Azerbaijan announces launching of regular bus trips to Karabakh
Azerbaijan to operate regular bus trips to Karabakh
On January 24, the first passenger bus trip on the Baku-Shusha and Baku-Agdam routes will be carried out. Trips are available only to citizens of Azerbaijan, once a year and without the right to spend the night there. The buses will be accompanied by police officers along the entire route.
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Baku hosted a briefing dedicated to the opening of regular bus routes in the direction of the cities of Shusha and Aghdam, which came under the control of Azerbaijan as a result of the second Karabakh war.
According to Rahman Gummetov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport, the main condition for these trips is to ensure the safety of travelers.
Routes and prices
As Anar Rzayev, the head of the State Transport Service, noted, prices for tickets for new bus routes have been determined.
- Baku-Agdam – AZN 9.40 [$5.53]
- Baku-Shusha – AZN 10.40 [$6.12]
- Ahmedbeyli – Shusha – 7 AZN [$4.12]
- Barda – Aghdam- 5 AZN [$2.94]
- Fizuli Airport – Shusha – 6 AZN [$3.53]
Flight Ahmedbeyli-Shusha will be made 4 times a week, and Baku-Shusha – 2 times a week.
The time of flights from the international airport in Fizuli to the city of Shusha will be synchronized with the landing time of aircraft.
Tickets can be purchased in advance on a specially created website yolumuzqarabaga.az.
One visit per year
Rzayev added that every citizen of Azerbaijan has the right to visit Aghdam and Shusha, but only once a year.
For members of the families of martyrs [who died during the Karabakh wars, during the attack of the Soviet army on Baku on January 20, 1990, and other persons equated to them – JAMnews], participants in the second Karabakh war, national heroes, the trips will be free.
Only persons with a COVID-passport are allowed to travel.
Police escort
According to Eldaniz Mammadov, deputy head of the main public security department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, regular bus routes in these directions will be carried out with the escort of police officers.
“This is important for the timely intervention of the police in case of possible problematic situations during trips”, he added.
Maps of places cleared of mines have been prepared for travelers, Mammadov said.
No overnight stay
The briefing stated that visitors would not be allowed to stay overnight in Aghdam and Shusha due to security concerns. “Citizens will only be able to spend a few hours there”, said Rahman Gummetov.
According to him, tourist trips to Aghdam and Shusha for foreigners can be organized in the future.
