| Rank | Country | Railway length (km) | Date of information | Notes | Electrified length (km) | Historic peak length (km) | Area (km2) per km track | Population per km track | Nationalized or Private |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States | 250,000 | 2014 | <1,600 | 409,000 | 43.71 | 1,373 | Private | |
| 2 |  China | 121,000 | 2015 | 65,000 | Present length | 79.31 | 11,218 | Nationalized | |
| 3 |  India | 115000 | 2016 | 27,999 | 48.34 | 17,796 | Nationalized | ||
| 4 |  Russia | 86,000 | 2013 | “Commercial operational length” | (50,000) not verified | 198.82 | 1,669 | Nationalized | |
| 5 |  Canada | 46,552 | 2008 | 129 | 214.48 | 716 | Private | ||
| 6 |  Germany | 43,468 | 2010 | 19,973 | 58,297 | 8.22 | 1,881 | Nationalized | |
| 7 |  Australia | 38,445 | 2008 | 2,715 | 199.94 | 572 | Both | ||
| 8 |  Argentina | 36,966 | 2008 | 136 | 47,000 | 77.45 | 1117 | Nationalized | |
| 9 |  South Africa | 31,000 | 2014 | not verified | 24,800 | 39.39 | 1,742 | Nationalized | |
| 10 |  France | 29,640 | 2008 | 15,140 | 21.53 | 2201 | Nationalized | ||
| 11 |  Brazil | 29,303 | (2012) | 1,520 | 285.57 | 6397 | Private | ||
| 12 |  Japan | 27,182 | 2009 | 16,702 | 16.10 | 5451 | Both | ||
| 13 |  Italy | 24,179 | (2007) | 16,683 | 12.46 | 2507 | Both | ||
| 14 |  Ukraine | 22,300 | (2010) | 9,752 | 27.07 | 2048 | Nationalized | ||
| 15 |  Romania | 22,298 | (2008) | 3,971 | 10.69 | 854 | Both | ||
| 16 |  Poland | 19,627 | (2008) | 17,358 | about 24000 before 1989 | 15.93 | 1946 | Nationalized | |
| 17 |  United Kingdom | 17,732 | (2008) | 5,328 | 34,000 (before Beeching axe) | 15.00 | 3825 | Both (Franchised) | |
| 18 |  Mexico | 17,166 | 2008 | 22 | 114.43 | 6,697 | Private | ||
| 19 |  Spain | 15,947 | (2012) | 9,623 | 33.55 | 3062 | Nationalized | ||
| 20 |  Kazakhstan | 15,372 | (2010) | 4,000 | 180.71 | 1,171 | Nationalized |
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