Modernised Baku–Tbilisi–Kars line reopens, boosting Asia–Europe rail trade PHOTO

Officials from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye will gather on June 2 at Georgia’s Akhalkalaki Railway and Logistics Complex to mark the commissioning of the modernised Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, a key freight corridor linking Asia and Europe.

The upgraded line, part of the broader Middle Corridor connecting China and Central Asia with Europe via the South Caucasus, has increased its annual freight capacity from 1 million tonnes to 5 million tonnes following extensive reconstruction works completed in 2024, according to Azerbaijan Railways CJSC.

The event will be attended by senior officials from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, alongside heads of railway operators and port authorities.

The modernisation project was carried out by Azerbaijan Railways CJSC and Georgian counterparts as part of a coordinated upgrade of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway. It included the rehabilitation of 184 kilometres of track in Georgia, covering 13 stations, 55 bridges, eight traction substations and more than 300 buildings and engineering structures.

Azerbaijan Railways also built a new 30.3-kilometre line segment, constructed a wheelset-changing station, and carried out extensive reconstruction works along 153.1 kilometres of existing infrastructure.

The upgrade was formally confirmed on May 18 in Baku, where officials signed the protocol of the 41st meeting of the Coordination Council on railway rehabilitation and construction. The document was signed by Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev and Georgia’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili, in the presence of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

Authorities say the expansion strengthens the strategic role of the BTK route as a core overland alternative to maritime shipping lanes, improving freight connectivity between China, Central Asia and European markets.

The corridor has gained importance in recent years as regional states seek to diversify transit routes amid shifting global supply chains and rising demand for faster east–west logistics links.

The upgraded line is expected to support higher cargo volumes, reduce bottlenecks and enhance the competitiveness of rail freight across the South Caucasus transport network.