Azerbaijan - General Information
Country Name
Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan)
National railway system
Azerbaijan State Railway: ADDY (Azərbaycan Dövlət Dəmir Yolu)
The Azerbaijan and Georgian state railways currently hold sole responsibility for their sections of the Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway. An equally-owned binational joint venture is to be set up to manage these sections once upgrading works ongoing in 2024 are completed.
Official Website
Language
Azerbaijani (also called Azeri); 13 other languages are also spoken in the country
Currency
Manat (AZN)
UIC code
Numeric 57; alpha AZE
Timetable
Journey Planner
Can be found at Online Ticket Sales
Downloadable Timetable
A list of Long Distance trains and International trains is given here: [1]
However, a good privately compiled timetable has been available but the last update was 2016.
Printed Timetable
None.
Engineering Information
None.
Maps
Printed Maps
- European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball.
- World Rail Atlas - The Middle East and Caucasus by Neil Robinson.
Web-based Maps
- Map of Azerbaijan on wayback machine - a single sheet dated April 2009.
Ticketing
The Online Ticket Sales booking system allows the purchase of tickets for any long distance train from/to any station and also destinations in Russia and Ukraine) served by direct trains.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure Authority
Azerbaijan Railways acts as its own Infrastructure Authority. [2]
Network Statement
None known
Gauge
"Russian" gauge (1520 mm)
Electrification
Historically 3000 V dc but the main line from Baku to Bëyük Kesik on the Georgian border is being converted from 3 kV DC to 25 kV 50 Hz from the border towards Baku. On 5 September 2025 transition of the 122 km Ujar – Hajigabul section to AC to was completed. The 254 km from Böyük Kəsik to Ujar has already been converted to AC. The final stage, covering the Hajigabul – Baku section (127 km), is scheduled for 2026 – 2027.
It is not known what has occurred on the short branches off this route.
The Baku suburban lines and those to Yalama on the Russian border and south westwards to Imisli are presumed to remain 3000 V dc. The compilers would appreciate any information on this.
Rule of the road
Right.
Distances
No source known
Other railways
None.
Tourist lines
None but but there are up to two a (former) “Pioneer” public narrow-gauge railway that combined a hobby activity for teenagers with practical training in railway operation. These 'Dyetsky Zelegny Dorogy' (DZD) typically operate on a few km of track in a public park on weekends between 1 May and the start of the new school year. For details, see the Web site (partly in English) railways.id.ru/towns/towns.html. . .
Metro
Baku
The metro is operated by Baku Metropolitan. A public transport card is required to use the metro and buses.
There is track plan of the Baku Metro from 2012 captioned in Cyrillic text.
Trams/LRT-Systems
Trams ceased to operate at Baku in January 2004 (Gauge 1524 mm), but there are plans to reinstate them.
Recent and future changes
The final stage, converting the Hajigabul – Baku section (127 km), of the east-west main line from Baku to Bëyük Kesikis, to 25 kV 50 Hz is scheduled for 2026 – 2027.
On 5 September 2025 transition of the 122 km Ujar – Hajigabul section, of the main line from Böyük Kəsik to Baku, from 3 kV dc to 25 kV 50 Hz electrification, was completed. The 254 km from Böyük Kəsik to Ujar has already been converted to AC.
On 31 May 2021 the complete Baku Metro was reopened, following closure by the pandemic on 19 October 2020.
On 29 May 2021, a 1 km extension of the Baku Metro, Violet line, opened to 8 Noyambr [8 November], doubling the length of this line.
The 36 km cut-off between Güzdək and Qaradağ, avoiding Baku, will be rebuilt as a double-track line. It was opened in 1963, but fell into disrepair in the 1970s.
The reopening of the Abşeron Peninsula (Baku) circular railway has been completed. It consisted of three phases: 1. May 2019: Modernisation of the line NE from Baku main station to Sabunçu. 2. November 2019: Reopening of Sabunçu to Pirşağı. 3. 18 March 2020: Reopening of Pirşağı – Görədil – Novxanı – Sumqayıt.
In May 2005 the heads of the Russian, Azerbaijani and Iranian railways agreed a joint venture to construct and operate a new line from Astara (Azerbaijan) to Resht and Qazvin (Iran). Construction of the first section between Qazvin and Rasht was completed in March 2011. Astara (Azerbaijan) to Astara (Iran) opened to traffic 29 March 2018.
Baku trams ceased to operate in January 2004.
Special Notes
Azerbaijan includes the Autonomous Republic (muxtar respublika) of Nakhchivan, separated from the rest of the country by Armenia. However, following the conquest of the former Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh and occupation of Armenian territory west of there, there is now direct land communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan.
