires, with some ones adding them to the normal steel wheels (e.g. Paris Metro, Mexico City Metro, Montreal Metro) and some others with only tires (e.g. Lille Metro, Sapporo Municipal Subway).

Some systems use monorail, the largest ones are in Chongqing Rail Transit and in São Paulo Metro.

For references for the figures, see each system's page and List of metro systems.

__TOC__

CountryNetworkRoute lengthGaugeComment
AlgeriaAlgiers Metro18.5km (11.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ArgentinaBuenos Aires Underground56.7km (35.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ArmeniaYerevan Metro13.4km (08.3miles)data-sort-value="1524"
AustraliaSydney Metro36km (22miles)data-sort-value="1435"
AustriaVienna U-Bahn83.3km (51.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
AzerbaijanBaku Metro40.7km (25.3miles)data-sort-value="1524"
BangladeshDhaka Metro Rail20.1km (12.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
BelarusMinsk Metro40.8km (25.4miles)data-sort-value="1524"
BelgiumBrussels Metro39.9km (24.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
BrazilBelo Horizonte Metro28.1km (17.5miles)data-sort-value="1600"
BrazilFederal District Metro42.4km (26.3miles)data-sort-value="1600"
BrazilPorto Alegre Metro43.8km (27.2miles)data-sort-value="1600"
BrazilRecife Metro39.5km (24.5miles)data-sort-value="1600"Includes rapid transit lines only: Linha Centro (Center Line) and Linha Sul (South Line)
BrazilRio de Janeiro Metro58km (36miles)data-sort-value="1600"
BrazilSalvador Metro34km (21miles)data-sort-value="1435"
BrazilFortaleza Metro43.6km (27.1miles)
BrazilSão Paulo Metro56.9km (35.4miles)data-sort-value="1600"Line 1, Line 2 and Line 3
31.4km (19.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 4 and Line 5
14.6km (09.1miles)MonorailLine 15
BulgariaSofia Metro52km (32miles)data-sort-value="1435"
CanadaMontreal Metro69.2km (43miles)data-sort-value="1436" between guide bars and rubber tiresMichelin rubber-tyred metro system has both rubber tires and steel wheels
CanadaREM Montreal16.6km (10.3miles)
CanadaToronto subway70.5km (43.8miles)data-sort-value="1495"Line 1, Line 2 and Line 4
6.4km (04miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 3
CanadaSkyTrain79.6km (49.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"Expo Line (SkyTrain), Millennium Line, and Canada Line
ChileSantiago Metro73.5km (45.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 3, Line 4, Line 4A and Line 6
76km (47miles)data-sort-value="1436" and rubber tiresLine 1, Line 2 and Line 5. Michelin rubber-tyred metro system has both rubber tires and steel wheels
ChinaBeijing Subway804km (500miles)data-sort-value="1435"All lines except S1 line (Maglev), Yizhuang T1 line and Xijiao line (light rail)
9.1km (05.7miles)MaglevS1 line
ChinaChangchun Rail Transit71.6km (44.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 1, Line 2 and Line 6
ChinaChangsha Metro207.9km (129.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaChangzhou Metro54.03km (33.57miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaChengdu Metro558.11km (346.79miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaChongqing Rail Transit420.22km (261.11miles)data-sort-value="1435"Loop line, Line 1, Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, Line 9, Line 10 and Jiangtiao line
98.5km (61.2miles)MonorailLine 2 and Line 3
ChinaDalian Metro237.7km (147.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaDongguan Rail Transit37.8km (23.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaFoshan Metro112.7km (70miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaFuzhou Metro143.5km (89.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaGuangzhou Metro651.75km (404.98miles)data-sort-value="1435"All lines except Zhujiang New Town APM
3.9km (02.4miles)rubber tiresZhujiang New Town APM
ChinaGuiyang Metro118.7km (73.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaHangzhou Metro516km (321miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaHarbin Metro83.78km (52.06miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaHefei Metro201.95km (125.49miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaHohhot Metro49km (30miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaJinan Metro84.3km (52.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaJinhua Rail Transit107km (66miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaKunming Rail Transit164.3km (102.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaLanzhou Metro34.96km (21.72miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaLuoyang Subway43.6km (27.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaNanchang Metro128.6km (79.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaNanjing Metro521km (324miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaNanning Rail Transit127.9km (79.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaNantong Rail Transit60km (40miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaNingbo Rail Transit182.5km (113.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaQingdao Metro342.4km (212.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaShanghai Metro795.2km (494.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"All lines except Pujiang line. This figure excludes Maglev line and Jinshan Railway, both often included in Shanghai Metro maps but not considered part of the system.
