No Tracks, No Trains: Countries Without Railways and How They Get Around

Trains and railway tracks, one of the oldest means of transportation in the world, was introduced some over 200 years ago. Railways are still considered a more accessible, budget and loved mode of transport in comparison to others, as they can help you reach your destination in much less time. But did you know that there still are many countries in the world that do not have any railway networks, track or trains and these nations depend on other modes of transportation.

Shocking, right? Let’s have a look at these trainless nations:

Andorra is a tiny nation between France and Spain which has no national or public railway lines. One can only see a French railway line from Toulouse, which is about 1.2 km outside the border of Andorra. The place itself has no railway line of its own and local transport totally is road-based, where a big network of buses connect towns within as well as to the neighbouring countries—France and Spain.

Bhutan, a beautiful Asian Himalayan nation, is also a trainless country. The country does not have a railway line of its own because as the rugged mountains, a dispersed population, and their environmental priorities have made it technically difficult and ecologically sensitive to construct. People domestically move around through road transport, and for international connectivity, they use highways or air travel. There are plans by the government to connect southern Bhutan to West Bengal, but nothing has been built yet.

Iceland has a history of temporary industrial railway lines constructed for hydropower construction, etc., but they have been closed after that. This country has never had a permanent railway network. It is considered that the terrain is volcanic and sparsely populated, which makes the construction of railway lines difficult. Here, citizens mostly travel by car or bus, use flights even to travel domestically, or ferry services are used to travel to offshore islands.

The Maldives is one of the smallest countries in Asia, surrounded by the Indian Ocean. The construction of a railway line here is quite a task, as there are 26 atolls and over 1,000 islands. Travel to different islands here is possible by ferries, speedboats, and seaplanes. Within Maldives, people mostly use bicycles, scooters, or golf carts for travel.

This country is located between Iraq and Saudi Arabia and is mainly known all over the world for its oil reserves. It has no operational railways or metro systems. A project called Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System was proposed but was cancelled in 2023 due to heavy financial and administrative costs. This country relies completely on its road network. They are building a major Gulf-wide rail line from Kuwait to Oman, which will connect all six GCC countries, likely to be operational by 2030.

Oman is a country located on the south-eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It has no national railway network, only a tourist train operates in the Al Hoota Cave, which is a scenic route. This country has mainly concentrated on building a good network of highways and roads. Plans are in progress for a future national rail network, which will cover over 1,300 miles.

This is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. This country had operated a railway network from 1905 to 1951 but was closed due to financial losses. Then, after some time, a mining railway was set up, but it was also closed around 1974. Currently, this land has no railway line, and the citizens are mostly dependent on an extensive road system.