List of railway electrification systems


This is a list of the power supply systems that are, or have been, used for railway electrification.
Note that the voltages are nominal and vary depending on load and distance from the substation.
, many trams and trains use on-board solid-state electronics to convert these supplies to run three-phase AC traction motors.
Tram electrification systems are listed here.

Key to the tables below

  • Volts: voltage or volt
  • Current:
  • * DC = direct current
  • * # Hz = frequency in hertz
  • ** AC supplies are usually single-phase except where marked three-phase.
  • Conductors:
  • * overhead line or
  • * conductor rail, usually a third rail to one side of the running rails. Conductor rail can be:
  • ** top contact: oldest, least safe, most affected by ice, snow, rain and leaves. Protection boards are installed on most top contact systems, which increases safety and reduces these affections.
  • ** side contact: newer, safer, less affected by ice, snow, rain and leaves
  • ** bottom contact: newest, safest, least affected by ice, snow, rain and leaves

    Systems using standard voltages

Voltages are defined by two standards: BS EN 50163 and IEC 60850.

Overhead systems

600 V DC

750 V DC

1,200 V DC

1,500 V DC

3 kV DC

AC,  Hz /

AC,

AC,

Conductor rail systems

600 V DC conductor

All systems are third rail unless stated otherwise. Used by some older metros.
CountryLocationName of systemNotes
ArgentinaBuenos AiresUrquiza LineFederico Lacroze-General Lemos
CanadaTorontoToronto subwayOnly on subway lines
GreeceAthensEIS/ISAPused between 1904 and 1985
ItalyTurinSuperga Rack Railway
JapanTokyoTokyo Metro Ginza Line and Marunouchi Line
JapanNagoya, AichiNagoya Municipal Subway Higashiyama Line and Meijō Line
SwedenStockholmStockholm Metro650 V, Green and Red Lines
United KingdomGlasgowGlasgow Subway
United StatesAnaheim, CaliforniaDisneyland Monorail
United StatesBostonMassachusetts Bay Transportation AuthorityRed and Orange Lines, the subway part of the Blue Line southwest of Airport station
United StatesChicagoChicago "L"elevated and subway lines
United StatesStaten IslandStaten Island Railway
United StatesNew York City metro areaPATH
United StatesPhiladelphiaSEPTA Metro - B
United StatesBay Lake, FloridaWalt [Disney World Monorail System]
United StatesCaliforniaSacramento Northern RailwayUsed 1906–. The Northern subdivision was built by the Northern Electric Railway and operated with overhead wires in towns.

750 V DC conductor

Conductor rail systems have been separated into tables based on whether they are top, side or bottom contact. Used by most metros outside Asia and the former Eastern bloc.
Bottom contact
Side contact
Top contact
Mixed

1,200 V DC conductor

All systems are third rail unless stated otherwise.
TypeCountryLocationName of systemNotes
Side contactGermanyHamburgHamburg S-Bahn with overhead line in part of network.
Side contactUnited KingdomGreater ManchesterBury LineConverted to 750 V DC overhead in 1991 for operation by the Manchester Metrolink light rail system
Bottom contactUnited StatesCaliforniaCentral California Traction Company1908–1946

1,500 V DC conductor

All systems are third rail unless stated otherwise.
TypeCountryLocationName of systemNotes
Bottom contactFranceParisParis Métro Line 18Currently under construction
Bottom contactFranceToulouseCurrently under construction
Side contactFranceChambéry – ModaneCuloz–Modane railwayused between 1925 and 1976, today overhead wire
Bottom contactChinaBeijingBeijing SubwayLine 7 only
Bottom contactChinaGuangzhouGuangzhou MetroLines 4 (Guangzhou Metro)|4], 5 (Guangzhou Metro)|5], 6 (Guangzhou Metro)|6], 14 (Guangzhou Metro)|14] and 21 (Guangzhou Metro)|21] only. Overhead wires in depots; all trains are equipped with pantographs
Bottom contactChinaKunmingKunming MetroLine 4 only
Bottom contactChinaQingdaoQingdao Metro
Bottom contactChinaShanghaiShanghai MetroLines 16 (Shanghai Metro)|16] and 17 (Shanghai Metro)|17] only. Overhead wires in depot of Line 16, all trains on Line 16 have pantographs for depot use.
Bottom contactChinaShenzhenShenzhen MetroLines 3 and 6 only. Overhead wires in depot of Line 6, all trains on Line 6 have pantographs for depot use.
Bottom contactChinaWuhanWuhan MetroLines 7, 8, 11 and Yangluo Line only
Bottom contactChinaWuxiWuxi Metro