6.7km (04.2miles)rubber tiresPujiang line
ChinaShaoxing Metro57.8km (35.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaShenyang Metro163.7km (101.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaShenzhen Metro555.43km (345.13miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaShijiazhuang Metro76.5km (47.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaSuzhou Rail Transit249.5km (155miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaTaiyuan Metro23.65km (14.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaTaizhou Rail Transit52.4km (32.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaTianjin Metro300.5km (186.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaÜrümqi Metro27.6km (17.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaWenzhou Metro116.4km (72.3miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaWuhan Metro479.65km (298.04miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaWuhu Rail Transit46.25km (28.74miles)Monorail
ChinaWuxi Metro114.81NaN1data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaXiamen Metro98.4km (61.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaXi'an Metro311km (193miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaXuzhou Metro64.35km (39.99miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ChinaZhengzhou Metro344.2km (213.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Hong KongMass Transit Railway102.1km (63.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"East Rail line, Tuen Ma line and South Island line
79.4km (49.3miles)data-sort-value="1432"Kwun Tong line, Tsuen Wan line, Island line, Tung Chung line, Airport Express, Tseung Kwan O line, Disneyland Resort line
Macau Light Rapid Transit12.5km (07.8miles)rubber tires
ColombiaMedellín Metro31.3km (19.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Czech RepublicPrague Metro65.2km (40.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
DenmarkCopenhagen Metro43.3km (26.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Dominican RepublicSanto Domingo Metro28.4km (17.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"
EcuadorQuito Metro22km (14miles)
EgyptCairo Metro107.1km (66.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
FinlandHelsinki Metro43km (27miles)data-sort-value="1524"
FranceLille Metro45km (28miles)rubber tiresVAL technology
FranceLyon Metro2.5km (01.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line C rack railway
31.9km (19.8miles)data-sort-value="1436" and rubber tiresLine A, Line B and Line D. Michelin rubber-tyred metro system has both rubber tires and steel wheels
FranceMarseille Metro21.9km (13.6miles)data-sort-value="1436" and rubber tiresMichelin rubber-tyred metro system has both rubber tires and steel wheels
FranceParis Métro158.8km (98.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 2, Line 3, Line 5, Line 7, Line 8, Line 9, Line 10, Line 12 and Line 13
83.7km (52miles)data-sort-value="1436" and rubber tiresLine 1, Line 4, Line 6, Line 11 and Line 14. Michelin rubber-tyred metro system has both rubber tires and steel wheels
FranceRennes Metro23km (14miles)rubber tiresVAL technology
FranceToulouse Metro28.2km (17.5miles)rubber tiresVAL technology
GeorgiaTbilisi Metro27.1km (16.8miles)data-sort-value="1524"
GermanyBerlin U-Bahn156.1km (97miles)data-sort-value="1435"
GermanyFrankfurt U-Bahn64.9km (40.3miles)data-sort-value="1435"
GermanyHamburg U-Bahn106.1km (65.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"
GermanyHanover Stadtbahn121km (75miles)data-sort-value="1435"
GermanyMunich U-Bahn95km (59miles)data-sort-value="1435"
GermanyNuremberg U-Bahn38.2km (23.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
GreeceAthens Metro91.7km (57miles)data-sort-value="1435"
HungaryBudapest Metro38.2km (23.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaAhmedabad Metro38.63km (24miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaBengalaru Metro73.75km (45.83miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaChennai Metro54.15km (33.65miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaDelhi Metro148.2km (92.1miles)data-sort-value="1676"Red Line, Yellow Line and Blue Line (1-4 lines)
199.9km (124.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"Green Line, Violet Line, Magenta Line, Pink Line, Grey Line (5-9 lines) and Airport Metro Express
IndiaRapid Metro Gurgaon11.7km (07.3miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaHyderabad Metro67km (42miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaJaipur Metro12.1km (07.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaKanpur Metro9km (06miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaKochi Metro27.4km (17miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaKolkata Metro37.86km (23.53miles)data-sort-value="1676"Line 1 and Line 3
9.1km (05.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 2
IndiaLucknow Metro23km (14miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaMumbai Metro46.4km (28.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaNagpur Metro38.21km (23.74miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaNavi Mumbai Metro11.1km (06.9miles)
