[Objective] The effects of different vegetation cover on reducing runoff and sediment of slope were investigated, in order to provide reference for improving vegetation configuration and reducing soil and water loss of road bed slope.[Methods] The natural rainfall with different rainfall intensities (15,28,40,63 and 82 mm/h) during the observation period was selected to analyze the runoff and sediment yield on three different vegetation types, whcih located at Nanjing-Qidong railway of Nantong City of Jiangsu Province.[Results] Rainfall intensity had a significant effect on the initial runoff producing time (p<0.05). The initial runoff time of three different vegetation types was shortened with the increase of rainfall intensity, indicating the effect of rainfall intensity on the initial runoff generation time was very significant. The grass planting slope and grass irrigation combination slope could delay the initial runoff generation time effectively. Compared with bare slope, grass and grass irrigation combined slope had better effect on reducing slope runoff. Under the experimental conditions, grass irrigation combined slope reduction rate was 54.20%~63.68%, and grass vegetation slope reduction rate was 38.59%~55.37%. With the increase of rainfall intensity, the sediment yield on the exposed slope increase exponentially, especially when the rainfall intensity was more than 63 mm, the sediment of bare slope increased from 662.66 g (15 mm/h) to 2 002.95 g (82 mm/h). With the increase of rainfall intensity, the sediment yield on the slope combined with grass planting and grass irrigation did not increase significantly. Sediment yield ranged from 0.9 g to 4.9 g.[Conclusions] The runoff and sediment of railway bed slop increases with the increase of rainfall intensity, and rainfall has a significant effect on sediment yield on slope. Compared with bare slope, vegetation slope and grass-irrigated slope can reduce soil erosion significantly.