Definition: Railway undertaking

Category: Transport

Any public or private undertaking which provides services for the transport of goods and/or passengers by rail.

Note: Included are all undertakings that dispose of/provide traction. Excluded are railway undertakings which operate entirely or mainly within industrial and similar installations, including harbours, and railways undertakings which mainly provide local tourist services, such as preserved historical steam railways. 

Sometimes the term "railway operator" is used. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ramon/statmanuals/files/KS-BI-03-002-__-N-EN.pdf