Will Baku-Tbilisi-Baku railway service resume on May 1? Baku remains silent on Tbilisi’s statements
Baku-Tbilisi train
“For the past five years, I’ve only managed to visit my elderly mother in Georgia twice. Back when the Baku-Tbilisi trains were running, I used to visit my family three to four times a year.”
Jamil Atayev, 54, was born in Georgia but moved to Baku for university and never returned to live in his hometown. While his parents and extended family remained in Georgia, he settled in Azerbaijan, found a job, and started a family. Before Azerbaijan closed its land borders, he frequently traveled to Georgia. Now, he longs for his homeland and his mother.
“Plane tickets are too expensive, so flying whenever I want is not an option. Fortunately, they say the Baku-Tbilisi trains will start running again. But we still don’t know how much the tickets will cost.”
Train services between Baku and Tbilisi may resume on May 1, 2025, after a five-year break.
Georgia’s First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Levan Davitashvili, announced this on February 18 following a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, who was on a working visit to Tbilisi.
“Rail passenger transport is crucial for our tourism sector. During my meeting with my Azerbaijani counterpart, we also discussed supply forecasts for the current year. It was essential to exchange plans and perspectives to ensure we remain competitive both regionally and internationally with maximum coordination,” said Levan Davitashvili.
According to Georgia’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Davitashvili emphasized that transport cooperation is one of the key areas of economic collaboration between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
“That’s why we meet annually to discuss our plans. Today, we also talked about the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway—this joint project is in its final stage and will be operational this year. We also discussed the creation of a joint venture between Georgia and Azerbaijan to manage this infrastructure, which would allow us to optimize capacity and attract more cargo,” Davitashvili stated.
The meeting also focused on the growing role of the Middle Corridor and joint efforts to enhance its competitiveness and attract additional freight. It was noted that these initiatives would enable both countries to generate greater added value.
On February 12, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze mentioned the possible resumption of the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku passenger train service.
During his visit to Dubai, he told journalists that the issue had been discussed with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“Georgia is grateful to Azerbaijan for its attention and support on this matter. During our visit to Azerbaijan, we discussed it with President Ilham Aliyev. I would like to personally thank him for his commitment to our country. Of course, high mobility between our countries is of fundamental importance.”
Kobakhidze emphasized that Georgia and Azerbaijan are close partners, and strengthening transport links benefits both nations.
“It is crucial that more people travel between our countries, as this will further strengthen the traditional friendship between our peoples,” he said.
Azerbaijani officials have yet to comment on statements made by Kobakhidze and Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili regarding the resumption of the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku railway service.
Five years ago, in March 2020, the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku train service—once one of the most popular passenger routes—was suspended after Azerbaijan closed its land borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 no longer posed a global public health emergency. However, Azerbaijan has repeatedly extended its special quarantine regime, with the latest extension set to last until April 1, 2025.
The possibility of resuming the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku railway service from May 1 has sparked hopes that Azerbaijan’s land borders might soon reopen.
