{"id":285263,"date":"2025-09-16T19:09:33","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T09:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=65955"},"modified":"2025-09-16T19:09:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T09:09:33","slug":"baku-tbilisi-kars-line-will-grow-to-a-capacity-of-17-million-tonnes-by-2034","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=285263","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Baku \u2013 Tbilisi \u2013 Kars line will grow to a capacity of 17 million tonnes by 2034\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, a key line on the Middle Corridor between China and Europe, will more than triple in capacity. By 2034, the BTK line will have a capacity of 17 million tonnes, up from the current five million tonnes annually, according to a Turkish official.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>The Turkish official, the head of the strategic studies centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made such an announcement during a session of the CICA Think Tank Forum. The figure of 17 million tonnes was first floated by Turkish officials in 2017, but without a target date. The end goal for the BTK line was stated to be 50 million tonnes at the time.<\/p>\n

In 2017, the 800-kilometre long BTK line opened for the first time. It links Azerbaijan, Georgia and T\u00fcrkiye, forming a critical segment of the Middle Corridor. The railway allows for freight to bypass Russia, where sanctions and political considerations complicate China – Europe transportation. Between 2023 and 2024, the line underwent upgrades in Georgia, causing a year-long closure.<\/p>\n