BakuTbilisiKars

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway is a new railway corridor connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. It runs from Baku, Azerbaijan, through Tbilisi, Georgia, to Kars, Turkey. The project aims to create a modern, multimodal transport link between the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, serving as a crucial part of the broader Trans-European and Trans-Asian railway networks.

Construction of the railway began in 2007 and was completed in 2017, with the first freight train departing from Baku in October 2017. The line has a total length of 846 kilometers, with 503 kilometers in Azerbaijan, 246 kilometers in Georgia, and 96 kilometers in Turkey. The railway is designed to carry freight and passengers, with an initial capacity of 1 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo per year, which is expected to increase significantly over time.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway is strategically important for regional connectivity, trade, and economic development. It offers a faster and more direct route for goods moving between Central Asia and Europe, bypassing some of the longer and more complex existing routes. The project is a collaborative effort involving the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, with significant investment from Azerbaijan. Its completion is seen as a milestone in strengthening regional economic ties and facilitating trade flows.