List of railway lines in Nepal

This is a list of existing, under-construction, and proposed railway lines in Nepal, a landlocked nation currently undergoing a significant transition from a historically limited rail presence to a modern, electrified transportation network. While Bardibas-Jaynagar line remains the only operational passenger rail service in the country, several new lines are in the phase of planning and construction.

History

A Nepal Railway narrow gauge train at Khajuri in 2009

The history of rail transport in Nepal can be divided into three eras, the early Rana-era of narrow gauge lines of 1920, the decline of railway lines in mid-20th century and the modern plans for revival and electrification.

Early Rana-era lines

The first railway of Nepal, Nepal Government Railway (NGR) was established between Raxaul in India to Amlekhganj in Nepal. It was around 47 km (29 mi) long and was based on narrow gauge system. The main purpose of this railway was to export Timber from lush forests of Terai to British India and later India. After nearly a decade in 1937, Nepal Janakpur Jaynagar Railway was established to transport passengers and woods to Indian town of Jaynagar from Janakpur.

The fall of railways

An abandoned locomotive of Nepal Railway

After the fall of Rana-rule and political uncertainty in the nation, the government started focusing on highways, leaving railways in limbo. The quality of service, lack of maintenance and aging infrastructure eventually forced the last remaining passenger railway, NJJR to shut down in 2014.

Modern revival

Nepal Railway DEMU train in its inaugural run, 2022

The revival of Nepali Railways started when the government formally established Department of Railways in 2011. The government, under technical and financial support from Government of India, converted the Jaynagar-Janakpur narrow gauge line into broad gauge and extending it till Bardibas in 2022. Currently, Nepal Government is working with multiple projects, notably East-West Railway, Raxaul-Kathmandu railway^[1] and Kerung-Kathmandu railway all of which are planned to be electrified.

Railway lines

Line	Status	Operator(s)	Type	Gauge	Opened	Length	Speed	Electrified	Notes	Ref.
Raxaul-Amlekhganj	Defunct	Nepal Government Railway (NGR)	Freight & Passenger	Narrow	1927	47 km (29 mi)	15 km/h (9.3 mph)	Steam	Closed in 1965
Jaynagar-Bijalpura	Defunct	Nepal Janakpur Jaynagar Railway (NJJR)	Freight & Passenger	Narrow	1937	51 km (32 mi)	15 km/h (9.3 mph)	Steam/Diesel	Closed in 2014; replaced by Jaynagar-Bardibas broad gauge line
Bhimnagar-Dharan	Defunct	Kosi Project Railway	Freight	Narrow	1958	66 km (41 mi)	Unknown	Steam	Closed in late 1960s after construction of Koshi Barrage completed	^[2]
Raxaul-Sirsiya	Active	-	Freight	Broad	2005	6 km (3.7 mi)	30 km/h (19 mph)	No		^[3]
Jaynagar-Bardibas	Active	Nepal Railway (NRW)	Passenger	Broad	2022	68.72 km (42.70 mi)	120 km/h (75 mph)	No (planned in future)	Jaynagar-Bijalpura section operational; Bijalpura-Bardibas under construction	^[4]
Bathnaha-Biratnagar	Active	-	Freight	Broad	2023	18.6 km (11.6 mi)	110 km/h (68 mph)	No	Bathnaha-Birtanagar ICP constructed; Biratnagar ICP-Katahari under construction	^[5]
Kakarbhitta-Bhimdatta	Under Construction	-	Passenger & Freight	Standard	-	945.44 km (587.47 mi)	200 km/h (120 mph)	Planned	Construction of Bardibas-Nijgadh section going on as priority	^[6]
Raxaul-Kathmandu	DPR finalized	-	Passenger & Freight	Broad	-	136 km (85 mi)	120 km/h (75 mph)	Planned	Estimated cost at $3 billion	^[7]
Kerung-Kathmandu	Feasibility study ongoing	-	Passenger & Freight	Standard	-	73 km (45 mi)	120 km/h (75 mph)	Planned	Estimated cost at $5.5 billion	^[8]
Kathmandu-Pokhara	Proposed	-	Passenger & Freight	Standard	-	187.083 km (116.248 mi)	160 km/h (99 mph)	Planned	Estimated cost at $2.8 billion	^[9]
Tamasariya-Aanbu Khaireni	Proposed	-	Passenger & Freight	Standard	-	71.72 km (44.56 mi)	160 km/h (99 mph)	Planned	Estimated cost at $527 million	^[10]
Rupaidiha-Kohalpur	Surveys completed	-	Passenger & Freight	Broad	-	18.5 km (11.5 mi)	TBD	Unknown	Construction hasn't proceeded after completion of surveys in 2018 due to various reasons	^[11]
Barhani-Kathmandu	Proposed (uncertain)	-	TBD	Broad	-	approx. 330 km (210 mi)	TBD	Unknown	No physical progress made since 2016	^[12]
Nautanwa-Siddharthnagar	Proposed	-	Passenger & Freight	Broad	-	15.3 km (9.5 mi)	TBD	Unknown
Kakarbhitta-New Jalpaiguri	Proposed	-	Passenger & Freight	Broad	-	38 km (24 mi)	110 km/h (68 mph)	Planned
Kathmandu Metrorail	Early planning phase	-	Light rail	Standard	-	TBD	60 km/h (37 mph)	Planned	Actual implementation uncertain	^[13]

