Editing Commuter rail

{{short description|Passenger rail transport services primarily within metropolitan areas}}
{{redirect|Suburban train|the Tiësto song of the same name|Suburban Train/Urban Train}}
{{or1|date=April 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2019}}
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*A [[Metra]] service of double-decker cars hauled by an [[F40PH]] in [[Chicago]]
*A [[RER NG]] train on [[RER E|line E]] of the [[Réseau Express Régional]] in [[Paris]]
*A [[Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos|CPTM]] train on the [[Line 11 (CPTM)|Coral Line]] in [[São Paulo]]
*A [[Treno Servizio Regionale]] train in [[Milan]]
*An [[New Zealand AM class electric multiple unit|AM class]] electric multiple unit used in [[Auckland]]
*Two [[Keikyu N1000 series|N1000 series]] EMUs of the [[Keikyu]] railway pass each other in [[Tokyo]]
}}

'''Commuter rail''' or '''suburban rail''' is a [[Passenger train|passenger rail]] service that primarily operates within a [[metropolitan area]], connecting [[Commuting|commuters]] to a [[Central business district|central city]] from adjacent [[suburb]]s or [[commuter town]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/glossary/001.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012074110/http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/glossary/001.pdf |archive-date=2019-10-12 |url-status=live|title=Urban Public Transportation Glossary|last=Transportation Research Board|date=1989}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/Resources/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/Transit_Glossary_1994.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012074109/https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/Resources/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/Transit_Glossary_1994.pdf |archive-date=2019-10-12 |url-status=live|title=Glossary of Transit Terminology|last=American Public Transit Association|date=1994}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ntdprogram.gov/ntdprogram/Glossary.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113002142/http://www.ntdprogram.gov/ntdprogram/Glossary.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-11-13|title=National Transit Database Glossary|date=2013-11-13|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref> Commuter rail systems can use locomotive-hauled trains or multiple units, using electric or diesel propulsion.<ref name=":0" /> Distance charges or zone pricing may be used.

The term can refer to systems with a wide variety of different features and service frequencies, but is often used in contrast to [[rapid transit]] or [[light rail]].

Some services share similarities with both commuter rail and high-frequency [[rapid transit]]; examples include German [[S-Bahn]] in some cities, the [[Réseau Express Régional]] (RER) in Paris, the [[Milan S Lines|S Lines]] in Milan, many Japanese commuter systems, the [[East Rail line]] in Hong Kong, and some Australasian suburban networks, such as [[Sydney Trains]]. Many commuter rail systems share tracks with other passenger services and [[Cargo|freight]].

In North America, commuter rail sometimes refers only to systems that primarily operate during [[rush hour]] and offer little to no service for the rest of the day, with [[regional rail]] being used to refer to systems that offer all-day service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usa.streetsblog.org/2017/02/13/what-american-commuter-rail-can-learn-from-paris/|title=What American Commuter Rail Can Learn From Paris|date=2017-02-13|website=Streetsblog USA|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Blumgart |first1=Jake |title=Taking the 'Commuter' Out of America's Rail Systems |url=https://www.governing.com/now/taking-the-commuter-out-of-americas-rail-systems |website=Governing |date=23 April 2021 |publisher=e.Republic LLC |access-date=11 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Spieler |first1=Christof |title=Trains, Buses, People, Second Edition: An Opinionated Atlas of US and Canadian Transit |date=24 Aug 2021 |publisher=Island Press |isbn=9781642832136 |page=54}}</ref>

==Characteristics==
{{Train topics}}
[[File:Mumbai Train.JPG|thumb|[[Mumbai Suburban Railway]] carries more than 7.24 million commuters on a daily basis]]
[[File:Brno, Královo Pole, železniční stanice, vůz 80-30 002 (01).jpg|thumb|Very short commuter train in [[Push–pull train|push mode.]]]]
[[File:GO Transit Bombardier Bilevel CEM 322.JPG|thumb|[[GO Transit]] serves the Greater [[Golden Horseshoe]] region surrounding Toronto. Its train services are transitioning from a peak direction commuter railway to a [[GO Transit Regional Express Rail|Regional Express Network]].]]

Most commuter (or suburban) trains are built to main line rail standards,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Commuter Rail {{!}}|url=http://www.railsystem.net/commuter-rail/|access-date=2020-06-06|language=en-US}}</ref> differing from [[light rail]] or [[rapid transit]] (metro rail) systems by:
*being larger
*providing more seating and less standing room, owing to the longer distances involved
*having (in most cases) a lower frequency of service
*having scheduled services (i.e. trains run at specific times rather than at specific intervals)
*serving lower-density suburban areas, typically connecting [[suburb]]s to the city center
*sharing track or [[Right-of-way (railroad)|right-of-way]] with intercity and/or [[freight]] trains
*not fully grade separated (containing at-grade crossings with crossing gates)
*being able to skip certain stations as an express service due to normally being driver controlled

===Train schedule===
Compared to [[rapid transit]] (or metro rail), commuter/suburban rail often has lower [[headway|frequency]], following a schedule rather than fixed intervals, and fewer stations spaced further apart. They primarily serve lower density suburban areas (non inner-city), generally only having one or two stops in a city's central business district, and often share [[right-of-way (railroad)|right-of-way]] with intercity or [[freight]] trains. <ref name="2022 NTD Glossary">{{cite web |title=National Transit Database (NTD) Glossary |url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd/national-transit-database-ntd-glossary#C |website=Federal Transit Administration |access-date=12 August 2022}}</ref> Some services operate only during peak hours and others use fewer departures during off peak hours and weekends. Average speeds are high, often 50&nbsp;km/h (30&nbsp;mph) or higher. These higher speeds better serve the longer distances involved. Some services include express services which skip some stations in order to run faster and separate longer distance riders from short-distance ones. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.caltrain.com/?active_tab=route_explorer_tab | title=Caltrain &#124; Caltrain }}</ref>

The general range of commuter trains' travel distance varies between 15 and 200&nbsp;km (10 and 125 miles), but longer distances can be covered when the trains run between two or several cities (e.g. S-Bahn in the [[Ruhr]] area of Germany). Distances between stations may vary, but are usually much longer than those of urban rail systems. In city centres the train either has a terminal station or passes through the city centre with notably fewer station stops than those of urban rail systems. Toilets are often available on-board trains and in stations.

===Track===
Their ability to coexist with freight or intercity services in the same [[Right-of-way (railroad)|right-of-way]] can drastically reduce system construction costs. However, they are frequently built with dedicated tracks within that right-of-way to prevent delays, especially where service densities have converged in the inner parts of the network.

Most such trains run on the [[List of track gauges|local standard gauge]] track. Some systems may run on a narrower or broader gauge. Examples of [[Narrow-gauge railway|narrow-gauge]] systems are found in Japan, [[KAI Commuter|Indonesia]], [[KTM Komuter|Malaysia]], [[Greater Bangkok commuter rail|Thailand]], Taiwan, Switzerland, in the [[Brisbane]] ([[Queensland Rail]]'s [[Queensland Rail City network|City network]]) and [[Perth]] ([[Transperth]]) systems in Australia, in some systems in Sweden, and on the [[:it:Ferrovia Genova-Casella|Genoa-Casella line]] in Italy. Some countries and regions, including [[Helsinki commuter rail|Finland]], India, Pakistan, [[Elektrichka|Russia]], Brazil and Sri Lanka, as well as [[San Francisco]] ([[Bay Area Rapid Transit|BART]]) in the US and [[Metro Trains Melbourne|Melbourne]] and [[Adelaide Metro|Adelaide]] in Australia, use [[broad gauge]] track.

===Distinction between other modes of rail===
====Metro====
Metro rail and [[rapid transit]] usually cover smaller inner-urban areas within {{convert|12|to|20|km|abbr=on|0}} of city centers, with shorter stop spacing, use rolling stocks with larger standing spaces, lower top speed and higher acceleration, designed for short-distance travel. They also run more frequently, to a headway rather than a published timetable and use dedicated tracks (underground or elevated), whereas commuter rail often shares tracks, technology and the legal framework within mainline railway systems, and uses rolling stocks with more seating and higher speed for comfort on longer city-suburban journeys. 

