InEurope, railway companies assign trains to differentcategories ortrain types depending on their role,[1] i.e. based on the usedrolling stock, their speed (high-speed,higher-speed, conventional), distance of travel (long, medium, short), stopping frequency (Inter-city,limited express,express,limited-stop,regional,commuter) and other criteria. Train categories/types often have specific abbreviations (e.g.IC). In addition, different lines or individual trains may be numbered. The abbreviations (and numbers) are usually indicated intimetables,passenger information systems and sometimes also on thedestination sign of the train. There is no common classification scheme throughout Europe; each country has its own, although categories of internationally operating trains are used across borders (e.g.EC).
A train type is not essentially a trademark name. However, there aretrademark names that are also used as train types, such as theVogtlandExpress (VX) or the formerCityNightLine (CNL) andCisalpino (CIS).
This article listsEuropean countries with their respective passenger train categories.Goods trains have their own train types and are not considered here.Passenger trains may be broadly split into long-distance and local trains; the latter having average journey times of under an hour and a range of less than 50 kilometres (31 mi).[citation needed] Often, long-distance trains require different tickets and/or seat reservation.
International trains are commonly classified asEuroCity (EC), while domesticInter-city rail services frequently run asInterCity (IC). Mostnight trains operate under theEuroNight (EN) orNightjet (NJ) category.[2]
Exceptionally, trains are neither publicly classified nor numberered in theUnited Kingdom, but rather the brand of the operating company is used. InRussia, trains are only numbered and the number's digits defines the train's category.
| Name | Abbreviation | Service | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alvia | High-speed rail | Spain | |
| Alfa Pendular | AP | High-speed rail | Portugal |
| Alta Velocidad Española | AVE | High-speed rail | Spain |
| Avant | High-speed rail | Spain | |
| Avlo | High-speed rail | Spain | |
| Asimenio Velos | High-speed rail | Greece | |
| CrossCountry | XC | High-speed rail | United Kingdom |
| EuroCity | EC | Long-distance train | Various European countries |
| EuroCity-Express | ECE | Long-distance train | Germany–Italy–Switzerland (Only called ECE in Germany, EC in Italy and Switzerland) |
| Euromed | High-speed rail | Spain | |
| EuroNight | EN | Long-distance night train | Various European countries |
| Eurostar | EST | High-speed rail | United Kingdom–France, United Kingdom–Belgium–The Netherlands, France–Belgium–Germany, France-Belgium-The Netherlands |
| Express InterCity Premium | EIP | High-speed rail | Poland |
| Frecce | FR,FA,FB | High-speed rail | Italy, Italy–France |
| Italo | NTV | High-speed rail | Italy |
| Intercity Direct | ICD | High-speed rail | Netherlands, Netherlands–Belgium |
| Intercity-Express | ICE | High-speed rail | Germany, Austria, Germany–Netherlands, Germany–Switzerland, Germany–Austria, Germany–France, Germany–Denmark, Germany–Belgium |
| InterCity Great Western, InterCity East Coast, InterCity West Coast | GW, GR, VT | High-speed rail | United Kingdom |
| Nightjet | NJ | Long-distance night train | Various European countries |
| Railjet | RJ | High-speed rail | Austria, Austria–Hungary, Austria–Germany, Austria–Switzerland, Austria–Czech Republic, Czech Republic |
| Railjet xpress | RJX | High-speed rail | Austria, Austria–Switzerland, Austria–Slovakia |
| Southeastern Highspeed | SC | High-speed rail | United Kingdom |
| Train à Grande Vitesse | TGV | High-speed rail | France,France–Switzerland, France–Germany, France–Italy, France–Luxembourg, France–Belgium, France–Spain |
| Venice Simplon-Orient-Express | VSOE | Luxury train | Different routes[3] |
| X 2000 | X2 | High-speed rail | Sweden, Sweden–Denmark |
| Name | Abbreviation | Service | Region | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegro | AE | High-speed rail | Finland, Russia | 2010–2022 |
| Cisalpino | CIS | High-speed rail | Italy, Germany, Switzerland | 1993–2009 |
| CityNightLine | CNL | Overnight train | Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland and the Czech Republic | 1995–2016 |
| Intercity Tilting Train | ICN | High-speedtilting train, runs under theIC category since 2018 | Switzerland | 2000–2017 |
| Orient Express | Luxury train | Different routes (Paris–Istanbul) | 1883–2009 | |
| Trans Europ Express | TEE | Express train | Mainly western Europe | 1957–1995 |
| Trenhotel | TH | Long-distance train | Spain, Spain–Portugal, Spain–France, Spain–Switzerland, Spain–Italy | 1991–2020 |
The table below summarizes train categories inAustria:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Railjet & Railjet Express | RJ & RJX | Long-distance (Fernverkehr),high-speed rail services, national and international to Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Switzerland. Usespush-pull train sets. |
| Intercity-Express | ICE | Long-distance (Fernverkehr), high-speed rail service to Germany. |
| Eurocity | EC | Long-distance (Fernverkehr) to international destinations. |
| Intercity | IC | Long-distance (Fernverkehr) |
| D-Zug | D | Long-distance (Fernverkehr) |
| Nightjet | NJ | Long-distance (Fernverkehr), mainly international overnight passenger train services. |
| Euronight | EN | |
| Interregio | IR | Long-distance (Fernverkehr) that also stops at smaller stations. |
| Cityjet Express | CJX# | Local train (Nahverkehr) that stops only at larger stations. Lines are numbered. |
| Regional-Express | REX | Local train (Nahverkehr) that stops only at larger stations, but at more than CJX. Some lines are numbered. |
| Regionalzug | R | Regional train services (Nahverkehr) that usually stops at all stations. |
| S-Bahn | S# | Local train in urban, suburban and regional transport (Nahverkehr).S-Bahn networks exist inCarinthia,Salzburg,Styria,Tyrol,Upper Austria,Vorarlberg, andVienna. Lines are numbered. |
| U-Bahn | U# | Rapid transit inVienna. A small underground funicular is present in the car-freeTyrolean town ofSerfaus. Lines are numbered. |
There are also international Long-distance (Fernverkehr) services in cooperation with international federal operators.
