The construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line began on November 27, 2007, and was officially opened on October 30, 2017. The railway stretches approximately 850 kilometers, over 500 of which pass through Azerbaijani territory. BTK represents the shortest and most reliable route connecting Europe and Asia, and its operation has enhanced Azerbaijan's logistics capabilities within the "East-West" transport corridor.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line, now an integral part of the Eurasian transport map, has not only contributed to stability and security in the region but also significantly increased its annual carrying capacity. The successful completion of the modernization work in 2024 on the BTK section in Georgia, which increased the annual carrying capacity from 1 million to 5 million tons, is a testament to the project's progress and our commitment to its success.
The repair works on the BTK railway line in Georgia consisted of five stages: Marabda-Tetriskaro, Tetriskaro-Tsalka, Tsalka-Akhalkalaki, Akhalkalaki-Kartsakhi, and the Akhalkalaki complex. Within this 110-hectare complex, one viaduct, two drainage pipes, four bridges, two road crossings, and two underground pedestrian crossings were renovated. Snow protection walls were also constructed, along with 17.9 km of new contact network, an increase in the power of the traction substation, 48 km of station tracks, and 3.9 km of roads. The construction of the complex utilized new technologies and modern European-made equipment.
The first freight train on the updated BTK line departed the Absheron Logistics Center on May 20, 2024. The train included 20 containers.
After the completion of modernization works, the first cargo was sent to Türkiye via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, with freight transport resuming on May 20. The train, consisting of 20 containers, delivered 632 tons of plastic raw material from Baku to Kars.
The modernized BTK (Baku-Tbilisi-Kars) line allows a large portion of the cargo sent from China and Central Asia, and from Asia as a whole, to be transported westward and in the opposite direction through the Middle Corridor via Azerbaijan.
Following discussions on the prospects of the Middle Corridor and the modernized BTK railway line, test goods shipments began in June 2024 from the port of Xi'an and one of the largest ports in eastern China, Lianyungang.
