{"id":438879,"date":"2026-05-26T18:30:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T08:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=71329"},"modified":"2026-05-26T18:30:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T08:30:15","slug":"armenia-now-has-a-railway-connection-to-the-eu-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=438879","title":{"rendered":"Armenia now has a railway connection to the EU"},"content":{"rendered":"

T\u00fcrkiye has lifted a long-standing blockade on Armenia imports and exports via the railways. As a result, Armenia can now trade with the EU via a part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. More rail connections are on the agenda.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>The Turkish-Armenian border crossings have been closed since 1993. Ankara also banned the transit of Armenian imports and exports on its rail network at the time. That has come to an end, as the Akhalkalaki\u2013Kars railway is now open to Armenian products.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, Armenia has a railway connection with Russia via the territories of Georgia and Azerbaijan, and further with China via the territories of Russia and Kazakhstan. Now, via the territories of Georgia and T\u00fcrkiye, it also has a connection with the EU\u201d, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan said.<\/p>\n

The change is a major event for Armenia, which was blockaded by both T\u00fcrkiye and Azerbaijan for decades. This severely restricted its capacity to trade internationally. Only the land borders to Iran and Georgia remained open.<\/p>\n

Gyumri\u2013Kars remains an issue to be resolved<\/h2>\n

Armenia is also looking to build its own railway to T\u00fcrkiye that eliminates the need to transit through Georgia. It is currently talking to Russia to start construction and renovation works. Russia manages the Armenian rail network under a 2008 concession agreement that remains in force until 2038.<\/p>\n

If no deal is reached on the Gyumri\u2013Kars railway, Armenia will seek to take matters into its own hands. “Armenia has a historic opportunity to become an alternative trade hub, a hub for trade between East and West\u201d, said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ararat Mirzoyan.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis trade will happen one way or another, and we have a historic opportunity to become an important key hub, and we will not miss this opportunity. Therefore, this issue must be resolved. The section of railway that doesn’t exist and is the reason the Gyumri\u2013Kars railway is inoperative must be built. We are currently discussing this with our Russian colleagues: if we can build it together, then we will. If not, we will find another solution, but this issue must be resolved.\u201d<\/p>\n