Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway capacity increased to 5 million tons, strengthening the Middle Corridor

Kazakh Deputy Minister of Transport Zhanibek Taizhanov attended the official opening ceremony of the modernized Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway on June 2 at the Akhalkalaki railway station in Georgia. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was also among the officials present at the event.

Following the reconstruction, the railway’s annual freight capacity has increased from 1 million to 5 million tons, the Kazakh Transport Ministry reported on June 3.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is a key component of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. It connects the railway networks of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, facilitating freight transportation from Kazakhstan across the Caspian Sea toward Türkiye and Europe.

The modernization is expected to strengthen Kazakhstan’s transit potential, increase international cargo flows, and improve logistics efficiency across Eurasia.

The 827-kilometer railway has been operating in test mode since 2017. Major modernization work was carried out between May 2023 and May 2024, significantly increasing the line’s capacity and reinforcing its role in regional connectivity.