Armenian Railways

Main information

The 845 km (525 mi), 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) gauge network is electrified at 3 kV DC. Now the railways in Armenia are operated by South Caucasus Railway of Russian Railways.

The railway operating environment in Armenia sharply deteriorated following the collapse of the Soviet Union. According to the World Bank, Armenian Railways was in dramatic need of major investment, including the replacement of rolling stock, rehabilitation of the main line between Yerevan and the Georgian border, renewal of electrification, and bridge reconstruction. Rail transport was slow and unreliable, and traffic remained low compared to European countries with similar sized networks, amounting to only 2.6 million tons of freight and 0.85 million passengers in 2004.

At present the only preexisting rail connection between Armenia and Iran is the line which passes through the autonomous region of Nakhchivan, an exclave of Azerbaijan. However, because the border between the two countries is closed, the line from Yerevan is operational only as far as Yeraskh.

Timeline

1899

Kars–Gyumri–Tbilisi railway opens.

1902

Branch from Gyumri to Yerevan opens.

1993

The border with Turkey closes, cutting the Kars–Gyumri link.

2008

Russian Railways wins tender to manage Armenian Railways on concessionary basis for 30 years, extendable for another 20 years.

2012

Dubai-based investment company Rasia FZE (Rasia Group) awarded 30-year concession for constructing and operating the Southern Armenia Railway (also known as the Armenia-Iran Railway and the missing link in the North-South Transport Corridor) between the operating railway networks of the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.