No matter where you are in the world, you’ve probably taken a train to get somewhere. Between traditional above-ground rail and underground subways, trains are a part of everyday life for millions of commuters.
It may not come as a surprise that most major rail companies are based outside of the US. While America was one of the first places to embrace rail travel, the size of the country and the availability of cars has kept air and road travel more popular in recent decades for passenger transport.
This means that American rail companies almost exclusively make money through freight transport, but that’s not always the case.
Since there’s a big difference between large global rail companies and large American rail companies, we’re going to take a look at both. First, we’ll go over the biggest rail companies in the world by revenue, then go into some of the largest in the US. Keep reading to find out more about the biggest rail companies.
Deutsche Bahn. Berlin, Germany
2021 Revenue: $48.12 billion
Founded in 1994, Deutsche Bahn (also known as DB) has quickly become one of the most important rail companies in the world.
While they are an important method of transportation (both in rail and bus) and make about half of their profits that way, they also make money from business contracts and infrastructure support.
They are the largest rail operator in Europe and own the most infrastructure on the continent. About 2 billion people and nearly 300 billion tons of goods are transported on their trains each year.
SNCF. Saint-Denis, France
2021 Revenue: $35 billion
Also known as La Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français, the SNCF is a French railway company that also operates in Belgium, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.
The SNCF is known for its remarkably safe railroads, including the TGV (train à grand vitesse, or high-speed rail), which also holds a few records for the fastest commercial trains.
The company is well-known outside of France and was named number 214 on the Global 500 list from Forbes in 2010. The rail company transports about 5 million people a day across their operations.
Russian Railways. Moscow, Russia
2021 Revenue: $32.91 billion
Owned and operated by the Russian government, Russian Railways has about 85,000 km of railroad tracks crossing the country.
Formerly part of the Ministry of Railways of the Russian Federation, the company is still state-owned, but runs separately from an official government department like it was before.
The railway has an interesting history as the inheritor of the former Soviet Railways, which was established in 1922 and became Russian Railways with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The railway runs both passenger and freight rail, carrying over 1 billion passengers and 1 billion tons of goods each year.
Indian Railways. New Delhi, India
2021 Revenue: $28.8 billion
Operating under the Indian government as part of the Ministry of Railways, Indian Railways includes freight and passenger rail. As a government service, Indian Railways has a long history that can be traced back to the first rail lines in the region in 1845.
It runs as a public good and transports more than 8 billion people a year. Their lines run throughout India, covering most of the country, with a few international lines going into Bangladesh and Pakistan. Indian Railways has committed itself to going carbon-zero by 2030 with an electrified rail system.
East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Tokyo, Japan
2021 Revenue: $27.1 billion
JR East is Japan’s biggest rail company out of seven major ones and ranks seventh on this list. The company provides many different services, including freight rail, passenger rail, and bus lines.
Their trains operate mainly in the north and east of Japan, throughout the Kanto and Tohoku regions, plus the Niigata, Nagano, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka prefectures. Their subway lines make up most of the underground transportation in Tokyo.
JR East is famous for their shinkansen lines, also known as the high-speed rail bullet trains, that they’ve been running between Tokyo and other large Japanese cities.
Union Pacific. Omaha, NE
2021 Revenue: $22.83 billion
Another US railway line and BNSF’s biggest competitor, Union Pacific is a historic railway that got its start in 1862. This historic company is partially responsible for the building of the first transcontinental railroad in the US.
Today, they mainly operate in the western US with over 7,000 locomotives and nearly 95,000 freight cars. They are mainly a freight-only rail company, but they have a few deals to operate passenger lines. In all, their lines total about 32,000 miles of track across the western US.
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Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF). Fort Worth, TX
2021 Revenue: $22.74 billion
The first American company on the global list, BNSF operates mostly west of the Mississippi River. The BNSF is a freight line that carries important materials across the US.
Over their 32,500 miles of tracks, they transport freight including mainly intermodal freight, cargo, and coal. In 2010, their trains traveled more than 169 million miles to make them the biggest operator in the US that year.
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Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Nagoya, Japan
2021 Revenue: $16.9 billion
Related to JR East, JR Central is another Japanese rail company formed when Japanese National Railways (JNR) split and privatized in 1987. JR Central serves the central part of Japan, mainly the Tokai region and Aichi prefecture.
Most of their rail lines are standard, but they do operate one shinkansen bullet train line between Tokyo and Osaka. Like JR East, JR Central also operates freight transports and bus services, plus some other operations in infrastructure, merchandise, and real estate.
CSX. Jacksonville, FL
2021 Revenue: $11.9 billion
CSX is an American rail company that operates across North America. They work in freight rail, including conventional rail operations and intermodal containers and trailers, and operate in various regions across the US.
Their regional divisions include Northeast, South, Midwest, and Southwest to cover most of the eastern US, up to the Mississippi River. CSX also has lines that extend into Canada, serving Ontario and Quebec. They operate over about 20,000 miles of rail across 23 states.
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Canadian National Railway Company. Montreal, Canada
2021 Revenue: $11.14 billion
Founded in 1919, Canadian National Rail operates across Canada with some lines in the US. In all, they operate across all the Canadian provinces with some lines down through the US to the Gulf of Mexico.
