The invention provides a method for producing a pearlitic rail by rough hot rolling and finish hot rolling a billet. In the finish hot rolling, the billet is rolled at a rail head surface temperature in a range of not higher than 900° C. to not lower than the Ar3 transformation point or Arcm transformation point to produce a head cumulative reduction of area of not less than 20%, where the reaction force ratio of the finish rolling is not less than 1.25. The finish hot rolled rail head surface is subjected to accelerated cooling or spontaneous cooling to a temperature of 550° C. or less at a cooling rate of 2 to 30° C./seconds, thereby refining the rail head structure to attain a hardness within a predetermined range, and improving rail wear resistance and ductility.