DB (Deutsche Bahn) is the German national rail operator. While DB dominates long-distance routes, it provides only about half of all regional services. The rest are run by around 40 other operators. DB also offers many cross-border services into Germany's neighbouring countries, while international night trains are provided by ÖBB and European Sleeper.
Network length
39,000 km
Number of stations
7,100
Germany's national railway, running ICE high-speed and InterCity services nationwide, alongside about half of the country's regional trains, with international connections to most neighbouring countries.
Regional operator running contracted local services in central Germany.
Regional operator running the Karlsruhe tram-train network into the surrounding region.
Regional operator running local services across northern and eastern Bavaria.
Regional operator running local services between Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.
Regional operator running local and regional express services in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.
Regional operator running local services across southern Bavaria, including lines around Munich and Augsburg.
Regional operator running local services between Friedrichshafen and Ravensburg near Lake Constance.
Regional operator running local services in northern and eastern Hesse.
Czechia's national rail operator, running long-distance and regional services across the country, including ComfortJet and Railjet international trains, and EuroNight sleepers to neighbouring countries.
Luxembourg's national railway, operating the country's domestic network and cross-border services to France, Belgium and Germany, with direct TGV connections to Paris.
Regional operator running services between Wolfsburg, Braunschweig and Hildesheim in Lower Saxony.
Regional operator running local services across Thuringia in central Germany.
Regional operator running local services in the Lüneburg Heath region of Lower Saxony.
Regional operator running services in North Rhine-Westphalia, including cross-border trains to Hengelo.
Cooperative running night trains linking Brussels and Amsterdam with Berlin, Dresden and Prague.
Regional operator running local and regional express services across Hesse.
Regional operator in eastern and southern Germany, running trilex cross-border services into Czechia.
Hungary's national railway, operating InterCity services from Budapest across the country. They provide an extensive regional network with frequent EuroCity and Railjet services to Vienna, and international night trains to cities across the region.
Regional operator running services between Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover and Göttingen in northern Germany.
Regional operator running services around Leipzig, Chemnitz and Dresden in eastern Germany.
Regional operator running local services along the Rhine between Cologne, Koblenz and Mainz.
Regional operator running regional express lines in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Regional operator running local services in Brandenburg and Berlin's eastern hinterland.
Regional operator running local services across Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg.
Regional operator running the local line between Niebüll in Germany and Tønder in Denmark.
Regional operator running local services across north-west Germany, including the Bremen regional S-Bahn.
Regional operator running services across Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Austria's national railway, running Railjet long-distance services and regional trains across the country and into neighbouring countries. Its Nightjet network is Europe's most extensive night train operation, reaching cities far beyond Austria.
Regional operator running local services in the Prignitz region north-west of Berlin.
Regional operator running local services in the Rhine-Ruhr region of western Germany.
Switzerland's national rail operator, running intercity, regional and commuter services with one of Europe's most intensive rail networks. Services also include international connections to France, Germany, Italy and Austria.
France's national railway, running TGV high-speed services at up to 320 km/h alongside Intercités and regional TER trains. SNCF also runs international connections across western Europe.
Regional operator running local services in Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany.
Regional operator running local services in central Lower Saxony.
Regional operator running local services in the Taunus region north of Frankfurt.
Regional operator running services between Hamburg and Cuxhaven on the lower Elbe.
Regional operator running local services across Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany.
Regional operator running services in the Rhine-Main area and on the lower Rhine into the Netherlands.
Regional operator running services between Saarbrücken, Mainz and Frankfurt in south-west Germany.
Regional operator running regional express services between Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
Best-in-class booking tools and APIs for European train tickets.
ÖBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen) is Austria's national rail operator, running long-distance and regional services. About 50% of ÖBB's operations are international and its extensive night train network even covers routes that do not touch Austria at all.
+ 7Most passenger services in Great Britain are now run by publicly owned operators, as the railway prepares for the transition to Great British Railways, though familiar brands such as LNER and Great Western Railway remain. Eurostar links London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Two night trains, the Caledonian Sleeper to Scotland and the Night Riviera to Cornwall, run from London six nights a week.
+ 21The state-owned national rail operator in Slovakia is ZSSK (Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko). However, a good number of both long-distance and regional trains are run by other operators. A unified tariff and timetable system ensures smooth transfers between each operator's trains.
