Iran Keen On Expanding Passenger Rail Network With Neighboring Nations - Deputy Minister

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 21.​ Iran is increasingly interested in expanding passenger transportation by rail with its neighboring countries, said Jabbar Ali Zakeri, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Executive Director of the Railways Company of Iran, Trend reports.

Speaking at a signing ceremony in Tehran regarding memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for the purchase and repair of passenger railcars, Zakeri noted that Iran's rail tourism sector is on the rise.

“This growth can lead to increased revenues for passenger railway companies. In addition to revenue, activity in the tourism sector will also attract significant public interest,” he said.

Zakeri noted that a passenger train between the Iranian capital Tehran and the Turkish capital Ankara is expected to be launched within the next two months. He added that after a five-year suspension, the Tehran-Van passenger train has recently resumed operations.

He further stated that a preliminary agreement has been reached on launching a Tehran-Herat passenger train connecting Iran and Afghanistan as early as next month.

The deputy minister also said that consultations have begun on establishing passenger train service to Mary in Turkmenistan and Dushanbe in Tajikistan.

Iran Railways signed two MoUs with local companies on July 20 in Tehran to allocate 88.2 trillion rials (about $153 million) for the purchase of 130 new passenger wagons and the repair of 140 existing ones.

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