Do ‘Gleis’ and ‘Bahnsteig’ have the same meaning?

Regarding German railway services, ‘Gleis’ and ‘Bahnsteig’ are two terms referring to different elements of a train station.

‘Gleis’ means ‘track’ in English – it refers to the railway line on which trains run. Multiple tracks (Gleise) can be present at a train station.

‘Bahnsteig’ on the other hand means ‘platform’. It refers to the raised, often paved area alongside railway lines, providing passengers access to the train. In simple, platforms are where passengers wait for and board trains.