New Rail Project to Link Azerbaijan with Turkish City of Kars

Head of Press Service for Azerbaijan Railways JSC, Nadir Azmammadov, has said construction of a new railway line connecting the Nakchivan Autonomous Republic on the Turkish-Azerbaijan border with the Turkish city of Kars, will go ahead after completion of the current Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project.

Planning for the new route is already underway, with development of infrastructure in Turkey expected to be funded by the extension of credit from the Azerbaijan Oil Fund.

Vice Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways, Nazirov Gurban, said construction of the railway would cost in the region of $1bn. There is currently no railway on the route, which extends some 240 km.

Despite being delayed by conflict and environmental difficulties, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project is now underway. Although it had been expected to be complete by 2010, it is now expected to be in commission by 2014. Ultimately, it will carry 3 million passengers and up to 17 million tons of freight, bringing in $50m of business per year, and will cement relations between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia as well as forming part of a direct rail link between Europe and Asia.

Azerbaijan Railways JSC is a state funded Joint Stock Company.