A launch ceremony marking the commissioning of the modernised Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line was held at Akhalkalaki station in Georgia on 2 June, bringing together senior officials from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, and other officials attended the event.
Azerbaijan was represented by Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev and Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Rovshan Rustamov.
Speaking at the event, Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said: “BTK is of strategic importance not only regionally but also globally. Türkiye will continue taking determined steps for the development of this route.”
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze highlighted the trilateral cooperation behind the project, saying: “The completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project is another indication of the strategic partnership and successful cooperation among Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye.”
He added that the commissioning of the railway would further strengthen the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor.
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev described the development as the opening of “a new chapter in Eurasian connectivity,” noting that the railway’s capacity had increased fivefold to 5 million tons per year.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is an 827-kilometre rail corridor linking Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye. The project was launched under a trilateral agreement signed in 2007 and was officially inaugurated in October 2017.
The railway connects the Caspian region with Türkiye and onward to European markets, forming a central segment of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, commonly known as the Middle Corridor. The route offers an alternative east-west trade connection that bypasses both Russia and key maritime chokepoints.
Azerbaijan financed much of the Georgian section through a $775 million loan, underlining Baku's strategic interest in establishing a direct rail link between the South Caucasus and Türkiye.
Although the railway remained operational after its launch in 2017, growing freight demand exposed capacity constraints on the Georgian section of the route.
According to Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), modernisation works were carried out between May 2023 and May 2024.
The programme included track upgrades, the reconstruction of the Akhalkalaki logistics complex and improvements across several sections of Georgia's rail network. Freight operations were temporarily suspended during parts of the work.
The upgrades were designed to transform the BTK from a limited-capacity corridor into a major freight artery capable of handling significantly larger cargo volumes between Asia and Europe. Annual cargo capacity has increased from 1 million tonnes to 5 million tonnes.
Growing role in the Middle Corridor
The railway's importance has grown as companies and governments seek alternatives to traditional trade routes.
Russia's war in Ukraine disrupted northern Eurasian transport corridors, while attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea have prompted some cargo operators to seek faster and more secure land-based routes between Asia and Europe.
As a result, the Middle Corridor - stretching from China and Central Asia across the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus and Türkiye - has attracted increasing attention from governments and logistics companies. The BTK railway serves as one of its key rail links.
The route is also strategically important for Central Asian states, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, providing additional access to European markets without relying exclusively on Russian transit routes.
Supporters of the project view the BTK as more than a railway.
The corridor has become a symbol of economic integration between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, and a cornerstone of wider connectivity plans linking Central Asia with Europe. The project has also strengthened the role of the South Caucasus in global supply chains at a time when governments are increasingly focused on diversifying transport routes.
The reopening also follows the creation of BTKI Railways, a joint venture between subsidiaries of Azerbaijan Railways and Georgian Railway that will oversee operations and infrastructure management on the Georgian section of the corridor.
With freight capacity now five times higher than before the reconstruction, officials hope the upgraded railway will help position the Middle Corridor as a more competitive option for trade between Asia and Europe.
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