List of highest railways



This article lists the highest railways in the world. The table only includes non-cable passenger railways whose culminating point is over 3,000 metres above sea level, regardless of their location, gauge or type.

For simplicity, absolute elevation is the only criterion of this list, though two places at exactly the same elevation above sea level can have drastically different topographic or climatic conditions. For example, the permanent snow line is located at sea level near the poles, at 3,000 metres in the Alps and at 6,000 metres in some areas of the Andes and the Himalayas. The tree line also depends on latitude, thus making comparisons between elevations difficult on a world scale. At high altitudes, snow, cold, wind and harsh weather conditions make construction and maintenance an expensive challenge.

Before the opening of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway in China, currently the highest in the world, the highest three railways were located in the Andean countries of Peru and Bolivia. In the Alps, the Jungfrau Railway has the particularity of reaching an elevation that is higher than the local snow line.

For a list by country, without elevation cutoff, see List of highest railways by country.

Current passenger railways

 * Yuergou–Yanqi Railway
 * Kuixian Tunnel
 * 2980 m
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 1978
 * Main line of Southern Xinjiang Railway before 2014
 * Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad || Silverton || 2837 m || 🇺🇸 USA || 1881 ||
 * Union Pacific Railroad, Moffat Tunnel Subdivision || Moffat Tunnel || 2816 m || 🇺🇸 USA || 1928 || Apex in tunnel; highest point in Amtrak network, used by California Zephyr
 * Uganda Railway || Baringo County, Kenya || 2785 m || 🇰🇪 Kenya || 1930 || Highest railway in Africa
 * Lanzhou–Xinjiang Railway
 * Wushaoling Tunnel
 * 2663 m
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 2006
 * Bavarian Zugspitze Railway || Schneefernerhaus || 2650 m || 🇩🇪 Germany || 1930 || Underground above 1,640 m
 * Lanzhou–Chongqing Railway
 * Muzhailing Tunnel
 * 2549 m
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 2017
 * Alishan Forest Railway || Chushan || 2451 m || 🇹🇼 Taiwan || 1912 || Highest railway in Taiwan
 * Massawa–Asmara Railway || Asmara || 2394 m || 🇪🇷 Eritrea || 1911 || Highest railway in Eritrea
 * Tramway du Mont-Blanc || Nid d'aigle de Bionnassay || 2380 m || 🇫🇷 France || 1909 ||
 * BNSF Raton Pass Line || Raton Pass || 2312 m || 🇺🇸 USA || 1879 || Highest point on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway; continues to be used by Amtrak's Southwest Chief.
 * Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway || Addis Ababa || 2293 m|| 🇪🇹 Ethiopia || 2018 || Highest railway in Ethiopia
 * Darjeeling Himalayan Railway || Ghum || 2257 m
 * 🇮🇳 India || 1891 || Highest railway in India
 * Bernina Railway || Ospizio Bernina || 2253 m || 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1909 || Highest rail crossing in Europe
 * Chengdu–Kunming Railway
 * Shamalada Tunnel
 * 2244 m
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 1969
 * Nilgiri Mountain Railway || Ooty || 2210 m || 🇮🇳 India || 1908 || Highest railway in south India
 * Overland Route || Donner Pass || 2151 m || 🇺🇸 USA || 1869 || Part of First Transcontinental Railroad
 * Kalka–Shimla Railway || Shimla || 2086 m || 🇮🇳 India || 1898 ||
 * Pilatus Railway || Pilatus || 2073 m
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1889 || Steepest non-cable railway in the world
 * Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
 * Oberalp Pass || 2043 m
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1926 ||
 * 🇮🇳 India || 1891 || Highest railway in India
 * Bernina Railway || Ospizio Bernina || 2253 m || 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1909 || Highest rail crossing in Europe
 * Chengdu–Kunming Railway
 * Shamalada Tunnel
 * 2244 m
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 1969
 * Nilgiri Mountain Railway || Ooty || 2210 m || 🇮🇳 India || 1908 || Highest railway in south India
 * Overland Route || Donner Pass || 2151 m || 🇺🇸 USA || 1869 || Part of First Transcontinental Railroad
 * Kalka–Shimla Railway || Shimla || 2086 m || 🇮🇳 India || 1898 ||
 * Pilatus Railway || Pilatus || 2073 m
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1889 || Steepest non-cable railway in the world
 * Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
 * Oberalp Pass || 2043 m
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1926 ||
 * Kalka–Shimla Railway || Shimla || 2086 m || 🇮🇳 India || 1898 ||
 * Pilatus Railway || Pilatus || 2073 m
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1889 || Steepest non-cable railway in the world
 * Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
 * Oberalp Pass || 2043 m
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1926 ||
 * Oberalp Pass || 2043 m
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland || 1926 ||