In order to investigate the evolution trend of rail corrugation under the action of slip and interface effects, stick-slip vibration characteristics of a wheel-rail system in different line con- ditions have been analyzed in detail by establishing a complete three-dimensional coupling metro vehicle-track numerical model and considering the friction memory effect characteriz- ing the slip rate and state dependence as well as interface effect. The results show that on a straight line, the friction memory effect has less influence on the wheel-rail contact stick-slip characteristics, and the values and variation ranges of adhesion coefficients and creepages are relatively small, indicating that it is difficult for the wheel-rail system to have stick-slip vibration, which makes it less likely to form rail corrugation. On a curved line, the fluctua- tion amplitudes of the inside longitudinal stick-slip characteristics and the outside transverse stick-slip characteristics are relatively large, which illustrates that the inside wheel-rail sys- tem is more prone to stick-slip vibration in the longitudinal direction, while the outside wheel-rail system is more prone to stick-slip vibration in the transverse direction, thus lead- ing to different forms of rail corrugation. The friction memory effect reduces longitudinal and transverse creepages of both the inside and outside wheel-rail systems, demonstrating that the friction memory effect can moderate the relative wheel-rail slip and thus reduce the development rate of rail corrugation. The interface effect makes longitudinal and transverse adhesion coefficients of the wheel-rail system tend to homogenize and mostly decrease, while the corresponding creepages tend to increase. Although an increase in the creepage induces an enhanced interface slip, a smaller adhesion coefficient does not cause a significant change in the corrugation evolution. Friction memory and interface effects can cause the wheel-rail contact adhesion area ratio to increase, thus making the contact stick-slip distribution tend to homogenize, which is beneficial to reduce wear in the contact area and promote wear to homogenize.