China has by far the most high-speed rail: 40,493 km in operation at the end of 2023 on UIC's count, 68% of the world total and about ten times Spain, the next country. China's railway operator reported more than 50,000 km by the end of 2025.
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China has by far the most high-speed rail: 40,493 km in operation at the end of 2023 on UIC's count, 68% of the world total and about ten times Spain, the next country. China's railway operator reported more than 50,000 km by the end of 2025.
Data year 2023
| Rank | Country | Km in operation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 40,493 |
| 2 | Spain | 3,993 |
| 3 | Japan (Shinkansen) | 3,146 |
| 4 | France | 2,735 |
| 5 | Germany | 1,631 |
| 6 | Türkiye | 1,232 |
| 7 | Finland | 1,120 |
| 8 | Italy | 921 |
| 9 | Sweden | 895 |
| 10 | South Korea | 873 |
| 11 | United States | 735 |
World total: 59,609 km in operation.
Key figures
Read before you quote
Table uses one consistent UIC summary (status at end of 2023, published 1 December 2024): lines in operation only, not under construction or planned. UIC's own definition of high-speed line; some countries count differently. Newer figures for China come from different sources and dates, so they are listed separately and not mixed into the ranking.
In China
Checked 24 October 2026
CC BY 4.0
These figures are compiled by PreeChina from the sources above. You may reuse them under the CC BY 4.0 licence: credit "PreeChina" and link to this page. Download the table as CSV.
Suggested citation:
PreeChina, "Which Country Has the Most High-Speed Rail?", China by the Numbers, https://www.preechina.com/first-time-china/china-by-the-numbers/high-speed-rail-by-country/, checked 24 October 2026. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Original data: UIC (International Union of Railways); UIC; China State Railway Group (via People's Daily Overseas Edition, 5 Jan 2026).
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