+ 2SJ is the dominant long-distance operator in Sweden, running high-speed services between the largest cities, with competition from VR on the Stockholm–Gothenburg route and Snälltåget between Stockholm and Malmö. Night trains link Stockholm with the far north through sleepers to beyond the Arctic Circle. Snälltåget's seasonal night train runs to Hamburg and Berlin. Regional trains run under brands such as Mälartåg, Öresundståg and Norrtåg.
+ 17The Italian state operator Trenitalia operates a wide network of high-speed trains (generally branded Le Frecce) as well as regional and local services. On high-speed lines, they face tough competition from private operator Italo, and there are other independent Italian regional operators such as Trenord.
+ 4The Netherlands has one of Europe's most intensively used rail networks. NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) dominates Intercity and Intercity direct services, while regional trains are operated by Arriva, Connexxion and Keolis on lines outside the main network.
+ 11Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe. The connection between Madrid and Barcelona is its busiest line. The dominant operator is Renfe, which leads on long-distance routes, while local and regional routes are administered by the Spanish regions.
+ 1Rail services in Liechtenstein are run by Austrian national operator ÖBB. The main line runs from Buchs in Switzerland to Feldkirch in Austria, and fast international services generally cross the country without stopping. However, slower regional services connect Liechtenstein main station with the country's neighbours.
CFL (Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois) is the national operator of Luxembourg's compact rail network. Luxembourg became the first country in the world to make public transport free of charge nationwide where domestic journeys need no ticket at all. First class and cross-border travel still need booked and paid tickets. Direct TGV services link Luxembourg with Paris and direct trains also run to Brussels, Trier and Koblenz.
+ 3Vy is Norway's dominant passenger operator, running the Oslo commuter network, the Bergen line and the Oslo airport express. SJ Norge operates the northern and central lines which crosses the Arctic Circle. Go-Ahead runs the Sørlandet line between Oslo, Kristiansand and Stavanger. Night trains run on the main long-distance routes from Oslo, and direct daytime services link the capital with Stockholm and Gothenburg.
+ 3ČD (České dráhy) is the country's national rail operator, but there is an increasing number of private operators running both long-distance trains and local services in Czechia. The country is well connected to its neighbours by long-distance daytime rail services, European Sleeper runs a night train from Brussels via Berlin to Prague, and České dráhy ComfortJet services operate between Bratislava and Czechia.
+ 8DSB (Danske Statsbaner) runs the vast majority of intercity and regional services in Denmark, complemented by local railways such as Nordjyske Jernbaner in Jutland and Lokaltog on Zealand. Öresund trains cross to Malmö and southern Sweden every 20 minutes for most of the day, while direct EuroCity trains link Copenhagen with Hamburg and Snälltåget's seasonal Stockholm–Berlin night train runs through the country.
+ 6SBB CFF FFS is Switzerland's dominant national operator, with a dense, tightly integrated timetable spanning mainline, regional and mountain railways. Regional lines are run by operators such as BLS, the Rhaetian Railway and the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. The latter two also operate the panoramic Glacier Express and Bernina Express. International services include Lyria to Paris, EuroCity to Milan, ICE to Germany and Railjets to Austria, plus Nightjet night trains as far as Hamburg and Amsterdam.
+ 27SNCF remains the dominant operator in France. Their high-speed TGV services connect Paris with most major French cities at speeds of up to 320 km/h. Competition has been growing since 2021, with Trenitalia running high-speed trains from Paris to Lyon, Marseille and Milan, while Renfe operates cross-border services between Lyon and Barcelona and between Marseille and Madrid. SNCF's Nuit night trains link Paris with destinations across the south, from Nice to the Pyrenees.
+ 8NMBS/SNCB runs virtually all passenger services across Belgium. As a major transit hub at the heart of Europe, Belgium is a key node for international services: from Brussels, Eurostar, ICE, IC direct and TGV services run into Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain and France. Night trains to Germany and Czechia are offered by ÖBB and European Sleeper.
+ 7The Principality of Monaco has a single station, Monaco Monte-Carlo. Rail services to and through the country are provided by French national operator SNCF.
Hungary's national rail operator MÁV is the dominant player in providing train travel in the country. The second largest operator is GySEV.
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