However, the classification as a metro or rapid rail can be difficult as both may typically cover a metropolitan area exclusively, run on separate tracks in the centre, and often feature purpose-built rolling stock. The fact that the terminology is not standardised across countries (even across English-speaking countries) further complicates matters. This distinction is most easily made when there are two (or more) systems such as New York's [[New York City Subway|subway]] and the [[Long Island Rail Road|LIRR]] and [[Metro-North Railroad]], Paris' [[Paris Métro|Métro]] and [[Réseau Express Régional|RER]] along with [[Transilien]], Washington D.C.'s [[Washington Metro|Metro]] along with its [[MARC Train|MARC]] and [[Virginia Railway Express|VRE]], London's tube lines of the [[London Underground|Underground]] and the [[London Overground|Overground]], [[Elizabeth line]], [[Thameslink]] along with other commuter rail [[Transport in London#Heavy rail|operators]], Madrid's [[Madrid Metro|Metro]] and [[Cercanías Madrid|Cercanías]], Barcelona's [[Barcelona Metro|Metro]] and [[Rodalies de Catalunya|Rodalies]], and Tokyo's [[Tokyo subway|subway]] and the [[East Japan Railway Company#Greater Tokyo Area|JR lines]] along with various privately owned and operated commuter rail systems.

====Regional rail====
[[Regional rail]] usually provides [[rail transport|rail services]] between towns and cities, rather than purely linking major population hubs in the way [[inter-city rail]] does. Regional rail operates outside major cities. Unlike Inter-city, it stops at most or all stations between cities. It provides a service between smaller communities along the line that are often byproducts of [[Ribbon development|ribbon developments]], and also connects with long-distance services at interchange stations located at junctions, terminals, or larger towns along the line. Alternative names are "local train" or "stopping train". Examples include the former [[British Rail|BR]]'s [[Regional Railways]], France's [[Transport express régional|TER]] (''Transport express régional''),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Transport Express Régional (TER) – SNCF {{!}} train types {{!}} railcc|url=https://rail.cc/train-type/ter-sncf/37|access-date=2021-04-27|website=rail.cc}}</ref> Germany's [[Regionalexpress]] and [[Regionalbahn]], and South Korea's [[Tonggeun]] and [[Mugunghwa-ho]] services.<ref>{{Cite web|title=KORAIL|url=http://info.korail.com/mbs/english/subview.jsp?id=english_050304000000|access-date=2021-04-27|website=info.korail.com}}</ref>

====Inter-city rail====
{{see also|Inter-city rail}}
[[File:B set departing Panania 20180919 01 (Nimed).jpg|thumb|A [[Sydney Trains B set]] with an upper and lower deck]]
In some European countries, the distinction between commuter trains and long-distance/intercity trains is subtle, due to the relatively short distances involved. For example, so-called "[[Inter-city rail|intercity]]" trains in Belgium and the Netherlands carry many commuters, while their equipment, range, and speeds are similar to those of commuter trains in some larger countries. 

The United Kingdom has a privatised rail system, with different routes and services covered by different private operators. The distinction between commuter and intercity rail is not as clear as it was before privatisation (when InterCity existed as a brand of its own), but usually it is still possible to tell them apart. Some operators, for example [[Thameslink]], focus solely on commuter services. Others, such as [[Avanti West Coast]] and [[London North Eastern Railway|LNER]], run solely intercity services. Others still, such as [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|GWR]] and [[East Midlands Railway|EMR]], run a mixture of commuter, regional and intercity services. Some of these operators use different branding for different types of service (for example EMR brands its trains as either "InterCity", "Connect" for London commuter services, and "Regional") but even for those operators that do not, the type of train, amenities offered, and stopping pattern, usually tell the services apart.

[[Elektrichka|Russian commuter trains]], on the other hand, frequently cover areas larger than Belgium itself, although these are still short distances by Russian standards. They have a different ticketing system from long-distance trains, and in major cities they often operate from a separate section of the train station.

Some consider "inter-city" service to be that which operates as an express service between two main city stations, bypassing intermediate stations. However, this term is used in Australia (Sydney for example) to describe the regional trains operating beyond the boundaries of the suburban services, even though some of these "inter-city" services stop all stations similar to German regional services. In this regard, the German service delineations and naming conventions are clearer and better used for academic purposes.

====High-speed rail====
[[File:Shinkansen E4 series entering Omiya.jpg|thumb|right|A Tokyo-bound [[E4 Series Shinkansen]] train. As of October 2021, these have since been retired.]]
Sometimes [[high-speed rail]] can serve daily use of commuters. The Japanese [[Shinkansen]] high speed rail system is heavily used by commuters in the [[Greater Tokyo Area]], who commute between {{convert|100|and|200|km|abbr=on|0}} by [[Shinkansen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-high-speed-rail-development-worldwide|title=Fact Sheet: High Speed Rail Development Worldwide {{!}} White Papers {{!}} EESI|website=www.eesi.org|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> To meet the demand of commuters, [[Japan Railways Group|JR]] sells commuter discount passes. Before 2021, they operated 16-car [[bilevel car|bilevel]] [[E4 Series Shinkansen]] trains at rush hour, providing a capacity of 1,600 seats.<ref>{{Cite web|title=JR East to Retire the Last Double-Decker Shinkansen Train – Japan Station|url=https://www.japanstation.com/jr-east-to-retire-the-last-double-decker-shinkansen-train/|access-date=2021-08-11|website=www.japanstation.com|date=18 July 2021 }}</ref> Several lines in [[high-speed rail in China|China]], such as the [[Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway]] and the [[Shanghai–Nanjing High-Speed Railway]], serve a similar role with many more under construction or planned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/1806116099/|title=Metro closes the gap with areas across the border – SHINE|website=SHINE|language=en|access-date=2018-06-23}}</ref>

In [[high-speed rail in South Korea|South Korea]], some sections of the high-speed rail network are also heavily used by commuters, such as the section between [[Gwangmyeong Station]] and [[Seoul Station]] on the [[KTX]] network ([[Gyeongbu High-speed railway|Gyeongbu HSR Line]]), or the section between [[Dongtan Station]] and [[Suseo station]] on the [[Super Rapid Train|SRT]] Line. 

The high-speed services linking [[Zurich]], [[Bern]] and [[Basel]] in [[high-speed rail in Switzerland|Switzerland]] ({{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on}}) have brought the Central Business Districts (CBDs) of these three cities within 1 hour of each other. This has resulted in unexpectedly high demand for new commuter trips between the three cities and a corresponding increase in suburban rail passengers accessing the high-speed services at the main city-centre stations ({{lang|de|Hauptbahnhof}}). The [[Regional-Express]] commuter service between [[Munich]] and [[Nuremberg]] in Germany runs at {{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on}} on the {{convert|300|km/h|abbr=on|0}} [[Nuremberg–Ingolstadt high-speed railway]].

The regional trains [[Stockholm]]–[[Uppsala]], Stockholm–[[Västerås]], Stockholm–[[Eskilstuna]] and [[Gothenburg]]–[[Trollhättan]] in [[high-speed rail in Sweden|Sweden]] reach {{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on}} and have many daily commuters.

In [[Great Britain]], the [[HS1]] domestic services between London and Ashford runs at a top speed of 225 km/h, and in peak hours the trains can be full with commuters standing. 

The [[Athens Suburban Railway]] in Greece consists of five lines, 4 of which are electrified. The [[Kiato railway station|Kiato]]–[[Piraeus]] line and the [[Aigio railway station|Aigio]]–[[Athens Airport Station|Airport]] lines reach speeds of up to {{convert|180|km/h|abbr=on|0}}. The [[Athens]]–[[Chalcis]] line is also expected to attain speeds of up to {{convert|200|km/h|abbr=on|0}} upon upgrading of the SKA–Oinoi railway sector. These lines also have many daily commuters, with the number expected to rise even higher upon full completion of the [[Acharnes Railway Center]].