The following train categories exist inGermany:[4]
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Eurocity-Express | ECE | International high-speed, long-distance services on theFrankfurt –Milan andMunich –Zürich routes |
| Intercity-Express | ICE | National and international high-speed, long-distance services |
| InterCity | IC | National and some international long-distance services |
| EuroCity | EC | International long-distance services |
| EuroNight | EN | International night train services |
| D-Zug | D | Fast local services with few stops; only operating as part of theSylt Shuttle plus |
| Interregio-Express | IRE | Fast local services over longer distances than usual Regional-Express trains |
| Regional-Express | RE | Fast local services with fewer stops |
| Flughafen-Express | FEX | Local services connecting airports with the city centre |
| Metropolexpress | MEX | Fast local services with fewer stops; only existing inBaden-Württemberg |
| Regionalbahn | RB | Local services, stopping at all stations except where there is a parallel S-Bahn service |
| S-Bahn | S | Suburban services in major cities, those in Berlin and Hamburg operating on separate networks |
| U-Bahn /Stadtbahn | U | Rapid transit in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Nuremberg and light rail in several other cities |
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| alex | ALX | alex Interregio replacement IR 25Munich–Oberstdorf–Lindau andMunich–Regensburg–Schwandorf–Hof (Saale)–Prague of theLänderbahn, equates to theInterRegio service, but may be used with local fares orBayern andSchönes-Wochenende tickets (lit. 'nice weekend tickets') |
| FlixTrain | FLX | FlixBus runs two long-distance train services:Stuttgart –Berlin andCologne –Hamburg |
| Harz-Berlin-Express | HBX | Veolia long-distance trains |
| InterConnex | X | Transdev Germany long-distance services, equating to theInterregio trains |
| Lausitz-Express | LX | Transdev Sachsen-Anhalt long-distance services |
| metronom regional | MEr | Metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft local passenger trains stopping at all stations |
| Mitfahrzug | IGE long-distance services | |
| Regiobahn | S 28 | Train type and route number of aprivate S-Bahn line ofS-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr |
| Vogtland-Express | VX | Die Länderbahn long-distance trains |
| WESTbahn | WB | Long-distance (Fernverkehr) betweenVienna andSalzburg, some trains continue toMunich (-Stuttgart) /Innsbruck (-Lindau) /Saalfelden (from 14th December 2025) |
There are further private operators, e.g.Stern & Hafferl that operate the same categories as the Federal Railways. Also, some international operators, e.g.RegioJet, run services to international destinations.
InBelgium, the following train categories exist:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Eurostar | EUR | High-speed trains to Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (operated by SNCF, SNCB/NMBS and Eurostar UK Ltd.). |
| EuroCity | EC | International train meeting certain quality criteria. |
| Train à grande vitesse | TGV | High-speed trains to France (operated bySNCF). |
| Intercity Express | ICE | High-speed trains to Germany (operated byDB) |
| International train | INT | Regular international train. |
| InterCity | IC | A train connecting Belgium's major cities. These trains stop at the most important stations only, sometimes crossing national borders as well. |
| Rush-hour train | P | Additional scheduled train service that is limited to times at which the demand for a certain route is at its highest. The number of stops varies between trains. |
| Local train | L | Local trains usually connect larger cities, but will stop at (nearly) every station along the way. Similar to GermanRegionalbahn. |
| S-trains | S# | Suburban train connecting towns and cities around Belgium's major cities of Antwerp,Brussels, Charleroi, Ghent and Liege. Stops at (nearly) every station. Each line will have a number (S1–S20 + S81 for Brussels, S1 + S32–S34 for Antwerp, S41–S44 for Liege, S51–S53 for Ghent, and S61–S64 for Charleroi). |
| Tourist train | T | Additional scheduled train service that is limited to times at which the demand for a certain touristic destination is at its highest. The number of stops varies between trains. |
| Extra train | EXT | Additional train service, used in case of exceptionally good weather to accommodate more passengers on routes to the coast or in case of special events such as concerts. |
| European Sleeper | Couchette train to the Netherlands, Germany and the Czech Republic. |
Train categories inBulgaria use the simplified model of the previous century. At the beginning of rail transport in Bulgaria there were only three categories of passenger trains:Бърз пътнически влак (БПВ) – Barz patnicheski vlak (Fast passenger train), the equivalent of the current Fast train;Обикновен пътнически влак (ОПВ) – Obiknoven patnicheski vlak (Regular passenger train), the equivalent of the current Passenger train andСмесен пътнически влак (СПВ) – Smesen patnicheski vlak, the equivalent of Mixed train. Using this basisBDŽ now provides extended variety of these simple categories.
There are several different ranks of passenger trains operating insideCroatia byHŽ Putnički prijevoz (Croatian Railways' sub-division responsible for passenger transport), as follows.[5]
Since a large number of fast, semi fast, regional and local trains have commuter-oriented schedules, they often offer passengers daily migration to the large city areas from more distant towns and settlements – between 50 and 100 km (31 and 62 mi) – and vice versa. This can, for example, refer to the railway connection of the Central Croatia's wider region withZagreb metropolitan area.
| Name | Abbreviation[6] | Role |
|---|---|---|
| EuroCity | EC | International train betweenZagreb main station andWien Hbf orFrankfurt (Main) Hbf (viaMaribor,Villach Hbf). |
| EuroNight | EN | Internationalnight trains toStuttgart Hbf andZürich HB. |
| InterCity | IC | These trains are rare in Croatia. They operate on long national and international routes and usually serve only the largest stations along the way. Currently, the only InterCity services in Croatia are Zagreb –Budapest and Zagreb –Osijek. |
| InterCity nagibni | ICN | Tilting train services connecting Zagreb withSplit during the day, also serving decent amount of larger stations along their route. Thanks to this technology, they can run faster than conventional trains. Contrary to regular overnight fast trains between Zagreb and Split with scheduled travelling time of circa 8 hours in total, tilting trains on the Zagreb–Split route (linesM202 andM604) offer passengers journeys with a riding times of about 6 hours. |
| Brzi | B | Fast trains operating on medium to long distances, serving only stations in larger settlements along the track. Their purpose is very similar to InterCity trains. |
| Ubrzani | Ubrzani (lit. 'accelerated') trains operate on medium to long distances and their purpose is to serve destinations which have justified number of passengers. Functionally, they are similar and use the same rolling stock as the slower passenger trains, but they skip certain smaller stations. | |
| Putnički | Putnički (lit. 'passenger') trains cover short, medium and long distances and generally serve all stations along their route, representing the largest part of passenger trains on the nationwide level. They are mainly used by local residents traveling between smaller settlements and larger centres/railway hubs or by those who want to continue their journey further using mostly well-adjusted transfers – in both cases for daily migrations (school, work, hospital, shopping, etc.) or other reasons. These trains usually have daily frequencies that meet the needs of the local population. | |
| Prigradski | Prigradski (lit. 'suburban') trains operate exclusively on theZagreb Commuter Rail corridor and have the most frequent daily schedules of all types of train lines in Croatia. They are run by light motor sets that can be started and stopped quickly, and like the most of regional/local trains, they serve every station along their way. On the train lines operating within suburban areas of other larger towns, certain number of regional/local trains play the role of suburban trains. |
