What is the standard gauge in Europe?


What is the standard gauge in Europe? Most railways in Europe use the standard gauge of 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8+1/2 in). Some countries use broad gauge, of which there are three types.


What gauge are Swiss railways?

The rail network of Switzerland is one of the densest and spectacular in the world. It covers a total length of 5063 km of lines with 3652 km on international gauge 1435 mm, 1312 km on metre gauge and 68.5 km of 800 mm or 750 mm gauge.


What is the railway gauge in Romania?

All are built for standard gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1/2 in)) and run using a catenary wire at 50 Hz 25 kV AC. All trains have electric heating.


What is the standard gauge in Spain?

The Spanish railway network is a complex one, due to the existence of standard gauge (1,435 mm), Iberian gauge (1,668 mm), and dual gauge (with three rails) subnetworks, as well as connections between the two first subnetworks (at the so-called gauge changeovers ), usable by dual gauge trains .


What gauge are German railways?

Germany has rail links with the following countries. All are to countries of the same gauge (1435 mm), although electrification (15 kV AC 16.7 Hz) and other systems such as signalling may differ.


What is the loading gauge of the EU?

The European (Berne) loading gauge is usually 3,150 mm (10 ft 4 in) wide by 3,175 mm (10 ft 5.0 in) rising to 4,280 mm (14 ft 1 in) in the centre. This is a clearance envelope (see loading gauge) on a curve of 250 m (820 ft 3 in) radius.


What rail gauge does Finland use?

Finland uses 1524 mm (5') gauge since times when it was a part of the Russian Empire (1809–1917) and does not change it, rolling stock is cross-compatible with very minor limitations (Allegro trains between St.


What is the narrow gauge railway in Spain?

In Spain there is an extensive 1,250 km (780 mi) system of 1,000 mm (3 ft 33/8 in) metre gauge railways. The majority of these railways was historically operated by FEVE, (Ferrocarriles Españoles de Vía Estrecha, Spanish narrow-gauge railways).


What gauge are Russian railways?

The standard Russian railway gauge of 1,524 mm quickly spread throughout the Russian Empire, reached Warsaw, Vladivostok, Murmansk, and Baku.


Which country has the highest railway line in the world?

Before the opening of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway in China, currently the highest in the world, the highest three railways were located in the Andean countries of Peru and Bolivia. In the Alps, the Jungfrau Railway has the particularity of reaching an elevation that is higher than the local snow line.


Why Spain has different rail gauge?

In fact, it is known as the “Iberian gauge”. This can be traced back to 1844, when a group of technicians stated that, due to the Spanish and Portuguese orography, the width of the inner sides of the tracks had to be increased.


Why do most countries use different railway gauges?

If locomotives were imported from elsewhere, especially in the early days, the track would be built to fit them. In some cases standard gauge was adopted, but many countries or companies chose a different gauge as their national gauge, either by governmental policy, or as a matter of individual choice.