[[Eskişehir]]-[[Ankara]] and [[Konya]]-[[Ankara]] high speed train routes serve as high speed commuter trains in [[high-speed rail in Turkey|Turkey]].

==Train types==
Commuter/suburban trains are usually optimized for maximum passenger volume, in most cases without sacrificing too much comfort and [[luggage]] space, though they seldom have all the amenities of long-distance trains. Cars may be single- or [[bilevel car|double-level]], and aim to provide seating for all. Compared to intercity trains, they have less space, fewer amenities and limited baggage areas.

===Multiple unit type===
[[File:Treviglio - stazione ferroviaria - elettrotreno TSR.jpg|thumb|An electric multiple unit at Treviglio, on [[Milan S Lines|Milan suburban line]] S5]]
Commuter rail trains are usually composed of [[multiple unit]]s, which are self-propelled, bidirectional, articulated passenger rail cars with driving motors on each (or every other) [[bogie]]. Depending on local circumstances and tradition they may be powered either by [[diesel engines]] located below the passenger compartment ([[diesel multiple unit]]s) or by electricity picked up from [[third rail]]s or [[overhead lines]] ([[electric multiple unit]]s). Multiple units are almost invariably equipped with control cabs at both ends, which is why such units are so frequently used to provide commuter services, due to the associated short turn-around time.

===Locomotive hauled services===
[[File:ACE EMD F40PH Fremont - San Jose.jpg|thumb|left|An [[Altamont Corridor Express]] train operating along the [[San Francisco Bay]]; a [[EMD F40PH|MPI F40PH-2C]] locomotive hauls a consist of [[Bombardier BiLevel Coach]]es.]]
Locomotive hauled services are used in some countries or locations. This is often a case of asset sweating, by using a single large combined fleet for intercity and regional services. Loco hauled services are usually run in [[Push-pull train|push-pull]] formation, that is, the train can run with the locomotive at the "front" or "rear" of the train (pushing or pulling). Trains are often equipped with a control cab at the other end of the train from the locomotive, allowing the train operator to operate the train from either end. The motive power for locomotive-hauled commuter trains may be either electric or [[diesel–electric powertrain|diesel–electric]], although some countries, such as Germany and some of the former Soviet-bloc countries, also use diesel–hydraulic locomotives.

===Seat plans===
In the US and some other countries, a three-and-two seat plan is used. Middle seats on these trains are often less popular because passengers feel crowded and uncomfortable.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/31/nyregion/for-train-riders-middle-seat-isnt-the-center-of-attention.html|title=For Train Riders, Middle Seat Isn't the Center of Attention|first=Patrick|last=McGeehan|newspaper=The New York Times|date=31 May 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/06/opinion/on-the-802-express-threes-a-crowd-139947.html|title=On the 8:02 Express, Three's a Crowd|newspaper=The New York Times|date=6 June 2005}}</ref>

In Japan, South Korea and Indonesia, longitudinal (sideways window-lining) seating is widely used in many commuter rail trains to increase capacity in rush hours. Carriages are usually not organized to increase [[seating capacity]] (although in some trains at least one carriage would feature more doors to facilitate easier boarding and alighting and bench seats so that they can be folded up during rush hour to provide more standing room) even in the case of commuting longer than 50&nbsp;km and commuters in the [[Greater Tokyo Area]], [[Seoul metropolitan area]], and [[Jakarta metropolitan area|Jabodetabek area]] have to stand in the train for more than an hour.

==Commuter rail systems around the world==
{{see also|List of suburban and commuter rail systems}}
{{Expand section|date=March 2009}}

===Africa===
{{See also|Template:Suburban railways in Africa}}
[[File:Kalk Bay Station 3.jpg|thumb|A [[Metrorail (South Africa)|Metrorail]] train pulling out of [[Kalk Bay]] station in [[Cape Town]]]]
Currently there are not many examples of commuter rail in [[Africa]]. [[Metrorail (South Africa)|Metrorail]] operates in the major cities of [[South Africa]], and there are some commuter rail services in [[Algeria]], [[Botswana]], [[Kenya]], [[Morocco]], [[Egypt]] and [[Tunisia]].
In Algeria, [[SNTF]] operates commuter rail lines between the capital [[Algiers]] and its southern and eastern suburbs. They also serve to connect [[Algiers]]' main [[University of Science and Technology, Houari Boumediene|universities]] to each other. The [[Dar es Salaam commuter rail]] offers intracity services in [[Dar es Salaam]], Tanzania. In Botswana, the ([[Botswana Railways]]) "BR Express" has a commuter train between [[Lobatse]] and [[Gaborone]].

===Asia===
====East Asia====
[[File:Series-E235-0_9.jpg|thumb|right|An [[E235 series]] train operating a through service on the [[JR East]] [[Yamanote Line]], an example of high-density commuter rail in Japan.]]
In Japan, commuter rail systems have extensive network and frequent service and are heavily used. In many cases, Japanese commuter rail is operationally more like a typical metro system (frequent trains, an emphasis on [[standing passenger]]s, short station spacings) than it is like commuter rail in other countries. Japanese commuter rail commonly interline with city center subway lines, with commuter rail trains continuing into the subway network, and then out onto different commuter rail systems on the other side of the city. Many Japanese commuter systems operate various stopping patterns to reduce the travel time to distant locations, often using station [[Passing loop|passing loops]] instead of dedicated express tracks. It is notable that the larger Japanese commuter rail systems are owned and operated by for-profit [[private railway]] companies, without public subsidy.

[[East Japan Railway Company]] operates a large suburban train network in [[Tokyo]] with various lines connecting the suburban areas to the city center. While the [[Yamanote Line]], [[Keihin Tohoku Line]], [[Chūō–Sōbu Line]] services arguably are more akin to [[rapid transit]] with frequent stops, simple stopping patterns (relative to other JR East lines) no branching services and largely serving the inner suburbs; other services along the [[Chūō Line (Rapid)|Chūō Rapid Line]], [[Sōbu Line (Rapid)|Sōbu Rapid Line]]/[[Yokosuka Line]], [[Ueno–Tokyo Line]], [[Shōnan–Shinjuku Line]] etc. are mid-distance services from suburban lines in the outer reaches of Greater Tokyo through operating into these lines to form a high frequency corridor though central Tokyo.

Other commuter rail routes in Japan include:
* [[Hanshin Namba Line]] and [[Nara Line (Kintetsu)#Kintetsu Namba Line|Kintetsu Namba Line]] have a busy east west underground section that allow trains from both [[Hanshin Electric Railway]] and [[Kintetsu Railway]] to access [[Namba]], a major commercial center of Osaka, and service destinations east and west of Osaka.
* [[Osaka Metro]] [[Sakaisuji Line]] is a north south line that allows [[Hankyu]] services from the [[Hankyu Senri Line|Senri Line]], [[Hankyu Kyoto Main Line|Kyoto Main Line]] and [[Hankyu Arashiyama Line|Arashiyama Line]] to enter Osaka city center.
* [[JR West]] [[Tozai Line (JR West)|Tozai Line]] is an underground east west corridor allowing trains from the [[JR Kobe Line|Kobe Line]], [[JR Takarazuka Line|Takarazuka Line]] and [[Gakkentoshi Line]] to access [[Umeda]] in central Osaka.
*JR West [[Osaka Loop Line]] is a mostly elevated loop line that allows for services from the [[Yamatoji Line]], [[Hanwa Line]] and [[Sakurajima Line]] to loop around central Osaka.
*JR West [[JR Kobe Line|Kobe Line]]/[[JR Kyoto Line|Kyoto Line]] is a four track corridor allowing [[Biwako Line]], [[Kosei Line]], [[JR Takarazuka Line|Takarazuka Line]], [[San'yō Main Line]] and [[Akō Line]] services to service [[Kyoto]], [[Osaka]] and [[Kobe]].
*A special private railway [[Kōbe Rapid Transit Railway]] owns two underground corridors (a north south and east west line) that allow for [[Sanyo Electric Railway]], [[Hankyu|Hankyu railway]], [[Hanshin Electric Railway]] and [[Kobe Electric Railway]] services to enter and cross Kobe city center.
* Most of the trains on the [[Meitetsu]] network through operate into a high frequency trunk line on the [[Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line]] branching out to other lines on the other side of [[Nagoya]].