The following train categories are present in theCzech Republic:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| SuperCity | SC | Highest-standard trains requiring reservation, made of moderntilting trainunits operating on national and international routes. Stopping at region capitals only. As of February 2025[update], the SC 240/241 "Košičan" is not operated by Pendolino trains, but with classic EuroCity train. But SuperCity service has been added to Opava. Some trains are replaced by classic-built sets due to the lack operational, Pendolino trains and are operated in the IC "Ostravan" category, but are not part of any other long-distance line. (No. 500 - 519) Praha hl.n. –Praha Libeň -Pardubice hl.n. –Olomouc hl.n. – Ostrava-Svinov – (Opava východ)/Ostrava hl.n. –Bohumín |
| Railjet | rj | Highest-standard trains, operating on international routes from 2014 (Berlin – Dresden - Ústí Nad Labem –) Prague – Pardubice – Brno – Vienna – Graz. |
| EuroCity | EC | Higher-standard international trains, consisting of new or modernised cars of several rail companies and stopping at selected stations only. |
| EuroNight | EN | Internationalsleeper trains. |
| European Sleeper | ES | Sleeper trains to Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. |
| InterCity | IC | The highest category of national trains, with carriages and stopping frequencies comparable to the EC trains. |
| Express | Ex (IC) | Faster trains linking regions, mostly faster and more comfortable than the R trains. Operate on Ex lines. |
| Rychlík (lit. 'Fast-Train') | R | The lowest category of longer-distance train. Operates on R lines. They are mainly used for getting between districts of region, cities andtransport hubs. |
| Spěšný vlak (lit. 'Regional Fast Train') | Sp | Local medium distance trains stopping less often than Os but more than R at selected stations, mostly larger municipalities and cities. Operates onS lines. |
| Osobní vlak (lit. 'Commuter Train') | Os | Local trains stopping at every or almost every station. It is often centered around a larger city (often capital of a region/district). Operates onS lines. |
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Leo Express | LE | Private trains of IC category |
| Regiojet | RJ | Private trains of IC category |
InDenmark, the following train categories are used:
| Operator | Name | Abbreviation | Role | Typical maximum speed | Rolling stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danish State Railways | InterCityLyn+ (InterCityLightning+) | ICL+ or IL | Long-distance, with few or no intermediate stops | 180 km/h (110 mph) | Class ER (IR4) EMUs Class MF (IC3) DMUs Class MG (IC4) DMUs |
| InterCityLyn (InterCityLightning) | ICL | Long-distance, with fewer stops than InterCity | 180 km/h (110 mph) | Class ER (IR4) EMUs Class MF (IC3) DMUs Class MG (IC4) DMUs | |
| InterCity | IC | Long-distance | 180 km/h (110 mph) | Class ER (IR4) EMUs Class MF (IC3) DMUs Class MG (IC4) DMUs | |
| Regionaltog | Re | Regional trains | 160–180 km/h (99–112 mph) | Class EB (Siemens Vectron) electric locomotives Class ME diesel-electric locomotives Class BK/B/ABS (Bombardier TWINDEXX Vario) double-decker cars Class ER (IR4) EMUs Class MG (IC4) DMUs | |
| Øresundstog (Øresund trains) | Re/Ø | Trains to and fromScania in Sweden, running as regional trains in Denmark | 180 km/h (110 mph) | Class ET (X31K in Sweden) (Øresundstog/OTU) EMUs | |
| Københavns S-tog (Copenhagen S-trains) | S | Local/suburban/commuter trains inCopenhagen (S-Bahn) | 120 km/h (75 mph) | Class SA/SE (4th gen S-trains) EMUs | |
| Arriva | Regionaltog | RX | Regional trains inJutland | 120 km/h (75 mph) | Alstom LINT 41 DMUs Siemens DesiroDMUs |
| Regionaltog | RA | Regional trains in Jutland | 120 km/h (75 mph) | Alstom LINT 41 DMUs Siemens Desiro DMUs | |
| Vestbanen/Lokalbane 84 (Western railway/Local rail 84) | L | Local trains in South Jutland | 120 km/h (75 mph) | Alstom LINT 41 DMUs | |
| Nordjyske Jernbaner (North Jutland Railways) | Regionaltog | Re | Regional trains inNorth Jutland | 140 km/h (87 mph) 120 km/h (75 mph) | Alstom LINT 41 DMUs Siemens Desiro DMUs |
| Lokaltog | L | Local trains in North Jutland | 140 km/h (87 mph) 120 km/h (75 mph) | Alstom LINT 41 DMUs Siemens Desiro DMUs | |
| Midtjyske Jernbaner (Central Jutland Railways) | Lokaltog | L | Local trains inCentral Jutland | ? 120 km/h (75 mph) | Y-tog (Y-trains) DMUs? Siemens Desiro DMUs |
| Lokaltog | Lokaltog | L | Local trains onZealand andLolland | 120 km/h (75 mph) 140 km/h (87 mph) 120 km/h (75 mph) | Alstom LINT 41 DMUs IC2 DMUs Siemens RegioSprinter DMUs |
| Name | Abbreviation | Role | Typical maximum speed | Rolling stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aarhus Letbane (Aarhus Light Rail) | L1 L2 | Light rail inAarhus | 100 km/h (62 mph) 80 km/h (50 mph) | Stadler Tango EMUs Stadler Variobahn EMUs |
| Odense Letbane (Odense Light Rail) | Light rail inOdense (since 2022) | 60–80 km/h (37–50 mph) | Stadler Variobahn EMUs | |
| Hovedstadens Letbane (Greater Copenhagen Light Rail) | Upcoming light rail in Copenhagen (2025) | 70–80 km/h (43–50 mph) | Siemens Avenio EMUs |
| Name | Abbreviation | Role | Typical maximum speed | Rolling stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Københavns Metro | M1/M2 M3/M4 | Metro in Copenhagen | 80 km/h (50 mph) 90 km/h (56 mph) | 1st gen Hitachi Rail Italy (formerly AnsaldoBreda) Driverless Metro EMUs 5th gen Hitachi Rail Italy (formerly AnsaldoBreda) Driverless Metro EMUs |
The list below includes train categories inFinland:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role | Typical route length / stopping interval | Typical maximum speed | Onboard services | Rolling stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegro | AE | Internationalhigh-speed train betweenHelsinki andSaint Petersburg,Russia (discontinued in 2022). | 400 km (250 mi) / 100 km (62 mi) | 220 km/h (140 mph) | 1st class, 2nd class,restaurant car | KT Class Sm6tilting electric trainsets |
| Pendolino | S | High-speed train between major hub stations. Some trains stop more frequently, similar to the InterCity trains (see below). | 200–700 km (120–430 mi) / 50–200 km (31–124 mi) | 200–220 km/h (120–140 mph) | Business class, 2nd class, restaurant car | VR Class Sm3 electric trainsets VR Class Sm6 electric trainsets |
| InterCity | IC | The backbone of Finnish long-distance trains, mainly serving trunk lines radiating fromHelsinki and stopping at major stations. | 200–900 km (120–560 mi) / 50–100 km (31–62 mi) | 140–200 km/h (87–124 mph) | Business class, 2nd class, restaurant car or a sales trolley | Locomotive hauled, mostlydouble-deck cars (manufactured since the 1990s) most trains withpush-pull operation |
| Nighttime Express | PYO | Nighttimesleeper trains betweenHelsinki andFinnish Lapland and international sleeper train "Tolstoy" (discontinued) betweenMoscow,Russia andHelsinki. | 1,000 km (620 mi) / 50–200 km (31–124 mi) | 120–140 km/h (75–87 mph) | Business class/First class, 2nd class, restaurant car, sleeping berths, car-carrier wagons | Locomotive hauled, mixture of older and newer Finnish cars (Lapland trains), Russian cars (Moscow train) |
| Regional | H | Trains on electrified routes with relatively few passengers, trains stopping at every station. | 200 km (120 mi) / 10–50 km (6.2–31.1 mi) | 120 km/h (75 mph) | 2nd class | Locomotive hauled, old commuter cars |
| HDM | Trains on unelectrified routes with relatively few passengers, trains stopping at every station. | 200 km (120 mi) / 10–50 km (6.2–31.1 mi) | 100–120 km/h (62–75 mph) | 2nd class | VR Class Dm12 diesel railcars | |
| Commuter | Route letters (see note below) | Commuter trains in Helsinki region. Some trains stop only at the largest suburban stations, but others stop at every station similar to the GermanS-Bahn trains. | 20–100 km (12–62 mi) / 2–10 km (1.2–6.2 mi) | 120–160 km/h (75–99 mph) | 2nd class | Electric multiple units (VR Class Sm2,Sm4,Sm5) |
NOTE: Long-distance trains are identified (inpassenger information systems) by train number prefixed with the train type abbreviation (e.g. "IC 90"). However, theHelsinki region commuter trains are identified by their "route letters" only (e.g. "K") and usually do not show their train number to passengers at all.
