<p>With the development of railway transportation toward heavy-haul and high-speed directions, the service environment for wheel–rail contact steels has become increasingly severe, placing higher demands on its comprehensive performance, especially corrosion resistance. Current research predominantly focuses on in-depth analysis of corrosion phenomena, while comprehensive performance evaluation under various corrosive environments, systematic analysis of failure mechanisms, and integrated studies on anti-corrosion mechanisms for different types of wheel–rail contact steels are still lacking. In light of this, the classification of wheel–rail contact steels is introduced, analyzes corrosion types and mechanisms, domestic and international research progress on the influence of factors such as alloying elements, microstructure, and interfaces on the corrosion performance of wheel–rail contact steels is reviewed, and the application of computational simulations in corrosion research of these materials is summarized. Furthermore, measures to enhance corrosion resistance through improving inherent material properties, surface treatment technologies, and electrochemical protection are discussed. Existing research findings are summarized, and future research directions for improving the corrosion resistance of wheel–rail contact steels are outlooked, aiming to provide a reference for the development and production of wheel–rail contact steels with superior corrosion resistance.</p>