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OpenRailwayMap

Every railway line on Earth mapped with signalling, gauge, electrification and maximum speed, by people who care about this very deeply.

Opens in a new tab. We do not control this site and it may have changed since we catalogued it.

How to get the most from it

OpenRailwayMap sits in Map Oddities under Wander, filed as coffee break.

  • Set aside five to fifteen minutes and give it your proper attention.
  • Use a laptop or desktop computer — we file it as desktop only.
  • It works with the sound off, so it is fine on a train or in a quiet office.
  • No account needed — you can start without signing up.
  • Go in expecting something brainy and weird.

About this category: True-size comparisons, cable maps, road-only renderings and the maps whose whole purpose is to correct something you believed.

Good for

  • Filling a coffee break properly
  • Giving your brain a workout
  • Seeing the internet at its least explicable
  • A quiet break at your desk
  • Trying it with zero commitment

OpenRailwayMap: quick answers

Is OpenRailwayMap free?

Yes. OpenRailwayMap is free to use and needs no account.

Do I need an account to use OpenRailwayMap?

No. You can use OpenRailwayMap without signing up for anything.

Does OpenRailwayMap work on a phone?

Not well. We file OpenRailwayMap as desktop only, so open it on a laptop or desktop computer.

Is OpenRailwayMap safe for work?

Yes, we file it as safe for work. It also works muted.

How long does OpenRailwayMap take?

We file it as "Coffee break": Five to fifteen minutes of proper attention.

More in Map Oddities

All 14 in Map Oddities
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  • A full year of merchant shipping movements animated on one dark globe and split by cargo type, which turns global trade into a visible swarm.

    • 10 min
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  • A live feed of OpenStreetMap edits as they happen, zooming to each contributor's patch of the world one small correction at a time.

    • <1 min
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  • The actual cables carrying the internet between continents, each one named, with its landing points and the year it went live.

    • 10 min
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