The national carrier ofFrance, theSNCF, uses a different system of train categories, based on politics wishes[clarification needed] and commercial trademarks. The categories do not necessarily match with distance.
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Frecciarossa | High-speed trains between France and Italy operated byTrenitalia France, previously namedThello (a then newly created society owned byTransdev and theFS after breaking an alliance between the SNCF and the FS). | |
| Train à Grande Vitesse | TGV | National or international services by high-speed trains with supplementary fare, totally or partially onhigh-speed lines. Similar to Germany'sICE. |
| TGV ı̣nOui | Premium national TGV services. | |
| TGV Lyria | TGV service between France and Switzerland. | |
| Ouigo | Low-costhigh-speed (and conventional) train services ofSNCF in cooperation withNMBS/SNCB operating in France and Belgium. | |
| Intercités | IC | NationalInterCity services, ever on main lines and/or secondary lines without supplementary fare. Similar to the InterRegio or the Intercity (Paris –Caen –Cherbourg and Paris –Rouen –Le Havre). Used to be calledTrain Inter Regional, but this name has become obsolete. |
| Intercités de Nuit | Night service on national routes. | |
| Transport express régional | TER | These trains are subsidized byregions and do not designate a precise category: a TER route can be anything from 15 km (9.3 mi) to more than 400 km (250 mi) long. Some TER routes are longer than TGV ones. Regional or national services, on main lines or secondary lines without supplementary fare. Used to be similar to theS-Bahn (many stops from a major city on a short distance, urban or suburban service), theRegional orRegioExpress, but can be also similar to theInterRegio-Express or theInterRegio (Orléans –Lyon andToulouse –Clermont-Ferrand). |
| TERGV | Some special regional trains, called TERGV (TER and TGV), consist of TGV trains subsidized for regional service, though with a supplementary fare compared to the same trip using standard TER service. These trains use the high speed lines (LGV) to quickly link cities such asDunkirk,Calais, andBoulogne-sur-Mer toLille in an hour.[7] Similar services in Europe includeSoutheastern's Highspeed service. | |
| TER200 | Accelerated TER betweenBâle SNCF andStrasbourg.[8] | |
| iC TER | [9] | |
| Interloire | TER withIntercity-like stopping pattern on theNantes –Orléans route.[10] | |
| Transilien | Route letter | Suburban railway inÎle-de-France region, includingParis. Lines numbered H, J, K, L, N, P, R, U and V and operated by SNCF. |
| Réseau Express Régional (RER) | Route letter | A hybridcommuter rail andrapid transit system in theÎle-de-France region, linkingParis with its suburbs. Lines numbered A–E. |
| Métro | M | Rapid transit systems in the cities ofLille,Lyon,Marseille,Paris,Rennes andToulouse. Lines are usually numbered. |
There are three types of passenger rail services inGreece:
In addition, suburban train networks are present inAthens (with lines numbered A1–A4),Patras (lines P1 and P2) andThessaloniki (lines T1–T3).
Anight train, namedHellas Express, links Thessaloniki withBelgrade (Serbia), viaSkopje (North Macedonia).[11]
InHungary, there are the following train categories:
| Service | Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-distance | EuroCity | EC | International trains, oftenRailjet. |
| InterCity | IC | Trains mainly in national services on important long-distance routes, often withair conditioning,restaurant car and always seat reservation. | |
| Expressz | Express train with compulsory seat reservation (only summertime). | ||
| Gyorsvonat | Rapid trains on long-distance routes with standard rolling stock. | ||
| Sebesvonat | Eilzug equivalent. | ||
| Interrégió | InterRegio trains, which make connections with Intercity trains from smaller towns. Air conditioned, allowed to travel with bike or wheelchair. | ||
| Local | Zónázó | Regionalbahn or "Regional-Express" equivalent | |
| Személyvonat | Regionalzug equivalent. | ||
| EURegio | State-subsidiarised international stopping trains near the border with Austria, connectsGyőr toVienna andWiener Neustadt toGraz viaSopron,Szombathely andJennersdorf. | ||
| Regional-Express | REX | ÖBB trains serve the Vienna-Ebenfurth-Sopron-Deutschkreutz line |
Four different train categories are operated in theRepublic of Ireland, by bothIarnród Éireann andNI Railways.