Commuter rail systems have been inaugurated in several cities in China such as [[Beijing Suburban Railway|Beijing]], [[Shanghai Suburban Railway|Shanghai]], [[Central Plain Metropolitan Intercity Rail|Zhengzhou]], [[Wuhan Metropolitan Area Intercity Railway|Wuhan]], [[Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan Intercity Railway|Changsha]] and the [[Pearl River Delta Rapid Transit|Pearl River Delta]]. With plans for large systems in northeastern [[Zhejiang]], [[Jingjinji]], and [[Yangtze River Delta]] areas. The level of service varies considerably from line to line ranging [[high speed rail|high]] to near high speeds. More developed and established lines such as the [[Guangzhou–Shenzhen Railway|Guangshen Railway]] have more frequent metro-like service. 

The two [[MTR]] lines which are owned and formerly operated by the [[Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation]] ([[East Rail line]] and [[Tuen Ma line]] which is integrated from the former [[West Rail line]] and [[Ma On Shan line]] in 2021), then the [[Kowloon–Canton Railway|"KCR"]]), and MTR's own [[Tung Chung line]] connect the new towns in [[New Territories]] and the city centre [[Kowloon]] together with frequent intervals, and some New Territories-bound trains terminate at intermediate stations, providing more frequent services in Kowloon and the towns closer to Kowloon. They use rolling stocks with a faster maximum speed and have longer stop spacing compared to other lines which only run in the inner urban area, but in order to maximise capacity and throughput, these rolling stocks have longitudinal seatings, 5 pairs of doors in each carriage with large standing spaces like the urban lines, and run as frequent as well. Most of the sections of these four lines are overground and some sections of the East Rail Line share tracks with intercity trains to [[mainland China]]. The three KCR lines are integrated into the MTR network since 2008 and most passengers do not need to exit and re-enter the system through separate fare gates and purchase separate tickets to transfer between such lines and the rest of the network (the exceptions are between the Tuen Ma line's [[East Tsim Sha Tsui station]] and the Tsuen Wan line's [[Tsim Sha Tsui station]].

In Taiwan, the [[Western Trunk line|Western line]] in the [[Taipei]]-[[Taoyuan City|Taoyuan]] Metropolitan Area, [[Taichung]] Metropolitan Area and [[Tainan]]-[[Kaohsiung]] Metropolitan Area as well as the [[Neiwan line|Neiwan]]-[[Liujia line]] in the [[Hsinchu]] Area are considered commuter rail.

In South Korea, the [[Seoul Metropolitan Subway]] includes a total of 22 lines, and some of its lines are suburban lines. This is especially the case for lines operated by [[Korail]], such as the [[Gyeongui-Jungang Line]], the [[Gyeongchun Line]], the [[Suin-Bundang Line]], or the [[Gyeonggang Line]]. Even some lines not operated by Korail, such as the [[AREX]] Line, the [[Seohae Line]] or the [[Shinbundang Line]] mostly function as commuter rail. Lastly, even for the "numbered lines" (1–9) of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway which mostly travel in the dense parts of Seoul, some track sections extend far outside of the city, and operate large sections at ground level, such as on the [[Seoul Subway Line 1|Line 1]], [[Seoul Subway Line 3|Line 3]] and [[Seoul Subway Line 4|Line 4]]. In Busan, the [[Donghae Line]], while part of the [[Busan Metro]] system, mostly functions as a commuter rail line.

====Southeast Asia====
[[File:KRL6000Kebayoran.jpg|thumb|right|The [[KRL Commuterline]] set [[Tokyo Metro 6000 series|6000 series]] serves the [[Rangkasbitung Line]] in Indonesia]]

In [[Indonesia]], the [[KRL Commuterline]] is the largest commuter rail system in the country, serving the [[Jakarta metropolitan area|Greater Jakarta]]. It connects the [[Jakarta]] city center with surrounding cities and sub-urbans in [[Banten]] and [[West Java]] provinces, including [[Depok]], [[Bogor]], [[Tangerang]],  [[Serpong]], [[Rangkasbitung]], [[Bekasi]] and [[Cikarang]]. In July 2015, KRL Commuterline served more than 850,000 passengers per day, which is almost triple of the 2011 figures, but still less than 3.5% of all Jabodetabek commutes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2015/07/06/14142481/PT.KCJ.Keterlambatan.KRL.Sudah.di.Bawah.10.Menit |title=PT KCJ: Keterlambatan KRL Sudah di Bawah 10 Menit |work=KOMPAS.com |date=July 6, 2015 |last1=Media |first1=Kompas Cyber }}</ref> Other commuter rail systems in Indonesia include the [[Metro Surabaya Commuter Line]], [[KAI Commuter Line Bandung|Commuter Line Bandung]], [[KAI Commuter Yogyakarta Line|KAI Commuter Yogyakarta–Solo Line]], [[Kedungsepur (train)|Kedung Sepur]], and the [[Sri Lelawangsa]].

In the Philippines, the [[Philippine National Railways]] has two commuter rail systems currently operational; the [[PNR Metro Commuter Line]] in the [[Greater Manila Area]] and the [[PNR Bicol Commuter]] in the [[Bicol Region]]. A new commuter rail line in Metro Manila, the [[North–South Commuter Railway]], is currently under construction. Its North section is set to be partially opened by 2021.

In Malaysia, there are two commuter services operated by [[Keretapi Tanah Melayu]]. They are the [[KTM Komuter]] that serves [[Kuala Lumpur]] and the surrounding [[Klang Valley|Klang Valley area]], and the [[KTM Komuter Northern Sector]] that serves the [[George Town Conurbation]], [[Perak]], [[Kedah]] and [[Perlis]] in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia.

In Thailand, the [[Greater Bangkok Commuter rail]] and the [[Airport Rail Link (Bangkok)|Airport Rail Link]] serve the [[Bangkok Metropolitan Region]]. The [[SRT Red Lines]], a new commuter line in Bangkok, started construction in 2009. It opened in 2021.

Another commuter rail system in Southeast Asia is the [[Yangon Circular Railway]] in [[Myanmar]].

====South Asia====
{{See also|Urban rail transit in India#Suburban rail|Karachi Circular Railway|}}
[[File:ChennaiEMUNew.JPG|thumb|220x220px|Chennai suburban railway]]
[[File:KolkataLocalTrains.JPG|thumb|220x220px|[[Kolkata Suburban Railway]] is the largest suburban railway network in India. ]]
In India, commuter rail systems are present in major cities and form an important part of people's daily lives. [[Mumbai Suburban Railway]], the oldest suburban rail system in Asia, carries more than 7.24 million commuters on a daily basis which constitutes more than half of the total daily passenger capacity of the Indian Railways itself. [[Kolkata Suburban Railway]], one of the largest suburban railway networks in the world, consists of more than 450 stations and carries more than 3.5 million commuters per day. The [[Chennai Suburban Railway]] along with the [[Chennai MRTS]], also covers over 300 stations and carries more than 2.5 million people daily to different areas in [[Chennai]] and its surroundings. Other commuter railways in India include the [[Hyderabad MMTS]], [[Delhi Suburban Railway]], [[Pune Suburban Railway]] and [[Lucknow-Kanpur Suburban Railway]].

In 2020, Government of India approved [[Bengaluru Commuter Rail|Bengaluru Suburban Railway]] to connect [[Bengaluru]] and its suburbs. It will be unique and first of its kind in India as it will have metro like facilities and rolling stock.

