Lateral forces in the case of crosswinds and curves have an important effect on the wheelrail contact characteristics, thus affecting the service life of the wheelrail. The finite element model of the wheelrail contact was established considering the vertical and lateral forces on the wheelrail. The material constitutive model of the wheelrail was elastoplastic, and the penalty relationship method was used to simulate the contact relationship between the wheel and the rail. The wheelrail contact with different vertical and lateral forces was simulated by finite element method, the variation rules of the contact deformation, equivalent stress and plastic strain of the wheelrail contact parts with vertical and lateral forces were analyzed. The results show that the maximum contact pressure of the wheelrail, the contact spot area, the maximum Mises equivalent stress and the maximum Mises equivalent plastic strain increase approximately linearly with the increase of the vertical forces, but the vertical forces mainly affects the contact spot area and the maximum Mises equivalent plastic strain. The maximum Mises equivalent plastic strain of the wheelrail increases approximately linearly with the increase of lateral forces, and the plastic deformation is mainly concentrated on the contact portion of the rail.