Train categories without* are all operated byTrenitalia,Italy's primary rail carrier. Regional and local trains, which are financed byadministrative regions, are also used by regional railways (generally isolated from the national railway network).
| Service | Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| International (mandatory reservation) | EuroCity | EC | Trains run by different operators to Austria/Germany (ÖBB), France (Thello) and Germany/Switzerland (jointly by Trenitalia andSBB CFF FFS). |
| EuroNight | EN | Cross-bordersleeper trains. | |
| Train à grande vitesse | TGV | Operated by SVI (Società Viaggiatori Italia, a company ofSNCF). | |
| National | Frecciarossa | FR | High-speed train (Le Frecce) with speeds up to 300 km/h (190 mph). Cross-border service toParis is operated byTrenitalia France (formerlyThello) |
| Frecciargento | FA | High-speed train (Le Frecce) with speeds up to 250 km/h (160 mph). | |
| .italo | *NTV | High-speed train with speeds up to 300 km/h (190 mph). | |
| Frecciabianca | FB | High-speed trains (Le Frecce) running once every hour or two hours on the most important long-distance routes with speeds up to 200 km/h (120 mph). | |
| InterCity | IC | Main line long-distance trains (replaced mostly byFrecciabianca as of 13 December 2008). | |
| InterCity Notte | ICN | Sleeper train (long-distance). | |
| Regionale Veloce (Regio Express) | RV (RE) | Local or interregional trains only stopping at a few selected stations. Includes also the Regio Express (RE) for theMerano-Malles line (South Tyrol), managed by *SAD,[13] and forRE lines inLombardy operated by *BLS and *TILO/Trenord.[14] | |
| Regionale | R | Basic local train, equates to the GermanRegionalbahn. | |
| Suburbano | S | Suburban commuter services for theMilan suburban railway service (*Trenord) andS-Bahn services of *TILO crossing the border with Switzerland. | |
| Metropolitano | For Naples suburban service'sline 2, and also trains betweenCagliari andDecimomannu inSardinia. | ||
| Diretto | D/DIR | Mostly abandoned category, but still used byCircumvesuviana (a group of narrow-gauge railways connecting towns to the south-east of Naples) and bySocietà Subalpina Imprese Ferroviarie for the cross-borderDomodossola–Locarno railway.Trains operate within one or more contiguous regions. | |
| Accelerato | A | Mostly abandoned category, but still used by Circumvesuviana. Stops at all stations. | |
| Direttissimo | DD | Mostly abandoned category, but still used by Circumvesuviana. Characterized by only a few stops and high speed, but without the surcharge. | |
| Express | EXP | Mostly abandoned category, still used by Circumvesuviana for theCampania Express. Characterized by limited stops. |
Because of its small size and its location,Luxembourg has more international trains than national ones.
Some trains are considered both Luxembourgish (by theCFL, according to their map) and from the border country the train is from or crossing (like L and P trains from Belgium, TER from France, RE from Germany), no matter if these trains are really from Luxembourg or not, making these trains more difficult to classify. These difficulties are due to the assimilation of each train as Regional-Express or InterRegio in Luxembourg (similar name in Germany and Belgium, specific name in France).[citation needed]
| Service | Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| International | EuroCity | EC | International trains connecting Belgium and Switzerland through Luxembourg and France (Brussels-South –Basel SBB/Chur/Zürich HB). |
| InterCity | IC | Long-distance trains from either Belgium (InterCity J: Brussels-South –Luxembourg) and Germany (Cologne – Luxembourg). | |
| InterRegio | IR | Long-distance trains from Belgium (InterRegio m: Luxembourg –Liège/Lier). | |
| Train à grande vitesse | TGV | High-speed train from France (Paris – Luxembourg). | |
| Intercités de Nuit | Night service from France (Nice – Luxembourg) and Spain (Portbou – Luxembourg). | ||
| TER Grand Est | Regional train (TER) from Lorraine, France (Longuyon – Luxembourg ;Longwy –Esch-sur-Alzette –Thionville;Nancy – Luxembourg, French extension toÉpinal andRemiremont). | ||
| Regional-Express | RE | Regional train from Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (Trier – Luxembourg, German extension to Wittlich and Cochern). | |
| Piekuurtrein (Rush-hour train) | P | Regional trains from Belgium, circulating in rush-hour only (Virton –Rodange, Arlon – Rodange). | |
| Lokale trein (Local train) | L | Regional trains from Belgium (Arlon – Rodange – Virton/Gedinne/Libramont) | |
| National | InterRegio | IR | Long-distance train between Luxembourg and eitherDiekirch orTroisvierges (extension from Troisvierges with the BelgianIR m) |
| Regional-Express | RE | Regional trains, including extensions to border stations in France (Volmerange-les-Mines, Audun-le-Tiche, Longwy) and in Belgium (Athus) |
In theNetherlands, the following train categories exist:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| ICE International | High speed train to Germany and Switzerland. | |
| Eurostar | High speed train to Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. | |
| Intercity Direct | ICD | Semi-high-speed trains fromAmsterdam toSchiphol Airport,Rotterdam andBreda in the Netherlands and toAntwerp andBrussels in Belgium. |
| InterCity | — | Brand used byNederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) for trains linking cities across the country, not calling at every station. Trains toBerlin are also branded Intercity. Typically calling at 25–50% of the intermediate stations they pass. Intercities are comparable to theInterRegio used in many European countries. Some call at every station for a part of their run near their terminus ("zone train"). |
| Sneltrein | — | Brand used by operators other than NS on the regional railways for trains comparable to the Intercity, but typically running shorter distances. |
| Sprinter | — | NS brand, since 2018 also used by other operators, for local trains calling at (almost) every station on the mainline railway. |
| Stoptrein | — | Brand used by operators other than NS for local trains calling at (almost) every station on all stations that are not located on the regional railways. |
InNorway, there are the following train categories:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Fjerntog | F | Inter-city trains |
| Flyplasstog | FLY | Airport trains. Require special tickets |
| Regionalexpresstog | RE | Regional express trains |
| Regionaltog | R | Regional trains |
| Lokaltog | L | Local and commuter train services |
| Tunnelbane | T | Rapid transit trains inOslo |
The following train categories are present inPoland:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| EuroNight | EN | High qualitynight trains; operated byPKP Intercity. |
| EuroCity | EC | International luxurious trains on the most important long-distance routes, must be reserved on domestic routes, up to 160 km/h (99 mph), operated byPKP Intercity. |
| Express Intercity Premium | EIP | High-speed, highest-standard trains requiring reservation. Made of modern train units operating on national routes, operated byPKP Intercity using units ED250 Pendolino. |
| ExpressInterCity | EIC | Luxurious trains in national services on the most important long-distance routes that must be reserved, with speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph). Operated byPKP Intercity. |
| InterCity | IC | Trains of newEMUs and refurbished coaches, more comfortable than TLK, in national services on the most important long-distance routes, with speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph). Operated byPKP Intercity. |
