Azerbaijan Railways Passenger Traffic Rises 19%, Cargo 13% (PHOTO)

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 13. In the period from January through October 2026, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY) transported 9.8 million passengers and 15.7 million metric tons of cargo; compared to the same period last year, passenger traffic increased by 19%, and cargo traffic by 13%.

According to Azerbaijan Railways, this information was presented at a meeting between the company's management and experts in the fields of public transportation, international transport corridors, logistics, and tourism.

In addition, it was noted that more than 1.3 million passengers were transported in October, marking the highest monthly passenger count on record. Daily passenger traffic on the Absheron Circular Railway route has increased from 36,000 to 52,000 people over the past two years.

The meeting included a presentation on the restoration of the Baku–Balaken and Baku–Aghdam routes, the extension of the Baku–Agstafa route to Gazakh, the organization of daily passenger service on the Ganja–Gabala route, and the resumption of the Baku–Tbilisi–Baku international rail service.

In addition, discussions focused on reducing passenger volume (passenger density) in Absheron, optimizing the schedule, upgrading infrastructure along the Khirdalan route, and improving the Baku–Khirdalan–Sumgayit and Baku–Pirsaghi–Sumgayit lines. Information was also provided regarding work being carried out to restore new commuter lines and the procurement of 20 new passenger trains.

At the meeting, it was noted that transit freight volume had increased by 20% over the first 10 months of this year. As a result of the modernization of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, the line's annual capacity was increased from 1 million to 5 million metric tons.

At the Baku Port, container transshipment volumes rose by 31% from January through October, totaling more than 112,000 TEU. It was emphasized that this is a record figure.

During the meeting, participants exchanged views on the development of the Middle Corridor and the North–South International Transport Corridor, the construction of the Horadiz–Aghband railway line, the construction of the Astara Terminal, and the expansion of the Baku Port's capacity.

Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Railways, stated that increasing passenger satisfaction, improving service quality, and ensuring safe and sustainable transportation are among the top priorities.

The discussions also addressed issues related to improving digital services, eliminating“bottlenecks” in the logistics chain, expanding the railcar fleet, simplifying border crossing procedures, and the role of rail transport in the development of tourism.

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