References

↑ The project is under its phase of DPR finalisation and India is funding the project.
↑ Nepal's five little railways, Nepali Times, 25 August 2025. https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/nepal-s-five-little-railways
↑ India, Nepal link by rail (Raxaul-Sirsiya), CNN
↑ Construction work of Jayanagar-Bardibas Railway, New Business Age
↑ Bathnaha-Biratnagar freight train service comes into operation, The Kathmandu Post, 1 June 2023. https://kathmandupost.com/money/2023/06/01/bathnaha-biratnagar-freight-train-service-comes-into-operation
↑ East-West Electric Railway Project achieves only 7 percent progress in 15 years, Khabarhub, 25 November 2024. https://english.khabarhub.com/2024/25/415062/
↑ Indo-Nepal rail link: Detailed Project Report ready for Raxaul-Kathmandu new line project, The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/indo-nepal-rail-link-detailed-project-report-ready-for-raxaul-kathmandu-new-line-project-10596458/
↑ Trans-Himalayan Railway: A potential game changer for Nepal, The Annapurna Express, 12 February 2026. https://theannapurnaexpress.com/story/62070/
↑ At upcoming talks, Nepal and China to discuss Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railways, The Kathmandu Post, 23 November 2019. https://kathmandupost.com/national/2019/11/23/at-upcoming-talks-nepal-and-china-to-discuss-kathmandu-pokhara-lumbini-railways
↑ Detail Survey and Design of Electrified Railway Line Tamsariya–Butwal Section of Mechi–Mahakali Railway and Bhairahawa (Lumbini) Link (107.8 km), Full Bright Consultancy. https://fbc.com.np/project/detail-survey-and-design-of-electrified-railway-line-tamsariya-butwal-section-of-mechi-mahakali-railway-and-bhairahawa-lumbini-link-107-8-km/
↑ Survey of Rupaidiya-Kohalpur railway line begins, MyRepublica, 15 March 2016. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/survey-of-rupaidiya-kohalpur-railway-line-begins
↑ Barhni-Kathmandu railway line: Modi government looks to expedite the proposed India-Nepal rail link project, The Financial Express, 9 July 2019. https://www.financialexpress.com/business/railways-barhni-kathmandu-railway-line-modi-government-looks-to-expedite-the-proposed-india-nepal-rail-link-project-1638015/
↑ Government forms committee to study metro rail in Kathmandu, New Business Age, 8 January 2017. https://newbusinessage.com/news/5099/government-forms-committee-to-study-metro-rail-in-kathmandu/

[1] The project is under its phase of DPR finalisation and India is funding the project.

[2] Nepal's five little railways, Nepali Times, 25 August 2025. https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/nepal-s-five-little-railways

[3] India, Nepal link by rail (Raxaul-Sirsiya), CNN

[4] Construction work of Jayanagar-Bardibas Railway, New Business Age

[5] Bathnaha-Biratnagar freight train service comes into operation, The Kathmandu Post, 1 June 2023. https://kathmandupost.com/money/2023/06/01/bathnaha-biratnagar-freight-train-service-comes-into-operation

[6] East-West Electric Railway Project achieves only 7 percent progress in 15 years, Khabarhub, 25 November 2024. https://english.khabarhub.com/2024/25/415062/

[7] Indo-Nepal rail link: Detailed Project Report ready for Raxaul-Kathmandu new line project, The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/indo-nepal-rail-link-detailed-project-report-ready-for-raxaul-kathmandu-new-line-project-10596458/

[8] Trans-Himalayan Railway: A potential game changer for Nepal, The Annapurna Express, 12 February 2026. https://theannapurnaexpress.com/story/62070/

[9] At upcoming talks, Nepal and China to discuss Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railways, The Kathmandu Post, 23 November 2019. https://kathmandupost.com/national/2019/11/23/at-upcoming-talks-nepal-and-china-to-discuss-kathmandu-pokhara-lumbini-railways

[10] Detail Survey and Design of Electrified Railway Line Tamsariya–Butwal Section of Mechi–Mahakali Railway and Bhairahawa (Lumbini) Link (107.8 km), Full Bright Consultancy. https://fbc.com.np/project/detail-survey-and-design-of-electrified-railway-line-tamsariya-butwal-section-of-mechi-mahakali-railway-and-bhairahawa-lumbini-link-107-8-km/

[11] Survey of Rupaidiya-Kohalpur railway line begins, MyRepublica, 15 March 2016. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/survey-of-rupaidiya-kohalpur-railway-line-begins

[12] Barhni-Kathmandu railway line: Modi government looks to expedite the proposed India-Nepal rail link project, The Financial Express, 9 July 2019. https://www.financialexpress.com/business/railways-barhni-kathmandu-railway-line-modi-government-looks-to-expedite-the-proposed-india-nepal-rail-link-project-1638015/

[13] Government forms committee to study metro rail in Kathmandu, New Business Age, 8 January 2017. https://newbusinessage.com/news/5099/government-forms-committee-to-study-metro-rail-in-kathmandu/

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