| Twoje Linie Kolejowe | TLK | Fast trains on inter-regional routes; some with speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph). Operated byPKP Intercity. Pricing is the same as for IC services. |
| InterRegio | IR | A few trains betweenWarsaw andŁódź; cheaper than "TLK", but usually with lower standard, 2nd class only. Operated byPolregio. Rolling stock composed of refurbished EMUs of late 1960s design. Speed is up to 120 km/h (75 mph). |
| Regio | R | Local passenger trains, 2nd class only; Formerly calledosobowy and often confused with that category. Trains are operated by Polregio. |
| Osobowy | os. | Osobowy are local passenger trains, 2nd class only. They are operated byArriva RP (consortium ofArriva andDB Cargo Polska),Koleje Dolnośląskie,Koleje Małopolskie,Koleje Śląskie,Koleje Wielkopolskie,Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna,Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa andKoleje Mazowieckie. |
| S-Bahn | S | Rapid transit andcommuter rail services inTricity (operated byPKP SKM) andWarsaw (operated bySKM Warszawa), respectively. |
Trains inPortugal run under the following categories (sorted by operator):
| Service | Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-distance | Alfa Pendular | AP | Fasttilting trains used on the main north–south lines, only stopping at major intermediate cities with a top speed of 220 km/h (140 mph). Surcharge payable. |
| InterCidades | IC | InterCity trains used on main lines, stopping only at main towns with a top speed of 200km/h (124mph). Surcharge payable. | |
| Internacional | IN | Day train Celta (Porto-Vigo). | |
| Regional services | InterRegional | IR | Semi-fast trains used on main lines, stopping at all main towns and some smaller towns with speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph). |
| Regional | R | Stopping trains used on main lines, stopping at all stations (with some exceptions) with speeds up to 140 km/h (87 mph). | |
| Commuter trains | Urbanos | U | Commuter trains used in or around the major cities with speeds up to 140 km/h (87 mph). |
| Leisure | Comboio Histórico do Douro | Douro Valley Line Historic Train (Summer weekends only). | |
| Comboio Histórico do Vouga | Vouga Line Historic Train (Weekends around some holidays). |
| Service | Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commuter trains | Urbanos | U | Commuter trains in the GreaterLisbon Area with speeds up to 140 km/h (87 mph). Operations limited to the route betweenRoma-Areeiro –Setúbal. |
InRomania, there are the following train categories:[15]
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Intercity | IC | It ensures the connection, in domestic or international traffic, between the country's capitalBukarest and thecounty seat cities, defined by Law no. 2/1968 on the administrative organization of the territory of Romania, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions. Speeds are up to 160 km/h (99 mph). |
| Intercity night | IC-N | It ensures the connection, in domestic or international traffic, between the country's capital and the county seat cities, defined by Law no. 2/1968 on the administrative organization of the territory of Romania, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions, and they passed through the night. They can also be put into circulation withoutfirst class or second class services. |
| Interregio | IR | It ensures the connection between the urban localities of rank 0, I and II defined by annex no. II point 3.8 of Law no. 351/2001 regarding the approval of the National Land Development Plan - Section IV - The network of localities, with subsequent amendments and additions, and the tourist resorts of national interest, listed in annex no. 5 of Government Decision no. 852/2008 for the approval of the rules and criteria for the attestation of tourist resorts, with subsequent amendments and additions. They can also be put into circulation without first class services. The average commercial/train speed is at least 45 km/h (28 mph). Convenient connections with other passenger trains will be provided at the main railway stations and junctions. |
| Interregio night | IR-N | It ensures the connection between the urban localities of rank 0, I and II defined by annex no. II point 3.8 of Law no. 351/2001 regarding the approval of the National Land Development Plan - Section IV - The network of localities, with subsequent amendments and additions, and the tourist resorts of national interest, listed in annex no. 5 of Government Decision no. 852/2008 for the approval of the rules and criteria for the attestation of tourist resorts, with subsequent amendments and additions. The average commercial/train speed is at least 45 km/h (28 mph). Convenient connections with other passenger trains will be provided at the main railway stations and junctions. They can also be put into circulation without first class or second class services. |
| Regio Expres | R-E | It ensures the connection between localities located at a maximum driving distance of 230 km (140 mi) or the first railway station, if this distance is exceeded. It has stops in railway stations that serve localities with a number of 2,500 inhabitants together with the neighboring areas, ensuring the need for mobility in that area. It provides connections to/from interregional trains. The average commercial speed is in principle at least 40 km/h (25 mph). They can also be put into circulation without first class services. |
| Regio | R | It ensures transport conditions for limited geographical areas, the maximum distance of circulation being 200 km (120 mi) or the first railway station, if this distance is exceeded. It has stops at all stations, halts and stops along the route, if the platforms are laid out in compliance with the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI). Regional trains will be requested and routed at a sufficient time interval to allow boarding/disembarking of passengers to/from connecting trains at railway stations/junctions. The average commercial speed is in principle at least 35 km/h (22 mph). They can also be put into circulation without first class services. |
| Regio Metrolopitan | R-M | It provides transport around major cities, for suburban (commuter) traffic, meets the transport needs of an urban center or a conurbation and nearby/adjacent areas, with a maximum travel distance of 40 km (25 mi) or the first railway station, if this distance is exceeded. The average commercial speed is in principle at least 30 km/h (19 mph). They can also be put into circulation without first class services. |
| Former train categories in Romania[until when?] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
| Personal | P | Local trains, stopping every station, speeds up to 120 km/h (75 mph). |
| Accelerat | A | Semi-fast trains, usually for long distances, speeds up to 140 km/h (87 mph), stopping at the main stations and some smaller towns. |
| Rapid | R | Fast trains, speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph), stopping on major cities. |
| Euronight | EN | Night trains, night services of the IC/EC |
| EuroCity | EC | Stops only in major cities, speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph). |
| InterCity | IC | Fast trains, speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph), stopping only in major cities. |
| InterCity/EuroCity | IC/EC | National and international services, stopping in important stations only. |
| InterCity Night | ICN | Sleeping services assured. Calls at important stops only. May include cars from foreign operators and/orautoracks.[16] |
InRussia, the train category is defined by its number's digits.