It’s the largest railway in Canada both by track length and revenue earned. Their tracks cover over 20,000 miles and they operate rail, intermodal, and trucking transportation. CNR’s other operations include CN Telegraph, CN Radio, and CN Hotels, but they are mainly known for their rail operations.
Like we mentioned above, American rail companies are typically exclusively for freight rail, which leaves passenger and other types of rail out of the equation. Because of this, there aren’t many American rail companies that make the cut within the global top ten.
We’ll give you an overview of the biggest American rail companies and a few quick facts about them so you can see which companies are important to the American rail industry.
Union Pacific
2021 Revenue: $22.83 billion
Total Rail Length: 32,100 miles
Regions Served: Western US
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Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF)
2021 Revenue: $22.74 billion
Total Rail Length: 32,500 miles
Regions Served: Western US
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CSX
2021 Revenue: $11.9 billion
Total Rail Length: 20,000 miles
Regions Served: US Canada
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Norfolk Southern Railway
2021 Revenue: $11.1 billion
Total Rail Length: 21,500 miles
Regions Served: Eastern US
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Kansas City Southern
2021 Revenue: $3 billion
Total Rail Length: 3,400 miles
Regions Served: Midwestern Southeastern US
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Amtrak
2022 Revenue: $2.8 billion
Total Rail Length: 21,400 miles
Regions Served: US Canada
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What is the largest railway in the world?
The largest railway in the world is Deutsche Bahn. Deutsche Bahn is a state-owned German company that operates throughout Europe. It provides rail transport for both passengers and freight. Deutsche Bahn is a joint-stock company headquartered in Berlin.
What is the largest railway in North America?
The largest railway in North America is Union Pacific. In 2021, Union Pacific had a revenue of $22.83 billion. Not too far behind, the second largest railway in North America is BNSF, which had a 2021 revenue of $22.74 billion.
Who owns the Amtrak?
The U.S. Federal Government is the majority stockholder of Amtrak. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, also known as Amtrak, is a federally chartered corporation, run as a for-profit organization. It runs on a combination of rails owned by Amtrak and other rail companies.
Greetings, enthusiasts of rail travel and transportation infrastructure. I am deeply immersed in the realm of global rail systems, with a profound understanding of the intricacies that shape the landscape of rail companies worldwide. My expertise is grounded in a comprehensive knowledge of the historical evolution, operational dynamics, and financial aspects of the railway industry.
Let's delve into the intricate details of the article at hand, dissecting the key concepts and shedding light on the prominent global and American rail companies mentioned.
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Deutsche Bahn (DB):
- Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
- 2021 Revenue: $48.12 billion
- Noteworthy: Largest rail operator in Europe, operates both rail and bus services, and owns significant infrastructure.
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SNCF (La Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français):
- Headquarters: Saint-Denis, France
- 2021 Revenue: $35 billion
- Noteworthy: Operates in multiple European countries, known for safe railroads, and operates high-speed rail (TGV) with several speed records.
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Russian Railways:
- Headquarters: Moscow, Russia
- 2021 Revenue: $32.91 billion
- Noteworthy: State-owned, inherits the legacy of Soviet Railways, transports both passengers and freight.
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Indian Railways:
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
- 2021 Revenue: $28.8 billion
- Noteworthy: Operates under the Indian government, extensive history dating back to 1845, committed to going carbon-zero by 2030.
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East Japan Railway Company (JR East):
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
- 2021 Revenue: $27.1 billion
- Noteworthy: Japan's largest rail company, operates in the north and east regions, famous for shinkansen (bullet trains).
Moving on to American rail companies:
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Union Pacific:
- Headquarters: Omaha, NE
- 2021 Revenue: $22.83 billion
- Noteworthy: Historic company, played a role in the first transcontinental railroad, primarily operates in the western US.
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Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF):
- Headquarters: Fort Worth, TX
- 2021 Revenue: $22.74 billion
- Noteworthy: Largest American railway by revenue, operates mainly west of the Mississippi River, significant in intermodal freight and coal transport.
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CSX:
- Headquarters: Jacksonville, FL
- 2021 Revenue: $11.9 billion
- Noteworthy: Operates across North America, specializes in freight rail, covers regions in the US and extends into Canada.
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Norfolk Southern Railway:
- Headquarters: Not specified in the article
- 2021 Revenue: $11.1 billion
- Noteworthy: Operates in the eastern US, significant in freight rail operations.
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Kansas City Southern:
- Headquarters: Not specified in the article
- 2021 Revenue: $3 billion
- Noteworthy: Operates in the Midwestern and Southeastern US, notable for its regional presence.
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Amtrak:
- Headquarters: Not specified in the article
- 2022 Revenue: $2.8 billion
- Noteworthy: Federally chartered, majority owned by the U.S. Federal Government, provides passenger rail services across the US and Canada.
To sum up, my expertise allows me to provide a holistic understanding of the global and American rail industry, encompassing historical perspectives, operational intricacies, and financial dimensions. If you seek further insights or have specific inquiries, feel free to engage in a discourse on this fascinating subject.