IndiaNoida Metro29.7km (18.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndiaPune Metro33.2km (20.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndonesiaJakarta MRT15.7km (09.8miles)data-sort-value="1067"
IndonesiaJakarta LRT5.8km (03.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndonesiaJabodebek LRT44.5km (27.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
IndonesiaPalembang LRT23.4km (14.5miles)data-sort-value="1067"
Isfahan Metro16.2km (10.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Karaj metro49.5km (30.8miles)
Mashhad Urban Railway37.5km (23.3miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Shiraz Metro32.5km (20.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Tabriz Metro7km (04miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Tehran Metro224.6km (139.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"All lines except Line 5
ItalyBrescia Metro13.7km (08.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ItalyCatania Metro8.8km (05.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ItalyGenoa Metro7.1km (04.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ItalyMilan Metro103.2km (64.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ItalyNaples Metro20.5km (12.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ItalyRome Metro60km (40miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ItalyTurin Metro15.1km (09.4miles)rubber tiresVAL technology
JapanAstram Line18.4km (11.4miles)rubber tires
JapanFukuoka City Subway17.8km (11.1miles)data-sort-value="1067"Kūkō Line and Hakozaki Line
13.6km (08.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"Nanakuma Line
JapanKobe Municipal Subway38.1km (23.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
JapanKyoto Municipal Subway31.2km (19.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
JapanNagoya Municipal Subway53.3km (33.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"Higashiyama Line, Meijō Line and Meikō Line
40km (30miles)data-sort-value="1067"Tsurumai Line, Sakura-dōri Line and Kamiiida Line
JapanOsaka Metro129.9km (80.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
JapanSapporo Municipal Subway48km (30miles)rubber tires
JapanSendai Subway14.8km (09.2miles)data-sort-value="1067"Namboku Line
13.9km (08.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"Tōzai Line
JapanToei Subway (Tokyo)59km (37miles)data-sort-value="1435"Asakusa Line and Ōedo Line
26.5km (16.5miles)data-sort-value="1067"Mita Line
23.5km (14.6miles)data-sort-value="1372"Shinjuku Line
JapanTokyo Metro41.7km (25.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"Ginza Line and Marunouchi Line
153.4km (95.3miles)data-sort-value="1067"All lines except Ginza Line and Marunouchi Line
JapanTokyo Monorail17.8km (11.1miles)Monorail
JapanRinkai Line (Tokyo)12.2km (07.6miles)data-sort-value="1067"
JapanYokohama Municipal Subway53.4km (33.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
JapanMinatomirai Line (Yokohama)4.1km (02.5miles)data-sort-value="1067"
KazakhstanAlmaty Metro13.4km (08.3miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Pyongyang Metro22.5km (14miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Busan Metro103.8km (64.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"Includes rapid transit lines only: lines 1-3
12.7km (07.9miles)rubber tiresLine 4
Daegu Metro59.8km (37.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 1 and Line 2
23.9km (14.9miles)MonorailLine 3
Daejeon Metro22.7km (14.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Gimpo Goldline23.7km (14.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Gwangju Metro20.1km (12.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Incheon Subway59.4km (36.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Seoul Subway367.5km (228.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"Lines 1-9
Ui LRT11.4km (07.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Sillim Line7.8km (04.8miles)rubber tires
Korail metro lines133km (83miles)data-sort-value="1435"Includes the Bundang Line, Korail portions of Seoul Subway Line 3 (Ilsan Line) and Seoul Subway Line 4 (Gwacheon Line and Ansan Line), and the Suin Line
Shinbundang Line33.4km (20.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Uijeongbu U Line11.2km (07miles)rubber tiresVAL technology
MalaysiaRapid KL219.8km (136.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"All lines except KL Monorail
8.6km (05.3miles)MonorailKL Monorail
MexicoGuadalajara Metro21km (13miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 3
MexicoMexico City Metro165.7km (103miles)data-sort-value="1436" and rubber tiresAll lines except Line 12 and Line A. Michelin rubber-tyred metro system has both rubber tires and steel wheels
35.2km (21.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"Line 12 and Line A
MexicoMonterrey Metro40km (30miles)data-sort-value="1435"For all 3 lines. The 5 train models (MM-90X, MM-93, MM-05, MM-20 and Duewag/Talbot MM-80) share the same rail gauge, and can be swapped to serve any of the 3 lines (they are all connected by 2 interchanges).
