Azerbaijan Railways facts for kids

Azerbaijan railway map 2023
Overview
Dates of operation	1991–current
Predecessor	Russian Imperial Railways 1878-1917 Soviet Railways 1917-1991 (the predecessors of Azerbaijan Railways)
Technical
Track gauge	1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in)
Electrification	3 kV (3,000 V) DC
Length	2,918 km (1,813 mi)

A modern electric train, the Stadler ESh-020, at Baku station

A Stadler ESh2 train at Bakikhanov Station

Map showing the Baku suburban railway and metro lines

Azerbaijan Railways (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Dəmir Yolları) is the main railway company in Azerbaijan. It is owned by the government. This company runs all the trains across the country.

The railway network is about 2,918 kilometers (1,813 miles) long. It uses a wide track size of 1,520 millimeters. Many of its lines are electric, using 3,000 volts of direct current. The main office of Azerbaijan Railways is in Baku, the capital city.

After the Soviet Union ended in 1991, Azerbaijan became an independent country. That's when Azerbaijan Railways was created. The very first railway line in Azerbaijan was built in 1878. It opened in 1880 near Baku.

The railway system has 176 stations. Two of these, Biləcəri and Şirvan, are fully automatic. Twelve stations have special areas for loading and unloading large shipping containers. Three stations – Keşlə, Gəncə, and Xırdalan – can handle very large cargo containers.

Azerbaijan's railways are being updated with new, faster trains. This is happening partly because of the Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway project. This project, finished in 2017, connects Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan directly by rail.

The History of Azerbaijan's Railways

The newly renovated Baku Railway Station

Early Days: 1878-1917

The first railway line in Azerbaijan was built when it was part of the Russian Empire. It opened in 1880. This short line connected Sabunçu to Suraxanı, both near Baku. It used the same wide track size that Russian railways used.

In 1883, a longer railway line opened. It connected Baku all the way to Tbilisi in Georgia. This was a big step for travel and trade.

By 1900, more lines were added. These connected Baku to Derbent and Petrovsk (now Makhachkala) in Dagestan. This linked Azerbaijan to the rest of the Russian Empire. Later, in 1908, a line was extended to Nakhchivan, connecting this part of Azerbaijan with Armenia.

Soviet Era: 1917-1991

After the Russian Empire changed into the Soviet Union, the railways also changed. Azerbaijan started using electricity for its trains very early. This was because Azerbaijan had a lot of water power to make electricity.

In 1926, the railway line between Baku and Sabunçu became electric. It was the first electric railway line in the entire Soviet Union! Later, other lines were also electrified.

More railway lines were built during this time. In 1924, the line went south to Ələt and Neftçala. In 1941, a line connected the Nakhchivan area with the main part of Azerbaijan. Also in 1941, the railway reached Astara, near the border with Iran. By 1944, lines were extended to places like Ağdam and Stepanakert.

Until 1991, the Soviet Railway managed all train services in Azerbaijan.

The main building of Azerbaijan Railways in Baku

Modern Times: 1991-Today

An E2M62 electric locomotive at Baku station before its modernization

A Stadler KISS 'Eurasia' electric train at Xırdalan station

An Alstom Prima AZ4A locomotive pulling an international train to Tbilisi

When Azerbaijan became independent in 1991, the Azerbaijan State Railways was formed.

Due to past disagreements in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, some railway services were stopped. This included train travel to Armenia. About 240 kilometers (150 miles) of railway lines in Azerbaijan were affected.

Trains also play a big role in moving goods. For example, oil from Baku's oil wells is transported by train to the port of Batumi in Georgia. In 1999, railways carried 21% of all goods transported in Azerbaijan.

In 2009, the company changed its name to "Azerbaijan Railways" (ADY). It became a "closed joint-stock company," which means it's still owned by the state.

The Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway project was a major development. It directly links Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Even though Azerbaijan's part of the line was already there, it was modernized. New, faster trains were added to replace older ones. This project is expected to greatly increase the amount of goods carried by rail.

Azerbaijan Railways has also bought new trains. They ordered five double-deck electric trains from Stadler Rail. They also ordered 50 powerful electric freight locomotives from Alstom.

Baku's Local Trains

In 2019, a new local train service started in Baku. It connects the city center to Sabunçu, making it easier for people to travel within the area.

What Azerbaijan Railways Does

Moving Goods (Freight Transportation)

Azerbaijan Railways moves many different types of goods. Here are the top types of cargo they transported in 2021:

Moving People (Passenger Transportation)

The number of passengers using Azerbaijan Railways has changed over the years. Here's how many people traveled by train:

Train Connections to Neighboring Countries

Azerbaijan Railways connects to several nearby countries:

• Russia - The connection is open and uses the same 1,520mm track size.
• Georgia - This connection is also open and uses the 1,520mm track size.
• Iran - This link is open. However, the track size changes at the border (from 1,520mm to standard gauge). This connection is currently only through Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan region.
• Turkey - This link opened in 2017. It connects through Georgia and also has a track size change at the border.
• Armenia - This connection is currently closed due to ongoing disagreements between the two countries.

Important Railway Projects

International Transport Routes

Azerbaijan is part of several important international railway routes. These routes help move goods between different continents.

North–South Transport Corridor

This route helps move cargo from India and the Middle East to Russia, Europe, and Scandinavia. It's much faster than shipping by sea. A sea journey that might take 45-60 days can take only 20-25 days by this rail corridor.

The idea for this corridor started in 2000. Azerbaijan joined the agreement in 2005.

The Middle Corridor

Also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, this corridor helps move goods from China to Turkey and Europe. Trains on this route can deliver goods from China to Europe in about 10-12 days. This speed is a big advantage.

North West Transport Corridor

This corridor became possible when the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway opened in 2017. It helps move more goods between Turkey and Russia, especially things like coal and grain from Russia to Turkey.

South-West Transport Corridor

This route connects the Persian Gulf and India to Europe, going through Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Ukraine. Azerbaijan Railways started this project in 2016. It aims to make it easier to transport goods across these regions.

Lapis Lazuli Corridor

This is an agreement between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. It was signed in 2017. The goal is to improve transport links (roads, railways, and sea routes) and make customs checks easier. This helps goods move smoothly and safely through these countries.

See also

In Spanish: Azərbaycan Dəmir Yolları para niños

• Azerbaijan
• Rail transport in Azerbaijan
• Transport in Azerbaijan
• Chingiz Ildyrym
• Zangezur corridor