Railway Track Gauges: Standard vs. Broad vs. Narrow

November 24, 2025 4:45 pm

Quick Definition: Track Gauge

Track Gauge is the spacing of the rails on a railway track, measured between the inner faces of the load-bearing rails. The global standard is 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in).

Why can’t a train from Russia simply drive into Poland? The answer lies in the gauge. Different countries adopted different widths historically for strategic (military) or economic reasons.

Global Gauge Comparison

Gauge Name	Width (mm)	Major Users
Standard Gauge	1,435 mm	Europe, USA, China, High-Speed Lines
Broad Gauge (Russian)	1,520 mm	Russia, CIS Countries, Finland
Iberian Gauge	1,668 mm	Spain, Portugal
Cape Gauge	1,067 mm	Japan (local), South Africa, Australia