Belarusian Railways (Belaruskaja Chygunka – BC – founded in 1872) are not a symbol of speed and modernity, but they are popular because they guarantee punctuality, an extensive network of connections, and low ticket prices.
The railway network covers 5,503 km of railway lines, however, only 899 km (16.3% of the network length) are electrified lines (25 kV 50 Hz). The track gauge is 1,520 mm, and the network density is 2.65 km per 100 sq. km of area and 5.45 km per 10,000 inhabitants. The main line is the Baranovichi – Minsk – Orsha route, which is part of the Moscow – Warsaw – Berlin route. This route is also the most heavily loaded and has the highest operational parameters. Selected passenger trains reach a speed of 140 km/h on it. There are also direct connections from Minsk to Moscow, Kyiv, or Saint Petersburg. The train is the most frequently chosen form of transport, especially on longer routes. A developed network of railway lines connects the Belarusian cities of Grodno and Brest with the Polish cities of Kuźnica Białostocka and Terespol. The most important railway lines are the East-West and North-South main lines and transport corridors. Passenger trains in Belarus are divided into express (domestic and international), long-distance passenger, and suburban trains. The rolling stock is quite outdated and standardized. Express and long-distance passenger trains are composed of large carriages with a 1-WM gauge (established by the OSJD, applicable in the countries of the former Eastern Bloc). In international relations to Western Europe, air-conditioned sleeping cars with UIC gauge and three-person compartments operate. Suburban trains are composed of ER9 electric units and DR1 diesel units from the 1970s and 1980s.
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Source: Logistyka Magazine