InSerbia, trains run under the following categories:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| EuroCity | EC | International trains to/from Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Greece. |
| InterCity | SOKO | Operates betweenBelgrade andNovi Sad in 36 min. Speed is up to 200 km/h (120 mph). |
| Brzi | B | Fast train. |
| Regio Express | Rex | Fast train, usually during peak-hours |
| Regio | Re | Regional trains betweenNovi Sad,Subotica,Niš,Zrenjanin,Valjevo,Kraljevo,Užice,Sombor,Požarevac,Zaječar,Vršac,Kikinda,Prokuplje andRuma. |
| BG Voz | BG | Urban railway lines inBelgrade. Lines are numbered 1–4 and operated byGSP. |
Train categories inSlovakia are as follows:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| LEO Express | LE | Private international trains to/from Czech Republic, operated by Leo Express company. |
| Regiojet | RJ | Private international trains operated by Regiojet company. |
| Railjet Express | RJX | Long-distance trains operating over theBratislava—Vienna—Innsbruck—Zurich line. |
| EuroCity | EC | High quality, usually long-haul international services between Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany. Surcharge applied when travelling with domestic ticket. |
| EuroNight | EN | High qualitynight trains betweenKošice andPrague and betweenBudapest andBerlin. |
| Express | Ex | This category is used for long-distance domestic express trains betweenKošice and Bratislava, the two largest cities of the country. |
| Rýchlik | R | "Fast train" – trains for longer routes, usually stops at all towns en route, as well as important junctions. In this category there is the night trainZemplín betweenHumenné andBratislava. |
| Regional-Express | REX | Local semi-fast train stopping at few stations, modern version ofZrýchlený vlak. Note that this category is also used byLeo Express betweenKomárno and Bratislava. |
| Zrýchlený vlak | Zr | Semi-fast train, stopping on most stations. It was mostly replaced by Regional Express; Zr trains run fromBanská Bystrica toMargecany, or as summer tourist services (Letný vlak). |
| Osobný vlak | Os | Stopping train, serving all stations. |
Until 2024, train category of Intercity (IC) was used for express, for-profit trains operated by ZSSK between Bratislava and Košice. These were discontinued, as of December 2024. Supercity (SC) category was temporalily discontinued as a result of a derailment, after whichČD Class 680 „Pendolino“tilting train service into Slovakia stopped until further notice. All SuperCity trains were reclassified into EuroCity trains.
The following train categories exist inSlovenia:
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| EuroCity | EC | High quality international trains which operate along major international routes and connect important economic and tourist hubs in Slovenia and Europe. Journey times of EC trains are shorter and have fewer stops. Most of them haveair-conditioned carriages and offer catering services. An additional supplement is required for travel on EC trains. |
| EuroNight | EN | High quality international night trains, which includesleepers andcouchettes. A supplement is required for a bed orberth. For travel on a domestic EN, as with IC trains, it is necessary to pay a supplement for a seat in a standard carriage. On certain EN trains which operate across Europe, standard international prices apply together with a reservation fee. |
| InterCity Slovenija | ICS | Modern air-conditioned trains whosetilting technology allows for greater speed and comfort. They enable easier travel for passengers in wheelchairs, as well as offering a range of additional services. Abuffet car is available to passengers; for those who travel1st class, this service is free. 1st class passengers also benefit from access to electrical plug sockets. At some stations free parking is available. ICS trains operate on theLjubljana–Maribor–Ljubljana route. In the summer season and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, ICS trains also operate along the Maribor-Ljubljana-Koper route and back. Seats must be reserved on all routes and this is included in the rail fare. |
| InterCity | IC | High quality trains which operate on long-distance domestic and international routes and connect major cities, and commercial and tourist centres. They consist of comfortable carriages, and have shorter journey times with fewer stops. Most of them also offer catering services. IC services require an additional IC supplement. |
| Local Train | LP | Connects Slovenian towns on shorter and longer routes. These are intended primarily for daily journeys to and from work or school. Seat reservations and supplements are not required to travel on these trains. |
InSpain, railway services are categorized as follows:
| Name | Role | Route(s) |
|---|---|---|
| AVE | Alta Velocidad Española (lit. 'Spanish high-speed') arehigh-speed trains operated byRenfe, with speeds up to 310 km/h (190 mph) |
|
| Avlo | Low cost high-speed trains of Renfe with speeds of up to 300 km/h (190 mph). |
|
| Alvia | High speed trains of Renfe capable of operating on both high-speed and conventional lines, with speeds of up to 250 km/h (160 mph). |
|
| Avant | High-speed trains of Renfe for medium distances (used to be calledLanzadera AVE). Speed is up to 250 km/h (160 mph). |
|
| Euromed | High-speed trains of Renfe that operate along theMediterranean coast with speeds of up to 250 km/h (160 mph). |
|
| InterCity | Renfe trains for long-distance services operating on high-speed and conventional lines with less comfort and facilities than the AVE/Alvia trains, speeds up to 250 km/h (160 mph). | All over continental Spain |
| Media Distancia | Renfe trains for medium-distance services operating onIberian ormetre-gauge lines, speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph) and 80 km/h (50 mph) respectively. | All over continental Spain |
| Iryo | High-speedETR 1000 trainsets betweenMadrid and other cities. |
|
| Ouigo España | High-speedTGV Euroduplex trainsets between Madrid and other cities. |
|
| Cercanías (C#), Rodalies (R#) | Short-distancecommuter rail services inmetropolitan areas, with speeds up to 120 km/h (75 mph). Lines are numbered. | Barcelona,Bilbao,Cádiz,Cantabria,Ferrol,León,Madrid,Málaga,Murcia/Alicante,Oviedo,San Sebastián,Sevilla,Valencia,Zaragoza |
| Altaria | Trains of Renfe operating on high-speed and conventional lines, which use differentlocomotives. Their speed is up to 200 km/h (120 mph). (all discontinued) |
|
| Talgo | Tilting trains operating on high-speed and conventional lines, linking Madrid with provincial capital cities. Their speed is up to 150 km/h (93 mph). (all discontinued) |
|
| Arco | Conventional trains of Renfe that linkBarcelona with other provincial capital cities. (all discontinued) |
|
| Trenhotel | Night services (all discontinued) |
|
TheSJ X2 is the only train operating inSweden which is developed as ahigh-speed train. Other fast trains (EMUs) are developed as regional trains, but delivered with a maximum speed of 200 km/h (120 mph).