Systems using non-standard voltages

Overhead systems

DC voltage

AC voltage

Three-phase AC voltage

Two wires
Three wires

Conductor rail systems (DC voltage)

Conductor rail systems have been separated into tables based on whether they are top, side or bottom contact.

Top contact systems

Side contact systems

All third rail unless otherwise stated.
VoltageCountryLocationName of systemNotes
650CanadaVancouverSkyTrainExpo Line and Millennium Line. Linear induction.
850FranceMartignySaint-Gervais–Vallorcine railway
1200GermanyHamburgHamburg S-BahnSince 1940. Used both third rail DC and overhead line AC until 1955. Also uses German standard overhead electrification on the section between Neugraben and Stade on line S3, opened in December 2007.

Bottom contact systems

All third rail unless otherwise stated.
VoltageCountryLocationName of systemNotes
550United StatesCaliforniaCentral California Traction Company1907–1908, raised to 1,200 V
700United StatesNew YorkMetro-North RailroadHudson and Harlem Lines, southern part of New Haven Line. Original New York Central Railroad electrification scheme to Grand Central Terminal.
700United StatesPhiladelphiaSEPTA Metro – LOriginally 600 V, raised to 700 V
825BelarusMinskMinsk MetroFSU underground system standard, 825V substation output, 750V in rail on average
825BulgariaSofiaSofia MetroLines 1 and 2
825RussiaMoscowMoscow MetroNominal voltage: 825 V; allowed range: 550 V – 975 V
825RussiaSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg MetroNominal voltage: 825 V; allowed range: 550 V – 975 V
825RussiaKazanKazan MetroNominal voltage: 825 V; allowed range: 550 V – 975 V
825RussiaNizhny NovgorodNizhny Novgorod MetroNominal voltage: 825 V; allowed range: 550 V – 975 V
825RussiaNovosibirskNovosibirsk MetroNominal voltage: 825 V; allowed range: 550 V – 975 V
825RussiaSamaraSamara MetroNominal voltage: 825 V; allowed range: 550 V – 975 V
825RussiaYekaterinburgYekaterinburg MetroNominal voltage: 825 V; allowed range: 550 V – 975 V
825UkraineKyivKyiv MetroFSU underground systems share the same standard
825UkraineDniproDnipro MetroFSU underground systems share the same standard
825UkraineKharkivKharkiv MetroFSU underground systems share the same standard
830ArgentinaBuenos AiresMitre LineRetiro – José León Suárez
Retiro – Bartolomé Mitre
Retiro – Tigre
830ArgentinaBuenos AiresOnce – MorenoSarmiento Line
850FranceVillefrancheLigne de CerdagneOften referred to as the "Yellow Train"
850AustriaViennaWiener Lokalbahn
900BelgiumBrusselsBrussels Metro

Conductor rail systems (AC voltage)

All systems are 3-phase unless otherwise noted.

Special or unusual types

DC, plough collection from conductors in conduit below track

VoltageTypeContact systemName of systemLocationCountryNotes
750Guide barsLateral to both guide bars Paris MetroParisFranceRubber-tyred lines only
750Guide barsLateral and top of running rails contactMontreal MetroMontrealCanadaRubber-tyred lines
750Guide barsLateral and top of running rails contactMexico City MetroMexico CityMexicoRubber-tyred lines
750Third and fourth railLateral and top contactMilan Transportation SystemMilanItalyMetro
630Third and fourth railTop contactLondon UndergroundLondonUnited KingdomTransport for London