The interurban is a type of electric railway, with tram-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. The term "interurban" is usually used in North America, with other terms used outside it. They were very prevalent in many parts of the world before the Second World War and were used primarily for passenger travel between cities and their surrounding suburban and rural communities. Interurban as a term encompassed the companies, their infrastructure, their cars that ran on the rails, and their service. In the United States, the early 1900s interurban was a valuable economic institution, when most roads between towns, many town streets were unpaved, and transportation and haulage was by horse-drawn carriages and carts.
An interurban car from the Philadelphia & Western Railroad, which survived long in the interurban business
Kusttram, The Belgian Coast Tram, is a European interurban tramway.
Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets railway line in Switzerland
The Keihan Keishin Line is a Japanese interurban.
Railway electrification is the use of electric power for the propulsion of rail transport. Electric railways use either electric locomotives, electric multiple units or both.
Electricity is typically generated in large and relatively efficient generating stations, transmitted to the railway network and distributed to the trains. Some electric railways have their own dedicated generating stations and transmission lines, but most purchase power from an electric utility. The railway usually provides its own distribution lines, switches, and transformers.
The Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway in France connects Grand Paris and Normandy, and is electrified using overhead lines at 25 kV AC 50 Hz
The South Eastern Main Line in England connects the London metropolitan area with the Strait of Dover, and is electrified using third rail at 750 V DC
The LGV Sud-Est in France is electrified using 25 kV 50 Hz overhead lines
The Angers tramway in Angers, France uses 750 V DC overhead lines, in common with many other modern tram systems