| Operator | Name | Role |
|---|---|---|
| SJ | Nattåg | Locomotive-hauledovernight train service in Sweden, withdining cars. |
| EuroNight (EN) | Locomotive-hauledovernight train service between Sweden, Denmark and Germany. | |
| Snabbtåg | Higher-speed trains, operated withX2 orX55 trainsets, which are equipped withWiFi and have a bistro car.[17] | |
| InterCity | Rc locomotive-hauled, national and international trains with standard-seating carriages in bothfirst and second class and a bistro car.[18] | |
| Regionaltåg | Regional trains on theStockholm–Örebro–Gothenburg, Gothenburg–Karlstad and Gothenburg–Kalmar lines. Operated with either Rc-hauled trainsets orX40EMUs. These trains have no catering on board. The X40 is equipped with free 4G WiFi. Both first and second-class are usually offered.[19] | |
| Counties | Regionaltåg | Regional trains operated by the county, usually with various brand names, such asKrösatåg,Mälartåg,Norrtåg,Öresundståg orVästtågen. |
| Pendeltåg | Commuter trains operated by the county inStockholm,Gothenburg,Skåne (not calledpendeltåg locally) andÖstergötland. | |
| A-Train | Arlanda Express | Train link between Stockholm Central Station andArlanda Airport. |
| VR Snabbtåg Sverige | InterCity | Formerly MTRX, now aVR Group subsidiary, connecting Stockholm and Gothenburg withX74 EMU. |
| Snälltåget (Transdev) | EuroNight (EN) | Overnight trains between Stockholm andBerlin Hauptbahnhof (Germany) between April and September, and toInnsbruck Hauptbahnhof (Austria) in winter. |
| Long-distance trains betweenMalmö Central Station and Stockholm (and toStorlien during hiking and skiing seasons). | ||
| Tågab | Long-distance trains on the Karlstad–Kristinehamn–Skövde–Gothenburg line. | |
| MTR | Tunnelbana (T) | Metro system inStockholm (Stockholms tunnelbana). |
There are severalrailway companies inSwitzerland, withSwiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS),BLS andSüdostbahn (SOB) operating the largeststandard gauge networks andRhaetian Railway (RhB) andMGB running the largestnarrow gauge networks.As of 2024[update], the following categories exist:[20]
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Train à grande vitesse | TGV Lyria | High-speed service ofSNCF and SBB between Switzerland and France. |
| InterCity Express | ICE | High-speed service ofDB between Switzerland and Germany, the Netherlands. Typically,ICE 4 trainsets are used. |
| Railjet Express | RJX | High-speed service ofÖBB between Switzerland and Austria, Hungary, Slovakia. |
| EuroCity | EC | International long-distance (partlyhigh-speed) trains, mainly of SBB, to destinations in Austria, Germany and Italy. TypicallyRABe 501 orETR 610 trainsets are used (Transalpin ispulled byRe 420). |
| EuroNight | EN | International long-distancenight trains betweenZürich HB and destinations in Croatia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. |
| NightJet | NJ | International long-distance night trains of ÖBB between Zürich HB/Basel SBB and destinations in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. |
| InterCity | IC# | Long-distance trains, fast connection (partlyhigh-speed) between major cities in Switzerland by SBB (one DB service to Germany: Zürich HB–Schaffhausen–Stuttgart Hbf). Since 2018, all lines are numbered. IncludesSBB RABDe 500tilting trains, which previously ran under their own category (ICN). Otherwise,Re 460-hauledIC 2000push-pull trains of SBB are typically used. |
| InterRegio | IR# | Switzerland's main train category. Long-distance train, fast connection between regions and centers in Switzerland (andKonstanz, Germany). All IR lines are numbered since 2018. Rolling stock varies but includesRABe 502 andRABe 511 trainsets of SBB,RABe 528 of BLS orRABe 526 of SOB. |
| Panorama Express | PE | Tourism-focused trains, often with large-windowed1st class carriages that allow panoramic views. |
| RegioExpress | RE# | Fast regional train, does not call at all stations. Operates mainly in Switzerland, but some lines extend to Germany, France and Italy. All RE lines are numbered since 2023. Frequently SBB'sRABe 511 are used. |
| Regio | R# | Regional train (e.g. ofCJ,RegionAlps,RhB,transN). Mainly links towns and villages, calling at all stations. All R lines are numbered. |
| S-Bahn | S# | Fast trains in regional, local and suburban transport, operating with short clock cycles in the metropolitan areas ofBasel,Bern,Chur,Lucerne,Schaffhausen,St. Gallen,Zug,Zurich and inAargau. Some services extend to stations in Austria, France and Germany.TILO offersS-Bahn-like services inTicino andLombardy, Italy. In the French-speaking part of Switzerland, lines either use the letters R (RER Fribourg,RER Vaud) or L (Léman Express) instead of the letter S. All lines are numbered. |
| Métro | M# | Tworapid transit lines inLausanne andRenens. |
| Extrazug | EXT | Unscheduled train. Usually to tackle high passenger volume, e.g. during holidays, sports events. |
Switzerland distinguishes several types of rail freight:
| Type of freight | Description |
|---|---|
| Transport by pallet or parcel | Offered by SBB Cargo with private partners, throughout the country |
| Transport by sea container | To and from ports in Northern Europe |
| Transport by single wagonload | For companies whose volume is insufficient for a train |
| Transport by full trainload | Notably used for sugar beets, petroleum products, and construction materials |
| Rail freight (rolling highway) | Involves loading trucks onto railcars for transport across the country on a North-South axis |
The following train categories are present inUkraine:
| Service | Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day-time | Eurocity | ЄС | International long-distance services; 90–200 km/h (56–124 mph); 1st and 2nd class only. |
| Intercity + | ІС+ | National long-distance services; 90–200 km/h (56–124 mph); 1st and 2nd class only. | |
| Intercity | ІC | National long-distance services; 70–160 km/h (43–99 mph); 1st, 2nd and 3rd class. | |
| Regional Express | PE | Regional services; 70–140 km/h (43–87 mph); 1st, 2nd and 3rd class. | |
| Regional train | P | Regional services; up to 120 km/h; 2nd and 3rd class only. | |
| Suburban Train | PП | Suburban train services; 3rd class only. | |
| City Train | M | Urban train services; 3rd class only. | |
| Overnight | EuroNight | EN | International night train services; 90–200 km/h (56–124 mph); Lux, SV and Kupe classes. |
| Night Express | НЕ | International and national night train services; 70–160 km/h (43–99 mph); Lux, SV, Kupe and Platzkart classes. | |
| Night Fast Train | НШ | National night train services; 50–140 km/h (31–87 mph); SV, Kupe and Platzkart classes. | |
| Night Passenger Train | НП | National night train services; up to 140 km/h (87 mph); Kupe and Platzkart classes. |
TheUnited Kingdom's railway network is unusual in not publicly numbering or classifying its trains, except by the brand of the operating company. This may approach a classification system on lines where the express and local services are operated by different companies:
In scheduling, trains are classified asexpress,local,sleeper,international ormetro trains.[22] However, these are not shown in passenger-facing publications, and express trains can have stopping sections calling at consecutive minor stops, acting as a local service on the section. For example, all trains run on theThameslink core betweenLondon St Pancras andLondon Blackfriars, no matter express or local, call at all intermediate stations between them,[23] creating a frequent metro-like service as an alternative toLondon Underground for travelling in central London.
For most longer distance services (such as the inter-city trains operated byCrossCountry), advance tickets are sold and seat reservations can be made. While on shorter services (e.g.South Western Railway Weymouth – London services), sometimes only counted-place reservations can be made but not for a specific seat for advance tickets, and on even shorter suburban services (e.g.South Western Railway Guildford – London stopping services), no reservation can be made at all and no advance tickets can be sold.
InYugoslavia, the following train categories were used:
Iceland: No railway lines.
Malta: No railway lines.
Principality of Andorra: No railway lines.
Principality of Liechtenstein: Only onerailway line with three operational railway stations that are only served by anS-Bahn (S) service of the AustrianÖBB.
Principality of Monaco: Only onerailway line and a singlerailway station, served byTGV inOui andTER PACA of the FrenchSNCF.
San Marino: Only aheritage railway line.
Vatican: Only onerailway line with one terminal railway station that is served by a regional train of the ItalianTrenitalia.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)