Minister: Armenia seeks joint railway restoration with Russia to Türkiye, Azerbaijan

Armenia has indicated that the restoration of rail links to Azerbaijan and Türkiye will be carried out jointly with Russia.

Davit Khudatyan, Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, told local media that there is an understanding that Russian involvement will be central to the reconstruction works, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The announcement follows an earlier directive from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who instructed the South Caucasus Railway company to urgently restore border railway sections connecting Armenia with Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

The order covers the line from Yeraskh to the border with Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave, as well as the section from Akhuryan to the border with Türkiye.

“Armenia continues discussions with Russia on the restoration of railway segments in Ijevan and Akhuryan. We understand that the reconstruction on these sections will be carried out with the direct participation of the Russian side,” Khudatyan said.

Plans for Armenia include reopening the Razdan–Ijevan–Gazakh–Agstafa route, estimated at $318 million; the Yeraskh–Goradiz line at approximately $61.5 million; and the Gyumri–Akhuryan section, costing around $8–9 million.

Armenian authorities estimate that repairing the country’s railway infrastructure could cost around $500 million in total.

By Aghakazim Guliyev