Azernews.Az

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Railway transport, which accounts for the bulk of freight and passenger traffic, has an exceptional place in the transport system of Azerbaijan.

Rail transport plays a special role in the government's program to diversify the economy and promote exports. Today, reforming this area is considered one of the key tasks of the state.

Trip along the Baku-Sabunchu railway line will cost 0.50 manats ($0.29) in one direction, Javid Gurbanov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways JSC, told Trend on May 22. He noted that the route length is 13.5 km.

Gurbanov said that Bakikhanov, Koroglu, Keshla and Narimanov railway stops on this branch have been rebuilt. He added that the Sabunchu railway station complex is fully ready for servicing passengers.

The chairman pointed out that in the future the railway line is planned to be continued to the Ahmadli, Zira, Pirallahi settlements and Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

On May 21, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev took part in the opening of the Sabunchu railway station complex and familiarized himself with the work done on the newly built Baku passenger - Sabunchu railway line.

The Baku passenger-Sabunchu railway line was rebuilt on the basis of the presidential decree of January 22, 2018. Sabunchu railway station is completely reconstructed as an integral part of the project.

The total area of the three-storey building is 4,100 square meters. Its construction began in June 2018.

The railway infrastructure modernization in Azerbaijan in accordance with international standards is the result of the purposeful strategy of economic development carried out by the head of state. This strategy turns Azerbaijan into an important transport hub between the West and the East, North and South.

In the coming years, all these directions should ensure the transit through the territory of Azerbaijan of millions of tons of cargo and, accordingly, this implies hundreds of millions of dollars in profits.

It is noteworthy that Azerbaijan Railways management has a great experience in the organization of comfortable passenger transportation. Today, high-speed trains run between Baku and Sumgayit, which, in fact, have changed the perception of Azerbaijani citizens about train travel. Today, the number of people using this route every day is constantly increasing, which greatly reduces the load on the road.

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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

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