In Bangladesh, there is one suburban rail called the [[Chittagong Circular Railway]]. Another suburban railway called the [[Dhaka Circular Railway]] is currently proposed.

[[Karachi]] in [[Pakistan]] has a [[Karachi Circular Railway|circular railway]] since 1969.

==== West Asia ====
[[File:TM1 (SIK 04-E1424-272).jpg|thumb|Tehran Suburban Railway]]
Tehran Metro currently operates the [[Tehran Metro Line 5|Line 5]] commuter line between [[Tehran]] and [[Karaj]].{{cn|date=August 2024}}

Turkey has lines connecting [[Başkentray]], [[İZBAN]], [[Marmaray]] and [[Gaziray]].{{cn|date=August 2024}}

===Europe===
{{See also|Commuter rail in the United Kingdom|List of suburban and commuter rail systems}}
[[File:Ny pendeltag stockholm.jpg|thumb|right|Type [[SL X60|X60]] at Stockholm Central in Sweden]]
Major metropolitan areas in most European countries are usually served by extensive commuter/suburban rail systems. Well-known examples include [[BG Voz]] in [[Belgrade]] (Serbia), [[S-Bahn]] in Germany, Austria and German-speaking areas of Switzerland, [[Proastiakos]] in Greece, [[Réseau Express Régional|RER]] in France and Belgium, Servizio ferroviario suburbano in Italy, [[Cercanías]] and [[Rodalies de Catalunya|Rodalies]] ([[Catalonia]]) in Spain, [[CP Urban Services]] in Portugal, [[Esko Prague|Esko]] in [[Prague]] and [[Ostrava]] (Czech Republic), [[HÉV]] in [[Budapest]] (Hungary) and [[Dublin Area Rapid Transit|DART]] in [[Dublin]] (Ireland).

====Western Europe====
[[File:Testfahrt SBB S-bahnzug RABe-511-001 Re-450-s.jpg|thumb|right|[[Stadler KISS]] and [[SBB-CFF-FFS Re 450|Re 450]] hauled double-decker cars of [[Zurich S-Bahn]]]]

[[London]] has multiple commuter rail routes:
* The [[Elizabeth line]] runs on a {{convert|22|km|abbr=off|adj=on}} east–west twin tunnel under central London ([[Crossrail]] project) as its central core section.
* [[Thameslink]] brings together several branches from northern and southern suburbs and satellite towns in to a high frequency central tunnel underneath London.
* The [[London Overground]], by contrast, skirts through the inner suburbs with lines mostly independent of each other, although there are several branches. The [[Watford DC line]], partly shared with underground trains, uses third rail, but parallels a main line using overhead wires. The [[East London line]] and [[North London line]] run at metro-like frequencies in inner London, which make them nearly indistinguishable from metro systems apart from the fact that the tracks are shared with freight trains.
* The [[Metropolitan line]], despite being part of the [[London Underground]], is a commuter rail route as it links the [[City of London]] to commuter towns outside [[Greater London]] such as [[Rickmansworth]], [[Amersham]] and [[Chesham]], where it runs to a timetable, being the only [[London Underground]] line with a public timetable published. It also shares tracks with [[Chiltern Railways]] main line services between London and [[Aylesbury]].

The [[Merseyrail]] network in [[Liverpool]] consists of two commuter rail routes powered by third rail, both of which branch out at one end. At the other, the [[Northern line (Merseyrail)|Northern line]] continues out of the city centre to a mainline rail interchange, while the [[Wirral line]] has a city-centre loop.

[[Birmingham]] has four suburban routes which operate out of [[Birmingham New Street]] & [[Birmingham Moor Street]] stations, one of which is operated using diesel trains.

The [[Tyneside Electrics]] system in [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] existed from 1904 to 1967 using DC third rail. [[British Rail]] did not have the budget to maintain the ageing electrification system. The [[Riverside Branch]] was closed, while the remaining lines were de-electrified. 13 years later, they were re-electrified using DC overhead wires, and now form the [[Tyne & Wear Metro]] Yellow Line.

Many of the rail services around [[Glasgow]] are branded as [[Strathclyde Partnership for Transport]]. The network includes most electrified Scottish rail routes.

The [[West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive]] run eleven services which feed into Leeds, connecting the city with commuter areas and neighbouring urban centres in the [[West Yorkshire Built-up Area]].

[[MetroWest (Bristol)|MetroWest]] is a proposed network in [[Bristol]], northern [[Somerset]] & southern [[Gloucestershire]]. The four-tracking of the line between [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station|Bristol Temple Meads]] and [[Bristol Parkway railway station|Bristol Parkway]] stations will enable local rail services to be separated from long-distance trains.

The [[Réseau Express Régional|Réseau express régional d'Île-de-France]] (RER) is a commuter rail network in the agglomeration of [[Paris]]. In the centre the RER has high frequency underground corridors where several suburban branches feed similar to a [[rapid transit]] system.

Commuter rail systems in [[German language|German-speaking regions]] are called [[S-Bahn]]. While in some major cities S-Bahn services run on separate lines exclusively other systems use the existing regional rail tracks.

[[Randstadspoor]] is a network of [[Nederlandse Spoorwegen#Types of train service|Sprinter]] train services in and around the city of [[Utrecht]] in the Netherlands. For the realisation of this network, new stations were opened. Separate tracks have been built for these trains, so they can call frequently without disturbing high-frequent Intercity services parallel to these routes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.provincie-utrecht.nl/onderwerpen/mobiliteit/spoorprojecten#randstadspoor|title=Spoorprojecten|publisher=Provincie Utrecht|access-date=2021-02-09}}</ref> Similar systems are planned for [[The Hague]] and [[Rotterdam]].

====Northern Europe====
In Sweden, electrified commuter rail systems known as ''Pendeltåg'' are present in the cities of [[Stockholm]] and [[Gothenburg]]. The [[Stockholm commuter rail]] system, which began in 1968, shares railway tracks with inter-city trains and freight trains, but for the most part runs on its own dedicated tracks. It is primarily used to transport passengers from nearby towns and other suburban areas into the city centre, not for transportation inside the city centre. The [[Gothenburg commuter rail]] system, which began in 1960, is similar to the Stockholm system, but does fully share tracks with long-distance trains.

In Norway, the [[Oslo Commuter Rail|Oslo commuter rail]] system is from 2022 more limited but the remaining commuter lines go on tracks mostly not much used by other trains. From 2022 several lines with hourly frequency and travel times to endpoints of over one hour are redefined as regional trains. Before 2022 Oslo had the largest commuter rail system in the Nordic countries in terms of line lengths and number of stations. Also [[Bergen Commuter Rail|Bergen]], [[Jæren Commuter Rail|Stavanger]] and [[Trønderbanen|Trondheim]] have commuter rail systems. These have only one or two lines each and they share tracks with other trains.

In [[Finland]], the [[Helsinki commuter rail]] network runs on dedicated tracks from [[Helsinki Central railway station]] to [[Leppävaara railway station|Leppävaara]] and [[Kerava]]. The [[Ring Rail Line]] serves [[Helsinki Airport]] and northern suburbs of [[Vantaa]] and is exclusively used by the commuter rail network. On 15 December 2019, the [[Tampere]] region got its own commuter rail service, with trains running from Tampere to [[Nokia, Finland|Nokia]], [[Lempäälä]] and [[Orivesi]].

