Guinea has 1,155km of railways. This comprises 366km at 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) gauge and 789km at 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge. The latter includes 662km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry most of which is abandoned.
In June 1959, the state-owned railway company ONCFG (Office National des Chemins de Fer de Guinée) was founded. The property of the former French colonial Conakry-Niger rail authority was transferred to it. Since 2010 the organisation has been known as Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer de Guinée (SNCFG).
In the following years, the rolling stock was not maintained. Since 1993, with the exception of fuel shipments to Mamou, rail traffic was suspended.
In 2008, the government of Guinea was in talks with Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton about the renovation of the Conakry-Kankan line.
In 2011, the Brazilian company Vale began rebuilding the Conakry to Kankan railroad. This project was not completed and the majority of the line remains abandoned as of 2025.
A major public transport development milestone was achieved in Guinea during June 2010 with the start of the Conakry Express. This operates on the SBK standard gauge line (see below). The Chinese International Funding (CIF) funded initiative has delivered a passenger rail transport system, The Conakry Express will hugely improve the movement of people through the 30 km (19 mi) long route.
A passenger service operates (2018 latest information) between Kamsar and Sangaredi three times per week on the Chemin de Fer de Boké standard gauge line (see below).
A number of railway lines are used to transport bauxite and iron ore to the coast for export:
In February 2024 the latest proposal to construct a line from the south-east of Guinea into Liberia was announced. The 'Liberty Corridor' would see a heavy-haul railway constructed from the Lola region of Guinea to a new deep-water port at Didia in Liberia. "The government of Liberia has signed a letter of intent with High Power Exploration (HPX) and Guma Africa Group to enter into negotiations over the joint development of the Liberty Corridor connecting Guinea and Liberia."
In May 2024 the latest proposal to rehabilitate / replace the Conakry to Kankan line, with an extension on to Mali was announced. "On 15th May 2024, the Guinean Ministry of Transport, the Guinean Ministry of Economy and Finance, and construction company ICE Home Development signed a framework agreement to continue the studies for the reconstruction of the 1,400 km railway line from Conakry via Kankan to the border with Mali."