In 2022, the highest index for the last ten years was reached in passenger transportation by rail: 5 million 136.000 passengers were carried during the year. This is up by 84% from a year earlier.

According to the press service of CJSC “Azerbaijan Railways”, the major part of the amount (5,800 passengers) accounts for transportation on the Absheron ring railway.

Since 29 March 2020, owing to the pandemic coronavirus COVID-19 in Azerbaijan, the movement of passenger and electric trains on both domestic and international routes was suspended. Later, electric trains from Baku to Sumgayit and back on two routes began to run on the railways, with an express passenger train in the Baku-Ganja-Baku direction starting in 2022.

However, no traffic in the following directions has yet resumed:

– Baku-Tbilisi-Baku passenger train (to Beyuk Kasik station);

– Baku-Beyuk Kasik-Baku passenger train;

– Baku-Kocherly-Balaken-Baku passenger train;

– Baku-Astara-Goradiz-Baku passenger train;

– Baku-Yalama-Baku electric train;

– Baku-Shirvan-Hajigabul-Baku electric train.

The Lyaki-Gabala railway, built in 2021, is also inactive.

While previously the suspension of train traffic was officially linked to the pandemic, for a year now CJSC “Azerbaijan Railways” has had another explanation for the reasons hindering restoration of passenger train traffic. AR notes that “the work is underway to ensure the transition from DC to AC system. Once this work is completed, internal train traffic will be restored”. However, no timeframe for this process has been reported.

The transition to AC traction was tested in July 2020. The launch took place at Alabashly station near Ganja. By then, 90% of AR locomotives are powered by electric traction and “AR is therefore seeking to expand the use of alternating current”, AR reported

Source: Turan News Agency