====Southern Europe====
In [[Spain]], ''[[Cercanías]]'' networks exist in [[Cercanías Madrid|Madrid]], [[Cercanías Sevilla|Sevilla]], [[Cercanías Murcia/Alicante|Murcia/Alicante]], [[Cercanías San Sebastián|San Sebastián]], [[Cercanías Cádiz|Cádiz]], [[Cercanías Valencia|Valencia]], [[Cercanías Asturias|Asturias]], Santander, [[Cercanías Zaragoza|Zaragoza]], [[Cercanías Bilbao|Bilbao]] and [[Cercanías Málaga|Málaga]]. All these systems include underground sections in the city centre. There is also a network of [[Metre-gauge railway|narrow-gauge]] [[Renfe Feve|commuter systems]] in North Spain and Murcia.
[[File:Cercanías Madrid Atocha 2008.jpg|thumb|Atocha is the main station in Spain mainly due to the Cercanías.]]
[[Cercanías Madrid]] is one of the most important train services in the country, more than 900,000 passengers move in the system. It has underground stations in Madrid like [[Recoletos Station|Recoletos]], [[Sol (Madrid Metro)|Sol]] or [[Nuevos Ministerios (Madrid Metro)|Nuevos Ministerios]] and in the [[Madrid metropolitan area|metropolitan area]] in cities like [[Parla]] or [[Getafe]].

[[File:Trens de Rodalies Renfe a l'Estació de França.jpg|thumb|[[Rodalies de Catalunya|Rodalies]] [[Renfe]] trains in [[Barcelona França railway station|Estació de França]], [[Barcelona]]|221x221px]]
[[File:FGC 211.03 i 213.34.jpg|thumb|Trains in circulation on the [[Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya|FGC]] [[Llobregat–Anoia Line|Llobregat-Anoia line]] in 2009]]

In the [[Autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous community]] of [[Catalonia]], and unlike the rest of Spain, the commuter service is not managed by [[Renfe Operadora]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-09 |title=¿De quién depende qué en Rodalies Renfe? |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20160209/302025314403/competencias-rodalies-renfe.html |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=La Vanguardia |language=es}}</ref> Since 2010, the [[Generalitat de Catalunya|Government of Catalonia]] has managed all the regular commuter services with the "transfer of ''Rodalies''".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-12-29 |title=Generalitat i Govern central signen el traspàs del servei de Rodalies |url=https://beteve.cat/mobilitat/generalitat-i-govern-central-signen-avui-el-traspas-del-servei-de-rodalies/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=beteve.cat |language=ca}}</ref> There are two companies that manage the Catalan commuter network:

* [[Rodalies de Catalunya]], which after the transfer at the beginning of 2010 when, due to the "[[Catalan rail chaos]]" of 2007,<ref>{{Cite web |title=La protesta contra el caos ferroviari aplega mil manifestants |url=https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/2608414/20071029/protesta-caos-ferroviari-aplega-mil-manifestants/secure.html |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=VilaWeb |language=ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=324cat |date=2007-11-05 |title=El cost del 'caos ferroviari' per les obres del TGV supera els 175 milions d'euros |url=https://www.ccma.cat/324/el-cost-del-caos-ferroviari-per-les-obres-del-tgv-supera-els-175-milions-deuros/noticia/226930/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=CCMA |language=ca}}</ref> the [[Government of Spain|Spanish government]] promised to transfer the Renfe commuter service to the [[Generalitat de Catalunya|Generalitat]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=324cat |date=2007-07-03 |title=Zapatero traspassarà Rodalies a Catalunya i ajudarà les famílies amb 2.500 euros per fill |url=https://www.ccma.cat/324/zapatero-traspassara-rodalies-a-catalunya-i-ajudara-les-families-amb-2-500-euros-per-fill/noticia/203369/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=CCMA |language=ca}}</ref> although it does not deal with the entire service; After the transfer, responsibilities for the commuter trains were divided into three parts: the [[Generalitat de Catalunya|Generalitat]] (management, regulation, planning, coordination and inspection of services and activities and power to charge), [[Renfe Operadora|Renfe]] (train operator and its maintenance), and [[Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias|Adif]] (owner of the railway infrastructure).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Què són Rodalies de Catalunya |url=http://rodalies.gencat.cat/ca/sobre-rodalies/que-son-rodalies-de-catalunya/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Rodalies de Catalunya |language=ca-ES}}</ref> Lines R1, R2, R2 Nord, R2 Sud, R3 (to [[Sant Quirze de Besora]], from there to [[Puigcerdà]] or [[Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg station|La Tor de Querol]] it is considered a regional route), R4, R7 and R8 run through Rodalies de Catalunya, all on [[Iberian-gauge railways|Iberian gauge]] (1668 mm).

* [[Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya]] (FGC) is the railway company responsible for the [[Barcelona–Vallès Line|Vallès]], [[Llobregat–Anoia Line|Llobregat-Anoia]] and [[Lleida–La Pobla Line|Lleida-La Pobla de Segur]] lines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=APP |first=Descarga nuestra |title=Lines |url=https://www.fgc.cat/en/lines-and-schedule/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya |language=en-US}}</ref> This company is mainly in charge of metro and suburban lines, although it also has five commuter lines spread over two lines, four on the Llobregat-Anoia line (R5, R50, R6, R60) on [[Metre-gauge railway|metre-gauge]] (1000 mm)<ref>{{Cite web |last=APP |first=Descarga nuestra |title=Línia Llobregat-Anoia |url=https://www.fgc.cat/en/fgc-network/l-llobregat-anoia/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya |language=en-US}}</ref> and a single line on the Lleida-La Pobla de Segur line (RL1) on [[Iberian-gauge railways|Iberian gauge]] (1668 mm).<ref>{{Cite web |last=APP |first=Descarga nuestra |title=Line Lleida-La Pobla |url=https://www.fgc.cat/en/fgc-network/linea-lleida-la-pobla/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya |language=en-US}}</ref> FGC is in charge of the entire service, unlike Rodalies de Catalunya, which is not in charge of either the trains or the infrastructure. 
Since 2024, the [[Generalitat de Catalunya|Government of Catalonia]] has full control of the current [[R12 (Rodalies de Catalunya)|R12]] regional line and it is now owned by the [[Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya|FGC]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=324cat |date=2021-10-19 |title=Renfe perd Rodalies de Lleida, que gestionarà FGC a partir del 2024 |url=https://www.ccma.cat/324/renfe-perd-rodalies-de-lleida-que-gestionara-fgc-a-partir-del-2024/noticia/3124745/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=CCMA |language=ca}}</ref> It will eliminate the current line and replace it with the new commuter lines RL3 and RL4, towards [[Cervera]] and [[Manresa]] from [[Lleida]] respectively.

[[File:Milano staz Porta Venezia TSR linea S6.JPG|thumb|A [[Treno Servizio Regionale|TSR train at Milano Porta Venezia railway station]] on the [[Milan Passerby Railway|Milan Passerby railway, Italy]]]]
[[File:I08 119 Bf Napoli Garibaldi, ETR 211.jpg|thumb|A Metrostar train at [[Napoli Garibaldi railway station]] on the [[Circumvesuviana]] railway network]]
In Italy fifteen cities have commuter rail systems:
* [[Bari]] ([[Bari metropolitan railway service]], 3 lines)
* [[Bologna]] ([[Bologna metropolitan railway service]], 8 lines)
* [[Cagliari]], 1 line
* [[Catanzaro]], 2 lines
* [[Genoa]] ([[Genoa urban railway service]], 3 lines)
* [[Messina]], 1 line
* [[Milan]] ([[Milan suburban railway service]], 12 lines)
* [[Naples]], 8 lines
* [[Palermo]] ([[Palermo metropolitan railway service]], 2 lines)
* [[Perugia]], 1 line
* [[Potenza]], 1 line
* [[Reggio Calabria]], 1 line
* [[Rome]] ([[FL lines]], 8 lines)
* [[Salerno]] ([[Salerno metropolitan railway service]], 1 line)
* [[Turin]] ([[Turin metropolitan railway service]], 8 lines)
* [[Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia]] connects [[Canton Ticino]], [[Switzerland]], and [[Italy]], reaching [[Lombardy|Lombard]] cities like [[Como]] and [[Varese]] and the [[Milan Malpensa Airport]].

