WNAM MONITORING: The Kars-Igdir-Nakhchivan railway project is already under implementation and will reduce travel time between Nakhchivan and Kars to just 85 minutes.
In an interview the project head Osman Beserek shared details about the project.
According to him, the route is planned to be integrated into the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line in the future, which will foster trade relations between Europe and Asia and open up new possibilities for international cargo transportation.
He emphasized that the implementation of this project is a significant turning point in international trade and logistics.
Beserek further explained that, as a result, passenger travel time between Central Asia and Europe will be reduced from 18 days to 12 days.
“As part of the project, five new railway stations will be built in Türkiye: Digor, Tuzluca, Igdir, Aralik, and Dilucu. Proposals for additional station construction are also being prepared. Most of the work is currently being done in Igdir,” said Beserek.
The project leader noted that the Kars-Igdir-Nakhchivan railway line will span approximately 224 kilometers, and the first base for construction is already being established in Igdir. The work is progressing rapidly, and once completed, we will move on to the actual railway construction, he added.
According to Beserek, the double-track railway line will be fully electrified and signaled, with the project expected to be completed within 5 years.
“As part of the project, three viaducts, extending to around 2,800 meters, five tunnels with a combined length of 11.3 kilometers, 10 bridges, 480 culverts, 145 underground crossings, 27 overground crossings, and 19 retractable crossings will be built. In addition, soil reinforcement works and other earthworks will be carried out on many sections. The Kars-Igdir-Nakhchivan railway is part of the Zangazur Corridor and will not only connect Türkiye with Azerbaijan but also become one of the main arteries of global transportation and trade routes,” he said.
