Abstract: With the advancement of aviation, high-speed railways, and highways, the extent of traditional railway abandonment in China and other regions across the globe is on the rise. Simultaneously, developed Western nations commonly focus on optimizing the utilization of these abandoned railway resources; however, research and practical applications regarding abandoned railway restoration in China are still nascent． This study conducted a comprehensive screening of domestic and international research articles using the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, resulting in the establishment of a literature database on abandoned railway restoration． This database serves as a valuable reference and source of inspiration for ongoing efforts to restore abandoned railways in China． The findings indicate that repurposing abandoned railways into greenways is a widely adopted practice in Western countries, with significant research and practical contributions from the United States, Europe, and Australia． Current research on abandoned railways primarily focuses on their functional implications, decision-making models for restoration and upgrading, economic, social, and health benefits analysis, user evaluations, as well as restoration and upgrading models． The existing studies on ecological restoration of abandoned railways merely touch upon the significance of these railways as habitats for species． However, there is a knowledge gap in terms of diagnosing ecological problems, analyzing ecological patterns, proposing concepts and methods for ecological restoration, and quantitatively evaluating the ecological benefits (such as carbon sequestration value) associated with abandoned railways． In light of this, this study proposes that the ecological restoration of abandoned railways should be considered an important research topic and aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of its essence． It is suggested that future research should integrate ecological issues into decision-making frameworks, develop a multi-benefit comprehensive evaluation model, and consider stakeholders during the planning and management stages． This will establish a solid research foundation and inspire future researchers．