diff --git a/cipher/railfence/railfence.go b/cipher/railfence/railfence.go
index aeeaed3fa..f01e73c4f 100644
--- a/cipher/railfence/railfence.go
+++ b/cipher/railfence/railfence.go
@@ -11,57 +11,53 @@ import (
 )
 
 func Encrypt(text string, rails int) string {
-	if rails == 1 {
+	runes := []rune(text)
+	if rails <= 1 || rails >= len(runes) {
 		return text
 	}
 
-	// Create a matrix for the rail fence pattern
-	matrix := make([][]rune, rails)
-	for i := range matrix {
-		matrix[i] = make([]rune, len(text))
-	}
+	railsData := make([][]rune, rails)
 
-	// Fill the matrix
 	dirDown := false
-	row, col := 0, 0
-	for _, char := range text {
+	row := 0
+	for _, char := range runes {
 		if row == 0 || row == rails-1 {
 			dirDown = !dirDown
 		}
-		matrix[row][col] = char
-		col++
+		railsData[row] = append(railsData[row], char)
 		if dirDown {
 			row++
 		} else {
 			row--
 		}
 	}
+
 	var result strings.Builder
-	for _, line := range matrix {
-		for _, char := range line {
-			if char != 0 {
-				result.WriteRune(char)
-			}
+	for _, rail := range railsData {
+		for _, char := range rail {
+			result.WriteRune(char)
 		}
 	}
 
 	return result.String()
 }
+
 func Decrypt(cipherText string, rails int) string {
-	if rails == 1 || rails >= len(cipherText) {
+	cipherRunes := []rune(cipherText)
+	if rails <= 1 || rails >= len(cipherRunes) {
 		return cipherText
 	}
 
 	// Placeholder for the decrypted message
-	decrypted := make([]rune, len(cipherText))
+	decrypted := make([]rune, len(cipherRunes))
 
 	// Calculate the zigzag pattern and place characters accordingly
 	index := 0
 	for rail := 0; rail < rails; rail++ {
 		position := rail
 		down := true // Direction flag
-		for position < len(cipherText) {
-			decrypted[position] = rune(cipherText[index])
+		for position < len(cipherRunes) {
+			decrypted[position] = cipherRunes[index]
 			index++
 
 			// Determine the next position based on the current rail and direction
diff --git a/cipher/railfence/railfence_test.go b/cipher/railfence/railfence_test.go
index 7f7bfa53a..d6c65d6d7 100644
--- a/cipher/railfence/railfence_test.go
+++ b/cipher/railfence/railfence_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package railfence
 
 import (
 	"testing"
+	"unicode/utf8"
 )
 
 func TestEncrypt(t *testing.T) {
@@ -35,6 +36,30 @@ func TestEncrypt(t *testing.T) {
 			100,
 			"hi",
 		},
+		{
+			"Encrypt with Unicode runes",
+			"café crème",
+			3,
+			"c maécèefr",
+		},
+		{
+			"Encrypt with negative rails",
+			"hello",
+			-1,
+			"hello",
+		},
+		{
+			"Encrypt with zero rails",
+			"hello",
+			0,
+			"hello",
+		},
+		{
+			"Encrypt with empty string",
+			"",
+			3,
+			"",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range railFenceTestData {
@@ -78,6 +103,30 @@ func TestDecrypt(t *testing.T) {
 			100,
 			"hi",
 		},
+		{
+			"Decrypt with Unicode runes",
+			"c maécèefr",
+			3,
+			"café crème",
+		},
+		{
+			"Decrypt with negative rails",
+			"hello",
+			-1,
+			"hello",
+		},
+		{
+			"Decrypt with zero rails",
+			"hello",
+			0,
+			"hello",
+		},
+		{
+			"Decrypt with empty string",
+			"",
+			3,
+			"",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range railFenceTestData {
@@ -89,3 +138,37 @@ func TestDecrypt(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func FuzzRailFence(f *testing.F) {
+	seeds := []struct {
+		input string
+		rails int
+	}{
+		{"hello", 2},
+		{"hello world", 3},
+		{"hello", 1},
+		{"hi", 100},
+		{"café crème", 3},
+		{"the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", 4},
+		{"1234567890", 2},
+		{"", 3},
+		{"a", 2},
+		{"hello", -1},
+		{"hello", 0},
+	}
+
+	for _, seed := range seeds {
+		f.Add(seed.input, seed.rails)
+	}
+
+	f.Fuzz(func(t *testing.T, input string, rails int) {
+		if !utf8.ValidString(input) {
+			return
+		}
+		encrypted := Encrypt(input, rails)
+		decrypted := Decrypt(encrypted, rails)
+		if decrypted != input {
+			t.Fatalf("round-trip failed: original=%q, rails=%d, encrypted=%q, decrypted=%q", input, rails, encrypted, decrypted)
+		}
+	})
+}