NetherlandsAmsterdam Metro44.3km (27.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
NigeriaLagos Rail Mass Transit27km (17miles)data-sort-value="1435"Blue Line only (Red Line is a commuter rail)
NetherlandsRotterdam Metro103.1km (64.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"Some sections of the Lines A and B have some level crossings (with priority) and so could therefore be considered "light rail" instead of "metro"
NorwayOslo Metro86km (53miles)data-sort-value="1435"This system has similarities to light rail systems, because of existence of road level crossings, but is listed since there are almost entirely separated from roads
PakistanLahore Metro27.1km (16.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
PanamaPanama Metro39.8km (24.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
PeruLima Metro39.6km (24.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"
PhilippinesManila Light Rail Transit System37.3km (23.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
PhilippinesManila Metro Rail Transit System16.9km (10.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
PolandWarsaw Metro41.3km (25.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
PortugalLisbon Metro44.2km (27.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
QatarDoha Metro76km (47miles)data-sort-value="1435"
RomaniaBucharest Metro80.1km (49.8miles)data-sort-value="1432"Gauge is nominally 1432, but the tolerances (+10, -3) are centered around Standard gauge[1]
Kazan Metro16.8km (10.4miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Moscow Metro461.5km (286.8miles)data-sort-value="1524"All lines except Moscow Central Diameters, Moscow Central Circle (a conventional railway numbered as Line 14) and Moscow Monorail (Line 13)
4.7km (02.9miles)MonorailMoscow Monorail (Line 13)
Nizhny Novgorod Metro21.6km (13.4miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Novosibirsk Metro15.9km (09.9miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Saint Petersburg Metro124.8km (77.5miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Samara Metro11.6km (07.2miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Yekaterinburg Metro12.7km (07.9miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Saudi ArabiaMecca Metro18.1km (11.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Southern Line (Line S)
SingaporeLight Rail Transit28.6km (17.8miles)rubber tires
SingaporeMass Rapid Transit231km (144miles)data-sort-value="1435"
SpainBarcelona Metro20.7km (12.9miles)data-sort-value="1672"Line 1
119.2km (74.1miles)data-sort-value="1435"All lines except Line 1 and Line 8
11.3km (07miles)data-sort-value="1000" Line 8
SpainBilbao metro45.1km (28miles)data-sort-value="1000"
SpainMadrid Metro293km (182miles)data-sort-value="1445"Including lines 1-12 and Ramal. Not including the three Light Rail lines
SwedenStockholm Metro105.7km (65.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
SwitzerlandLausanne Metro5.9km (03.7miles)data-sort-value="1436" and rubber tiresOnly Line M2 (Michelin rubber-tyred metro system has both rubber tires and steel wheels). Line M1 is light rail
Kaohsiung Rapid Transit42.7km (26.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"Red Line and Orange Line
Taipei Metro127.8km (79.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"All lines except Wenhu line
25.1km (15.6miles)rubber tiresWenhu line. VAL technology
Taichung Metro16.7km (10.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
Taoyuan Metro53.1km (33miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ThailandBTS Skytrain(Bangkok)68.2km (42.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
ThailandMRT (Bangkok)70.6km (43.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"Blue Line and Purple Line
64.9km (40.3miles)MonorailYellow Line and Pink Line
TurkeyAdana Metro13.5km (08.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
TurkeyAnkara Metro67.4km (41.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"
TurkeyBursaray39km (24miles)data-sort-value="1435"
TurkeyIstanbul Metro202.8km (126miles)data-sort-value="1435"M1-M11 lines
Turkeyİzmir Metro20km (10miles)data-sort-value="1435"
UkraineDnipro Metro7.1km (04.4miles)data-sort-value="1524"
UkraineKharkiv Metro38.1km (23.7miles)data-sort-value="1524"
UkraineKyiv Metro67.6km (42miles)data-sort-value="1524"
United Arab EmiratesDubai Metro89.6km (55.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United KingdomGlasgow Subway10.4km (06.5miles)data-sort-value="1219"
United KingdomLondon Underground405.2km (251.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United KingdomDocklands Light Railway38km (24miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United KingdomTyne and Wear Metro77.5km (48.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesMARTA (Atlanta)76.6km (47.6miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesBaltimore Metro Subway24.9km (15.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesMBTA subway (Boston)61km (38miles)data-sort-value="1435"Red Line, Orange Line and Blue Line
United StatesChicago "L"165.4km (102.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesRTA Rapid Transit: Red Line (Cleveland)31km (19miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesHonolulu Skyline17.4km (10.8miles)
United StatesLos Angeles Metro Rail28km (17miles)data-sort-value="1435"B Line and D Line
United StatesMetrorail (Miami)39.3km (24.4miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesNew York City Subway380.2km (236.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesStaten Island Railway22.5km (14miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesPATH22.2km (13.8miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesSEPTA (Philadelphia)48.1km (29.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"Broad Street Line and Norristown High Speed Line (latter one a combination of a rapid transit, a commuter rail and a light rail systems)
20.8km (12.9miles)data-sort-value="1588"Market–Frankford Line
United StatesPATCO Speedline22.9km (14.2miles)data-sort-value="1435"
United StatesBART (San Francisco)186.8km (116.1miles)data-sort-value="1676"
United StatesWashington Metro208km (129miles)data-sort-value="1429"
Puerto RicoTren Urbano17.2km (10.7miles)data-sort-value="1435"
UzbekistanTashkent Metro66.7km (41.4miles)data-sort-value="1524"
Caracas Metro63.6km (39.5miles)data-sort-value="1435"Include Los Teques Metro
Hanoi Metro25.6km (15.9miles)data-sort-value="1435"

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Caiet de sarcini - Partea 0 - Specificatie tehnica generala . . ro . 3 July 2023 . 18 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220118151455/http://www.metrorex.ro/Resurse/Caiet_sarcini_trenuri/Partea%200%20-%20caiet%20de%20sarcini.pdf . dead .