Train categories in Europe

In Europe, railway companies assign trains to different categories or train types depending on their role, i.e. based on the used rolling 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 in timetables, passenger information systems and sometimes also on the destination 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 are trademark names that are also used as train types, such as the VogtlandExpress (VX) or the former CityNightLine (CNL) and Cisalpino (CIS).
This article lists European 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). Often, long-distance trains require different tickets and/or seat reservation.
International trains are commonly classified as EuroCity (EC), while domestic Inter-city rail services frequently run as InterCity (IC). Most night trains operate under the EuroNight (EN) or Nightjet (NJ) category.
Exceptionally, trains are neither publicly classified nor numberered in the United Kingdom, but rather the brand of the operating company is used. In Russia, trains are only numbered and the number's digits defines the train's category.
The table below summarizes train categories in Austria:
The following train categories exist in Germany:
In Belgium, the following train categories exist:
Train categories in Bulgaria 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 and Смесен пътнически влак (СПВ) – Smesen patnicheski vlak, the equivalent of Mixed train. Using this basis BDŽ now provides extended variety of these simple categories.
There are several different ranks of passenger trains operating inside Croatia by HŽ Putnički prijevoz (Croatian Railways' sub-division responsible for passenger transport), as follows.
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 with Zagreb metropolitan area.
The following train categories are present in the Czech Republic:
In Denmark, the following train categories are used:
The list below includes train categories in Finland:
NOTE: Long-distance trains are identified (in passenger information systems) by train number prefixed with the train type abbreviation (e.g. "IC 90"). However, the Helsinki 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 of France, the SNCF, uses a different system of train categories, based on politics wishes and commercial trademarks. The categories do not necessarily match with distance.
There are three types of passenger rail services in Greece:
In addition, suburban train netrworks are present in Athens (with lines numbered A1–A4), Patras (lines P1 and P2) and Thessaloniki (lines Π1–Π3).
A night train, named Hellas Express, links Thessaloniki with Belgrade (Serbia), via Skopje (North Macedonia).
In Hungary, there are the following train categories:
Four different train categories are operated in the Republic of Ireland, by both Iarnród Éireann and NI Railways.
Train categories without * are all operated by Trenitalia, Italy's primary rail carrier. Regional and local trains, which are financed by administrative regions, are also used by regional railways (generally isolated from the national railway network).
Because of its small size and its location, Luxembourg has more international trains than national ones.
Some trains are considered both Luxembourgish (by the CFL, 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).
In the Netherlands, the following train categories exist:
In Norway, there are the following train categories:
The following train categories are present in Poland:
Trains in Portugal run under the following categories (sorted by operator):
In Romania, there are the following train categories:
In Russia, the train category is defined by its number's digits.
In Serbia, trains run under the following categories:
Train categories in Slovakia are as follows:
The following train categories exist in Slovenia:
In Spain, railway services are categorized as follows:
The SJ X2 is the only train operating in Sweden which is developed as a high-speed train. Other fast trains (EMUs) are developed as regional trains, but delivered with a maximum speed of 200 km/h (120 mph).
There are several railway companies in Switzerland, with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS), BLS and Südostbahn (SOB) operating the largest standard gauge networks and Rhaetian Railway (RhB) and MGB running the largest narrow gauge networks. As of 2024, the following categories exist:
The following train categories are present in Ukraine:
The United 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 as express, local, sleeper, international or metro trains. 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 the Thameslink core between London St Pancras and London Blackfriars, no matter express or local, call at all intermediate stations between them, creating a frequent metro-like service as an alternative to London Underground for travelling in central London.
For most longer distance services (such as the inter-city trains operated by CrossCountry), 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.
In Yugoslavia, the following train categories were used: