Türkiye has begun renovating the Akyaka-Gyumri railway as preparations continue for a possible reopening of the Armenia-Türkiye border and the reactivation of the Gyumri-Kars rail link.
Türkiye has begun renovation works on the Akyaka-Gyumri section of the railway as part of preparations for the possible reopening of the Armenia-Türkiye border and the reactivation of the Gyumri-Kars railway line.
The railway project is regarded as one of the key elements of the Armenia-Türkiye normalisation process, with both sides seeking to restore transport links after years of closure.
Armenia and Türkiye agreed to reopen the Gyumri-Kars railway during talks in September 2025 as part of the ongoing normalisation process.
Following a meeting between Türkiye's Special Representative for the normalisation process, Serdar Kılıç, and Armenia's then special representative, Ruben Rubinyan, the Armenian Foreign Ministry announced that relevant institutions from both countries would carry out technical assessments for the repair and reactivation of the railway line and an electricity transmission link.
A joint working group focused on restoring the railway met in Kars on 28 April 2026. During the meeting, officials highlighted the importance of reopening the railway as soon as possible to strengthen regional transport connections.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan later said on 7 May that technical assessments for the Kars-Gyumri railway were under way.
Armenian journalists visiting Türkiye as part of a media exchange programme observed renovation work being carried out on the Turkish side of the railway.
The journalists travelled by train from Kars to Akyaka, covering the approximately 57-kilometre journey in around 50 minutes. The railway distance between Akyaka station and Gyumri is only around 18–20 kilometres.
Despite the short distance, however, direct rail travel between the two locations remains impossible because the Armenia-Türkiye border is closed.
Akyaka Mayor Ergüder Toptaş said he was optimistic about the future of Armenia-Türkiye relations and expressed confidence that the border could reopen following progress in the normalisation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
According to Toptaş, work has begun under the direction of Türkiye's President and the coordination of the Ministry of Transport to prepare border facilities and railway infrastructure.
He said the closed border remained the main obstacle to launching railway services, while infrastructure upgrades were also required.
"Construction has started and work is continuing," Toptaş said, adding that renovation works on the Akyaka-Gyumri railway line were expected to be completed within two to three months.
Preparations are not limited to railway infrastructure. A tender has also been launched for the construction of a road linking Akyaka and Gyumri.
Toptaş said the project formed part of broader efforts by both governments to develop friendly and good-neighbourly relations.
"The tender process has been initiated for the highway that will extend from Akyaka to Gyumri. We expect the works to start shortly," he said.
The Akyaka mayor said reopening the Armenia-Türkiye border could bring significant economic benefits to both countries, particularly in agriculture and industry.
He said improved transport links would create new opportunities for cooperation and contribute to regional development.
"We believe that when our President and the leader of Armenia make the right decisions regarding state policies, this region will achieve significant gains," Toptaş said.
According to him, Türkiye would gain an additional route to the Caucasus, while Armenia would have an opportunity to connect with the Middle East through Türkiye.
Residents living in settlements near the Armenian border also expressed support for reopening the crossing.
Many people in Akyaka said they hoped the border would reopen as soon as possible, arguing that renewed transport links would create new economic opportunities for communities on both sides.
The revival of the Gyumri-Kars railway is expected to become an important step towards restoring regional connectivity and strengthening economic ties between Armenia and Türkiye.
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