====Eastern Europe====
[[File:SKM S9 Pludy.JPG|thumb|[[Szybka Kolej Miejska (Warsaw)|SKM]] train in Warsaw, Poland]]
In Poland, commuter rail systems exist in [[Szybka Kolej Miejska (Tricity)|Tricity]], [[Szybka Kolej Miejska (Warsaw)|Warsaw]], [[Kraków]] ([[Szybka Kolej Aglomeracyjna|SKA]]) and [[Katowice]] ([[Szybka Kolej Regionalna|SKR]]). There is also a similar system planned in [[Wrocław]] and [[Szczecin]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Szczecińska Kolej Metropolitalna -|url=http://skm.szczecin.pl/index.php}}</ref> The terms used are "Szybka Kolej Miejska" (fast urban rail) and "kolej aglomeracyjna" (agglomeration rail). These systems are:
* [[Szybka Kolej Miejska (Warsaw)|Szybka Kolej Miejska w Warszawie]] in the [[Warsaw]] urban area, with 4 lines and 46 stations.<ref>[[:pl:Szybka Kolej Miejska w Warszawie]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=May 2020}}
* [[Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna]] is located in the center of Poland connecting satellite towns in and around [[Łódź]]. It also operates some trains between Łódź and Warsaw.
*[[Szybka Kolej Miejska (Tricity)|Szybka Kolej Miejska w Trójmieście]] is located in the [[Tricity, Poland|Tricity]]/Trójmiasto urban area, the three cities of [[Gdańsk]], [[Gdynia]] and [[Sopot]].

The [[Proastiakos]] ({{langx|el|Προαστιακός}}; "suburban") is [[Greece]]'s [[suburban]] railway (commuter rail) services, which are run by [[TrainOSE]], on infrastructure owned by the [[Hellenic Railways Organisation]] (OSE). There are three Proastiakos networks, servicing the country's three largest cities: [[Athens]], [[Thessaloniki]] and [[Patras]]. In particular, the [[Athens Suburban Railway|Athenian network]] is undergoing modifications to completely separate it from mainline traffic, by re-routing the tracks via a tunnel underneath the city center. A similar project is planned for the [[Patras]] network, whereas a new line is due to be constructed for the [[Thessaloniki Regional Railway|Thessalonian network]].

In Romania, the first commuter trains were introduced in December 2019. They operate between [[Bucharest]] and Funduea or [[Buftea]].

[[BG Voz]] is an urban rail system that serves Belgrade. It currently has only two routes, with plans for further expansion. Between the early 1990s and mid-2010s, there was another system, known as [[Beovoz]], that was used to provide [[mass-transit]] service within the Belgrade [[metropolitan area]], as well as to nearby towns, similarly to [[Réseau Express Régional|RER]] in Paris. Beovoz had more lines and far more stops than the current system. However, it was abandoned in favor of more accurate BG Voz, mostly due to inefficiency. While current services rely mostly on the existing infrastructure, any further development means furthering capacities (railways expansion and new trains). Plans for further extension of system include another two lines, one of which should reach [[Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport]].

In Russia, Ukraine and some other countries of the former [[Soviet Union]], electrical multiple unit passenger suburban trains called [[Elektrichka]] are widespread. The first such system in Russia is the Oranienbaum Electric Line in [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]]. In Moscow the Beskudnikovskaya railway branch existed between the 1940s and 1980s. The trains that shuttled along it did not go to the main lines, so it was a city transport. Today there are the [[Moscow Central Circle]] and the [[Moscow Central Diameters]].
{{See also|Urban electric transport in Russia}}

In Turkey, [[Marmaray]] line stations from [[Sirkeci]] to [[Halkalı]] are located at the European side.

===Americas===
[[File:SEPTA Silverliner V 725 at Glenside station.jpeg|thumb|[[SEPTA Regional Rail]] serves Philadelphia and its suburbs.]]

====North America====
{{Main|Commuter rail in North America}}
In the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Mexico regional passenger rail services are provided by governmental or quasi-governmental agencies, with the busiest and most expansive rail networks located in the Northeastern US, California, and Eastern Canada. Most North American commuter railways utilize [[diesel locomotive]] propulsion, with the exception of services in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, and Mexico City; New York's commuter rail lines use a combination of third rail and overhead wire power generation, while Chicago only has two out of twelve services that are electrified. Many newer and proposed systems in Canada and the United States are often are geared to serving peak-hour commutes as opposed to the all-day systems of Europe, East Asia, and Australia.
[[File:MTA LIRR train leaving Woodside.jpg|thumb|[[Long Island Rail Road]] is the busiest commuter railroad in North America.]]
[[File:Front Runner (1141456610).jpg|thumb|right|The [[FrontRunner]] commuter rail system serves Utah's [[Wasatch Front]].]] 
[[File:WES Commuter Rail train.jpg|thumb|[[WES Commuter Rail]] is a DMU operated commuter rail line in Oregon.]]

===== United States =====
{{Main|List of United States commuter rail systems}}

Eight commuter rail systems in the United States carried over ten million trips each in 2018, those being in descending order:

* [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]'s [[Long Island Rail Road]], serving [[New York City]] and [[Long Island]]
* [[NJ Transit Rail Operations]], serving New York City, New Jersey ([[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]], [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]]) and [[Philadelphia]]
* Metropolitan Transportation Authority's [[Metro-North Railroad]], serving New York ([[Yonkers]] and New York City) and Southwest Connecticut ([[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]])
* [[Metra]], serving northeast Illinois ([[Chicago]]) and [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]]. The network consists of 11 services, of which only the [[Metra Electric District|Electric District]] service runs on tracks exclusively used for passenger traffic.
**The [[South Shore Line]] is a commuter line that serves the [[South Side, Chicago|South Side]] and [[northern Indiana]]. Although the line is operated by NICTD, an agency separate from Metra, the line runs along the Metra Electric Line north of [[Kensington/115th Street station]].
* [[SEPTA Regional Rail]], serving southeast Pennsylvania ([[Philadelphia]]), as well as [[Wilmington, Delaware]], and [[Trenton, New Jersey]]. The network features a [[Center City Commuter Connection|tunneled corridor]] through the city center and through-routed services from several commuter lines. The arrangement of services through the corridor was originally proposed by [[Vukan Vuchic]] and Shinya Kikuchi in 1984 and 1985.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Vuchich|first1=Vukan|last2=Kikuchi|first2=Shinya|title=General Operations Plan for the SEPTA Regional High Speed System.|date=1984|publisher=[[SEPTA]]|pages=5–2}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vukich|first1=Vukan|last2=Kikuchi|first2=Shinya|title=Planning an Integrated Regional Rail Network: Philadelphia Case|journal=Transportation Research Record|date=1985|pages=52–57}}</ref>
* [[MBTA Commuter Rail]], serving Massachusetts ([[Boston]], [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], [[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]]) and [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], [[Rhode Island]]
* [[Caltrain]], serving [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area California]] ([[San Francisco]], [[San Jose, California|San Jose]], and the [[San Francisco Peninsula]])
* [[Metrolink (California)|Metrolink]], serving [[Southern California]] ([[Los Angeles]], [[Burbank, California|Burbank]], [[Anaheim]], [[San Bernardino]], and [[Southern California]])

Other commuter rail systems in the United States (not in ridership order) are:

