Azerbaijan, China agree to boost capacity of Baku–Tbilisi–Kars Railway line

Azerbaijan and China will actively cooperate in the development of international transport corridors and freight transportation.

As Caliber.Az was informed by the press service of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Azerbaijan Railways CJSC and China State Railway Group Corporation is seen not only as a new impetus for relations between Baku and Beijing, but also as an important step toward ensuring uninterrupted connectivity across Eurasia.

The document places special emphasis on strengthening the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway line. Both sides agreed to develop transportation along the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars route, which provides access to Türkiye and, subsequently, to Europe. Thanks to this line, Chinese production hubs will gain even faster access to European markets via Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.

Furthermore, the parties agreed to deepen cooperation in the joint development of railway and port infrastructure, expand container transportation across the Caspian Sea, increase the number of daily block trains, and reach a capacity of 10 trains per day.

In line with these goals, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway is transforming into a strategic transportation artery with high throughput capacity, connecting East and West.

It should be noted that in 2023–2024, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC carried out modernisation works on the Georgian section of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway line, which is a vital segment of the Middle Corridor. This represents an important step toward increasing Azerbaijan’s transit potential and enhancing the competitiveness of the entire Middle Corridor.

By Timur Rzayev