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Invitation to contribute Editorials, Thought Leadership & Advertorials for Rail & Metro Today
The global landscape of metro rail systems presents a rich tapestry of urban transportation networks, each contributing significantly to the mobility and connectivity of their respective regions. The data reveals a diverse array of operational metro systems worldwide, ranked by the length of their present operational networks. China leads the chart with a staggering 47 metro systems covering a total network of 9,827.5 kilometers, a testament to its rapid urbanization and investment in public infrastructure since 1971. Following closely behind is the United States, boasting 16 systems spread across 1,386.2 kilometers of track, tracing its metro roots back to 1892.
India, South Korea, and Japan round out the top five, showcasing the global reach and impact of metro rail systems in shaping modern cities. This list provides a comprehensive overview of these systems, encompassing their length, number of lines and stations, and the year of their inception, highlighting their integral role in urban transportation worldwide.
| SN | Country | Systems | Network (KM) | Lines | Stations | Since |
| 1 | China | 47 | 9827.5 | 281 | 5384 | 1971 |
| 2 | United States (USA) | 16 | 1386.2 | 87 | 1237 | 1892 |
| 3 | India | 17 | 902.4 | 38 | 715 | 1984 |
| 4 | South Korea | 6 | 888.6 | 23 | 648 | 1974 |
| 5 | Japan | 15 | 816.1 | 47 | 774 | 1927 |
| 6 | Russia | 7 | 663.7 | 29 | 426 | 1935 |
| 7 | United Kingdom (UK) | 4 | 640.9 | 21 | 392 | 1863 |
| 8 | Spain | 9 | 467.3 | 28 | 539 | 1919 |
| 9 | Turkey | 5 | 391.2 | 18 | 280 | 1989 |
| 10 | Germany | 4 | 386.8 | 24 | 413 | 1902 |
| 11 | France | 6 | 379.6 | 28 | 504 | 1900 |
| 12 | Brazil | 8 | 374.3 | 20 | 266 | 1974 |
| 13 | Iran | 6 | 338.5 | 17 | 262 | 1999 |
| 14 | Mexico | 3 | 287.5 | 18 | 283 | 1969 |
| 15 | Singapore | 1 | 230.0 | 6 | 134 | 1987 |
| 16 | Taiwan | 5 | 258.7 | 11 | 231 | 1996 |
| 17 | Canada | 4 | 243.3 | 12 | 201 | 1954 |
| 18 | Italy | 7 | 239.6 | 15 | 280 | 1955 |
| 19 | Malaysia | 1 | 210.4 | 6 | 149 | 1996 |
| 20 | Thailand | 2 | 205.9 | 7 | 171 | 1999 |
| 21 | Chile | 2 | 149.0 | 7 | 143 | 1975 |
| 22 | Netherlands | 1 | 143.5 | 10 | 109 | 1968 |
| 23 | Ukraine | 2 | 114.2 | 7 | 88 | 1960 |
| 24 | Sweden | 3 | 108.0 | 7 | 100 | 1950 |
| 25 | Egypt | 1 | 93.4 | 3 | 74 | 1987 |
| 26 | Greece | 1 | 91.7 | 3 | 72 | 1904 |
| 27 | United Urab Emirates (UAE) | 1 | 89.5 | 3 | 53 | 2009 |
| 28 | Indonesia | 4 | 89.4 | 5 | 50 | 2018 |
| 29 | Norway | 1 | 85.0 | 5 | 101 | 1966 |
| 30 | Austria | 1 | 83.3 | 5 | 109 | 1978 |
| 31 | Romania | 1 | 80.1 | 5 | 64 | 1979 |
| 32 | Qatar | 1 | 76.0 | 3 | 37 | 2019 |
| 33 | Venezuela | 1 | 67.2 | 5 | 49 | 1983 |
| 34 | Uzbekistan | 1 | 66.5 | 4 | 43 | 1977 |
| 35 | Czech Republic | 1 | 65.4 | 3 | 61 | 1974 |
| 36 | Argentina | 1 | 56.7 | 7 | 104 | 1913 |
| 37 | Philippines | 1 | 54.1 | 3 | 46 | 1984 |
| 38 | Bulgaria | 1 | 52.0 | 4 | 47 | 1998 |
| 39 | Portugal | 1 | 44.2 | 4 | 56 | 1959 |
| 40 | Finland | 1 | 43.0 | 2 | 30 | 1982 |
| 41 | Poland | 1 | 41.8 | 2 | 34 | 1995 |
| 42 | Belarus | 1 | 40.7 | 3 | 33 | 1984 |
| 43 | Azerbaijan | 1 | 40.9 | 3 | 27 | 1967 |
| 44 | Belgium | 1 | 39.4 | 4 | 59 | 1976 |
| 45 | Hungary | 1 | 39.4 | 4 | 48 | 1896 |
| 46 | Peru | 1 | 39.4 | 2 | 31 | 2011 |
| 47 | Denmark | 1 | 38.2 | 4 | 39 | 2002 |
| 48 | Panama | 1 | 37.8 | 2 | 29 | 2014 |
| 49 | Australia | 1 | 36.0 | 1 | 13 | 2019 |
| 50 | Colombia | 1 | 31.3 | 2 | 27 | 1995 |
| 51 | Dominican Republic | 1 | 31.0 | 2 | 34 | 2009 |
| 52 | Georgia | 1 | 27.3 | 2 | 23 | 1966 |
| 53 | Pakistan | 1 | 27.1 | 1 | 26 | 2020 |
| 54 | Ecuador | 1 | 22.6 | 1 | 15 | 2023 |
| 55 | North Korea | 1 | 22.0 | 2 | 16 | 1973 |
| 56 | Bangladesh | 1 | 20.1 | 1 | 16 | 2022 |
| 57 | Algeria | 1 | 18.5 | 1 | 19 | 2011 |
| 58 | Kazakhstan | 1 | 13.4 | 1 | 11 | 2011 |
| 59 | Vietnam | 1 | 13.1 | 1 | 12 | 2021 |
| 60 | Nigeria | 1 | 13.0 | 1 | 5 | 2023 |
| 61 | Armenia | 1 | 12.1 | 1 | 10 | 1981 |
| 62 | Switzerland | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 14 | 2008 |
The above list is updated on 4th May 2024.