This table is maintained manually and therefore does not include all available icons but is only a subset of the icons available.
Refer to Rail Icons for a complete list of all icons unless you are using a non-CSS capable browser


General edit

Many flags and codes for features come from the German Wikipedia. Where possible their explanations here, at risk of seeming strange, use English words with some mnemonic semblance such as "erstwhile" for "e" (German "ehe"). The uses of colours and affixes are listed below and an extended display of their combining follows.

The number of tracks is not usually shown in the graphic.

Colours (these are defined) show use of line and its temporal state:

  • Red = heavy rail or freight line
  • Blue = light rail, metro and tram line
  • Dark = lines and facilities currently open
  • Light = lines and facilities currently either closed or under construction or planned.

Prefixes show the type and current operation state of features:

  • e = 'erstwhile' for stations, stops etc. That is "not in use".
  • x = 'ex' track. That is "not in use".
  • t = track in tunnel
  • u = 'underground' meaning all the Tube, metro and light rail.
  • v = close parallel lines
  • m = "mixed" the icon contains both heavy and light rail
  • d and ed (DE:dünne) = half-width symbols, used in pairs and not shown on this page.
Full list of prefixes in table below

Suffixes show directions, originally from the driver's viewpoint going down the page, so "left" is to the "right" of the cartographer or viewer. This was unequivocal for early simple maps with just stub branches, but in wider track maps the driver's view cannot always be adhered to. Normally

  • l = to the left
  • r = to the right
  • a = at start (DE:anfang)
  • e = at end
  • f = forward (i.e. down the page)
  • g = backward (i.e up the page) Mnemonic aGainst (DE:gegenrichtung)
  • g may = straight / geradeaus (??Where???)
  • q = aqross the page (DE:quer)
  • o = above (over)
  • u = underneath

Combining prefixes and suffixes gives a wide range of possible icons. It should be noted that any icon used has to have been drawn and that the use of a valid name does not call that icon into existence.

Prefix Example Line Type Feature Tunnel Note
(none)   Open Heavy Open
xp   Open Heavy Open Express service; doesn't stop here
x   Closed or
Part open
Heavy Open stations will have suffix to show which part
e   Open Heavy Closed
ex   Closed Heavy Closed
t   Open Heavy Open Tunnel
xt   Closed or
Part open
Heavy Open Tunnel stations will have suffix to show which part
et   Open Heavy Closed Tunnel
ext   Closed Heavy Closed Tunnel
v   Open Paired Open
tv   Open Paired Open Tunnel
ev  
 
Open Paired Closed or
Closed & Open
ve   Open Paired Open & Closed
vx   Open & Closed Paired Open & Closed
xv   Closed & Open Paired Closed & Open
vex Open & Closed Paired Closed
xev Closed & Open Paired Closed
exv   Closed Paired Closed
u   Open Metro Open
ux   Part Open Metro Open Through route closed, side route open
ue   Open Metro Closed Through route open, side route or feature closed
uex   Closed Metro Closed Through route and side route or feature closed
ut   Open Metro Open Tunnel
uxt   Part Open Metro Open Tunnel Through route closed, side route open
uet   Open Metro Closed Tunnel Through route open, side route or feature closed
uext   Closed Metro Closed Tunnel Through route and side route or feature closed
um   Open & Open Both Open Mischbetrieb mit U-Bahn
uxm   Closed & Open Both Closed
uem   Open & Closed Both Open
uexm   Closed & Closed Both Closed
bub Open Both Open metro-within-mainline
bube Open Both Closed metro-within-mainline
bubu Open Both Metro open only metro-within-mainline


  • The original list was split into smaller sub-lists due to too it taking too long to load all the icons.
  • Editors may create new sub-lists if the existing sub-lists become too long or are unsuitable for including the desired icon.
  • See here for the pre-split list.

Category:Rail routemap templates