bredspår

Bredspår is the Swedish term for a railway track gauge that is wider than the international standard gauge of 1,435 millimeters. In rail terminology, bredspår (broad gauge) denotes any system where the distance between the rails exceeds standard gauge, in contrast to smalspår (narrow gauge). The term is used in Swedish and other Nordic contexts to discuss rail networks with broader gauges and to distinguish them from standard- and narrow-gauge systems.

Globally, broad gauges vary and are not interchangeable with standard gauge. The most common broad gauges are around 1,520–1,524 millimeters, used in much of the former Russian Empire and Finland (often referred to as Russian gauge). Other well-known broad gauges include 1,668 millimeters, used in Spain and Portugal (Iberian gauge), and 1,676 millimeters, used in India and several neighboring countries (Indian gauge). Historical examples exist as well, such as Britain’s former broad gauge of 2,140 millimeters that was eventually converted to standard gauge. Some regions maintain multiple gauges or employ gauge-changing technologies to allow rolling stock to operate across networks with different gauges.

Implications of bredspår include interoperability challenges and the need for equipment compatible with varying distances between rails. Interchange of rolling stock between gauges may require transshipment, bogie exchange, or gauge-changing systems, and is a central consideration in railway infrastructure planning, modernization, and cross-border traffic.

In Sweden, bredspår is primarily a comparative or historical term, as the contemporary national network uses standard gauge. The concept remains relevant for discussions of international rail connections and regions where different gauges coexist.