The error was that I had only counted ridership on Japan's JR network. Factoring in other companies, Japan carries far more than India.
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It turns out that data on this is actually hard to find, because most listings ignore subway and commuter rail ridership...
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...which is absurd, since that's where the vast majority of passenger rail use takes place!
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Wikipedia says that rail in UK carries 1.7 billion per year...then adds a note saying the Tube carries ANOTHER 1.3 billion!
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For China, they say 1.5 billion, then point out that Beijing's subway ALONE carries another 3.4 billion--and how about Shanghai? Doesn't say
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Russia, too: a national figure of 1 billion is given, alongside a note saying that Moscow Metro carries 2.5 billion.

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As for Japan: 6.2 billion on JR East, 1.8 billion on JR West, 9.5 billion on the 16 major private rail companies, no telling how many more
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A conservative estimate of total annual rail ridership in Japan, then, puts it at 18 billion, a little over double India's total
End of conversation
New conversation -
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India definitely runs longer passenger trains, though. Many over 500 metres in length!
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