Indian Railways is often referred to as the lifeline of India. Every day, millions of passengers travel by trains.
In terms of railway networks, India is a developed country. It stands as the third-largest railway network in the world.
Trains offer a good and affordable option for people to travel from one place to another. However, train accidents also happen in India.
Sometimes due to negligence and sometimes due to technical issues, these accidents can lead to loss of lives.
Countries with No Train Accidents
There are countries where train accidents never happen. This is because these countries haven’t developed extensive railway networks yet.
People in these countries don’t have the luck to travel by train. They rely more on roads for transportation.
Let’s learn about some of these developed countries where there is no railway network for kilometers.
Bhutan – A Neighbor with No Trains
Bhutan, India’s neighboring country and the smallest country in South Asia, still doesn’t have a railway network.
There are plans to connect southern Bhutan to the Indian railway network.
A plan to create an 11-mile network connecting Toribari in Nepal to Hashimara in West Bengal, India, is in progress.
Andorra – Land of No Railways
Andorra ranks 16th in terms of land area and 11th in terms of population. This tiny country also doesn’t have a railway network.
The dream of riding a train is yet to come true for people here. Andorra’s nearest railway station is in France, and buses are used to travel to this country.
Kuwait – Roads Over Rails
Kuwait, a wealthy Gulf country with abundant oil reserves, values roads more than railways.
Despite its wealth, Kuwait currently doesn’t have a railway network, but there are plans for several railway projects.
Cyprus – Past and Present of Railways
Cyprus used to have trains from 1905 to 1951, but they were discontinued due to financial reasons.
Though a railway line was extended in the past, today there’s no railway network in Cyprus.
Libya – Railway History and Present
Libya had multiple railway lines in the past, but they were all shut down for various reasons.
Since 1965, there has been no functional railway network in Libya, although there are ongoing projects.
East Timor – Road-Reliant Country
East Timor has never had a railway network. People here rely on roads for transportation.
There are plans to build a 310-mile electrified single-track network to connect Los Palos to Bobonaro.
Other Countries Without Railways
Malta, Mauritius, Qatar, Somalia, Yemen, Oman, and Macau also lack railway networks due to financial limitations.
In these countries, the main reason for the absence of railways is the lack of funds for construction.