Indian Railways almost fully electric: How it compares with Switzerland, China and Japan

Did you know when India began the process of electrical railway development in the country? It began in 1925. This initiated the first electrical train in India with a 1,500 Volt DC system that ran between Bombay Victoria Terminus & Kurla Harbour. This initial start of electrical trains may have been short in range, but it paved the way to more efficient railway transport.
The decades that followed, however, passage was rather slow. Electrification, for instance, only reached 388 route kilometre (RKMs) by the time India finally gained independence, with steam locomotives mainly in use, followed by diesel locomotives. The growth, though steady, intensified in the latter decades when Indian Railways began effectively focusing on a change towards cleaner methods of train operation.
The impact has been far more impressive than one can imagine. It’s interesting to note that the pace of electrification accelerated from an average of approximately 1.42 km per day in 2004-2014 to around 15 km per day in 2019-2025, which marked a paradigm shift in the pace of network evolution.
The share of electrified routes improved from 24 percent in 2000 to 40 percent in 2017, which further increased to 96 percent by the end of 2024. And eventually as of November 2025, India has electrified 69,427 RKMs, comprising approximately 99.2 percent of its rail network, with 46,900 RKMs accomplished in 2014-2025.
Here, we take a look at some of the leading countries that have achieved significant progress in this regard. For more clarity, visit this official page.

Switzerland: It has managed to set an example in terms of setting a global standard for rail electrification because it succeeded in electrifying 100% of its rail network. Therefore, completely relying only on electric locomotives for transport, which is powered by renewable hydroelectric power sources. It needs to be noted that the use of electrification allows for high passenger train frequencies and easy connectivity through Europe’s hardest terrains.

India: With 99.2% of electrification over Broad Gauge, India has electrified 69,427 route kilometers as of November 2025. From an initial installation of electrification in the country on a short suburban stretch in 1925, it has emerged as one of the largest and almost fully electrified rail networks of the world. Its progress on this count over the last ten years remains unmatched in the world for both scale and speed.

China – 82% electrified: China operates the world’s largest high-speed rail network, almost entirely electric. Although its main corridors are fully electrified, some of its freight-heavy and remote routes still rely on diesel locomotives.
Spain – 67% electrified: Spain’s electrification is mostly driven by its extensive high-speed rail network, one of the longest in Europe. Conventional and regional lines, however, remain partially non-electrified.
Japan – 64% electrified: Japan’s major passenger corridors, including Shinkansen routes, are fully electric. Rural and lightly used lines account for the remaining non-electrified sections.
France - 60% electrified: France combines electrified high-speed and mainline routes with diesel-powered regional services, especially in less-densely populated areas.
Moderately electrified networks (40%–60%)
Russia – 52% electrified: Russia’s vast geography and extreme climate have limited full electrification. While trunk routes like the Trans-Siberian Railway are electrified, large stretches still use diesel locomotives.

United Kingdom – 39% electrified: Despite being one of the world’s oldest railway systems, the UK has relatively low electrification. High upgrade costs and legacy infrastructure have slowed expansion, keeping diesel trains in widespread use.