*[[CTRail]], serving [[Connecticut]] ([[Hartford]], [[New Haven]] and [[New London, Connecticut|New London]])
*[[Utah Transit Authority]] [[FrontRunner]], serving Utah ([[Wasatch Front]])
*[[North County Transit District]] [[Coaster (rail service)|Coaster]], serving [[Southern California]] ([[San Diego County]])
*[[Maryland Area Regional Commuter]], serving western [[Maryland]] ([[Baltimore]], [[Frederick, Maryland|Frederick]]), [[Washington, D.C.]], and [[West Virginia]] ([[Harpers Ferry, West Virginia|Harpers Ferry]])
*[[Virginia Railway Express]], serving suburbs of [[Northern Virginia]] and [[Washington, D.C.]]
*[[Sounder commuter rail]], serving [[Washington (state)|Washington]] ([[Seattle]] / [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]])
*[[Tri-Rail]], serving southeastern [[Florida]] ([[Miami]] / [[Fort Lauderdale]] / [[West Palm Beach]])
* [[Trinity Railway Express]], serving [[Texas]] ([[Dallas]] / [[Fort Worth]])
* [[WES Commuter Rail|Westside Express Service]], serving northwestern [[Oregon]] ([[Beaverton, Oregon|Beaverton]] / [[Wilsonville, Oregon|Wilsonville]])
*[[Altamont Corridor Express]], serving northern [[California]] ([[San Jose, California|San Jose]] / [[Stockton, California|Stockton]])
*[[SunRail]], serving central [[Florida]] ([[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]]/[[Poinciana, Florida|Poinciana]])
*[[New Mexico Rail Runner Express]], serving [[New Mexico]] ([[Albuquerque]])
*[[Northstar Line]], serving central [[Minnesota]] ([[Big Lake, Minnesota|Big Lake]] and downtown [[Minneapolis]])
*[[Capital MetroRail]], serving [[Texas]] ([[Austin, Texas|Austin]])
*[[A-train (Denton County)|A-train]], serving [[Texas]] ([[Denton County]])
*[[Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit|SMART]], serving northern [[California]] ([[Sonoma County|Sonoma]] and [[Marin County|Marin]] counties)
*[[WeGo Star]], serving [[Nashville]] and [[Lebanon, Tennessee]].
* [[Denver]]'s [[RTD Bus & Rail|RTD]] four electrified commuter rail lines – the [[A Line (RTD)|A]], [[B Line (RTD)|B]], [[G Line (RTD)|G]] and [[N Line (RTD)|N Lines]], run on segregated tracks. In its entirety the system combines elements of [[tram-train]] and commuter rail.

===== Canada =====
[[File:UP Express 1005 inbound 2015-09-17.JPG|thumb|[[UP Express]] and [[GO Transit]] both serve the Toronto area.]]

* [[Exo commuter rail]] in [[Montreal]]
* [[GO Transit]] in [[Toronto]]
* [[West Coast Express]] in [[Vancouver]]
* [[UP Express]] in Toronto

===== Mexico =====
* [[Suburban Railway of the Valley of Mexico Metropolitan Area]] serving [[Mexico City]]
* [[Toluca–Mexico City commuter rail]] serving [[Toluca]] and [[Mexico City]]

=====Central America=====
*[[Tren Urbano de Costa Rica|Rail Transport in Costa Rica]] serving [[San José, Costa Rica|San Jose]]

====South America====
[[File:EMU CSR M20 en Barrancas.jpg|thumb|The [[Mitre Line]] is part of the extensive [[Rail transport in Argentina#Commuter networks|Buenos Aires metropolitan rail system]].]]
Examples include an {{convert|899|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=on}} commuter system in the [[Rail transport in Argentina#Commuter networks|Buenos Aires metropolitan area]], the {{convert|225|km|mi|adj=on|abbr=on}} long [[Supervia]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]], the [[Metrotrén]] in [[Santiago]], [[Chile]], and the [[Valparaíso Metro]] in [[Valparaíso]], Chile.

Another example is [[Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos]] (CPTM) in [[Greater São Paulo]], [[Brazil]]. CPTM has 94 stations with seven lines, numbered starting on 7 (the lines 1 to 6 and the line 15 belong to the [[São Paulo Metro]]), with a total length of {{convert|273|km}}. Trains operates at high frequencies on tracks used exclusively for commuter traffic. In [[Rio de Janeiro]] [[SuperVia]] provides electrified commuter rail services.

===Oceania===
{{See also|Rail transport in Australia}}
[[File:Siemens train in Metro Trains Melbourne Livery.jpg|thumb|A [[Siemens Nexas]] used on the [[Metro Trains Melbourne]] network]]
The five major cities in Australia have suburban railway systems in their metropolitan areas. These networks have frequent services, with frequencies varying from every 10 to every 30 minutes on most suburban lines, and up to 3–5 minutes in peak on bundled underground lines in the city centres of Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne. The networks in each state developed from mainline railways and have never been completely operationally separate from long distance and freight traffic, unlike [[Rapid transit|metro]] systems. The suburban networks are almost completely electrified.

The main suburban rail networks in Australia are:
* The [[Sydney Trains]] suburban rail network consists of nine lines converging in the underground [[City Circle]] with frequencies as high as three minutes in this section, 5–10 minutes at most major stations all day and 15 minutes at most minor stations all day.
*The [[Railways in Sydney|Sydney rail network]] operated by [[Sydney Trains]] in [[Sydney]] (with connected suburban services in [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] and [[Wollongong]] run by its counterpart intercity operator, [[NSW TrainLink]]).

* [[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne's rail network]] features sixteen electrified commuter rail lines traversing the city centre in the underground [[City Loop]] providing a metro-like service in the central core. A second underground core is under construction, as the [[Metro Tunnel]] project. [[V/Line]] operates some commuter services between Melbourne and surrounding towns, as well as between Melbourne and some locations within the Melbourne metropolitan area.

* Commuter rail services in [[Brisbane]] are provided under the [[Queensland Rail City network]] brand, featuring twelve electrified lines converging in the city centre. [[Cross River Rail]] is an under construction underground cross-city tunnel to relieve pressure on this network.

* [[Railways in Perth]] fall under the [[Transperth]] network, which are operated by the [[Public Transport Authority (Western Australia)|Public Transport Authority]]

*The [[Railways in Adelaide|Adelaide rail network]] operated by [[Adelaide Metro]] in [[Adelaide]].

New Zealand has two frequent suburban rail services comparable to those in Australia: the [[Public transport in Auckland|Auckland rail network]] is operated by [[Auckland One Rail]] and the [[Public transport in the Wellington Region|Wellington rail network]] is operated by [[Transdev Wellington]].

==Hybrid systems==
{{Original research|section|date=June 2023|reason=Where are the sources that confirm this is an actual type of transit system? Where are the references that confirm each example is actually what is stated here?}}
Hybrid [[urban rail|urban]]-[[suburban rail]] systems exhibiting characteristics of both rapid transit and commuter rail serving a [[metropolitan region]] are common in German-speaking countries, where they are known as [[S-Bahn]]. Other examples include: [[Lazio regional railways]] in [[Rome]], the [[Réseau Express Régional|RER]] in France and the [[Elizabeth line]], [[London Underground]] [[Metropolitan line]], [[London Overground]] and [[Merseyrail]] in the UK. Comparable systems can be found in Australia such as [[Sydney Trains]] and [[Metro Trains Melbourne]], and in Japan with many urban and suburban lines operated by JR East/West and third-party companies running at metro-style frequencies. In contrast, comparable systems of this type are generally rare in the United States and Canada, where peak hour frequencies are more common. 

In Asia, the construction of higher speed urban-suburban rail links has gained traction in various countries, such as in India, with the [[Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System|Delhi RRTS]], in China, with the [[Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region intercity railway]], and in South Korea, with the [[Great Train eXpress]] system. These systems usually run on dedicated elevated or underground tracks for most of their route and have features comparable to [[Higher-speed rail]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Rail}}
{{div col}}
* [[Charabanc]]
*[[List of suburban and commuter rail systems]]
*[[Public transport]]
*[[Commuting]]
*[[Cercanías]], the commuter rail systems of Spain's major metropolitan areas
*[[Commuter rail in the United Kingdom]]
*[[Commuter rail in North America]]
*[[Commuter rail in Australia]]
*[[Regional rail]]
*[[S-Bahn]], the combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070515131747/http://www.railserve.com/railnews/commuter_rail_transit.html Commuter Rail & Transit News] Current news concerning commuter rail development and issues

{{Public transport}}
{{Portal bar|Transport}}

[[Category:Regional rail|*]]
[[Category:Commuting]]