Baku suburban railway
ESh2-009 electric train at Bakıxanov station
ESh2-009 electric train at Bakıxanov station
Overview
OwnerAzerbaijan Railways
LocaleBaku, Azerbaijan
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines2
Number of stations15
HeadquartersBaku
WebsiteAzerbaijan Railways Official Site
Operation
Began operation21 May 2019
Operator(s)ADY
Technical
System length91 km (57 mi)[1]
Track gauge1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) Russian gauge
System map
Baku suburban railway and metro map
Baku suburban railway and metro map

The Baku suburban railway (Azerbaijani: Bakı şəhərətrafı dəmir yolu) or Absheron Circular line (Azerbaijani: Abşeron dairəvi xətti) is a 91 km (57 mi) commuter rail service which began in 2019, serving the Azerbaijani capital Baku.[2]

Background

Baku suburban railway and metro map

In 2016, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways Javid Gurbanov confirmed that work was underway on a 25 km (16 mi) railway line to Heydar Aliyev International Airport from Baku's main station.[3]

In 2018, president Ilham Aliyev announced funding for a suburban rail service for Baku.[4] The 100 million manat project was to include upgrading the existing railway between Baku and Sumqayıt via Biləcəri, as well as bring back into use the disused route connecting the two cities via Sabunçu and Pirşağı. The plans included 23 stations on the route, which would also have branches to Dübandi and Maştağa, with a branch serving the airport being built in a later phase.

The initial phase of the service was launched in May 2019, connecting Baku station with Sabunçu via four intermediate stations.[5][6] By 2020, the line was extended to Sumqayit, linking to the existing Baku–Sumqayit railway to form a circle line.

Stations

ESh2-019 Stadler electric train heading towards Sumqayıt station

At its 2019 opening, the suburban railway served seven stations.[7] In 2020 seven stations were added, bringing the total to 14.[8]

History

The first Elektrichka ran on July 6, 1926, along the Baku–Sabunchi line in Soviet Azerbaijan.

Rolling stock

Current

ESh2-019 (since 2019)

Former

ER9 (1926-2004)

Future plans

13 more stations are planned toward to the East, including Baku International Airport.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Baku circular railway completed". Railway Gazette. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  2. ↑ "Baku suburban railway planned". Railway Gazette. 21 February 2018.
  3. ↑ "Suburban railway line being expanded". AzerNews. 28 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "Funding approved for Baku suburban railway". Railway Pro. 14 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "Baku suburban railway phase one launched". Railway Gazette. 24 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "President inaugurates Baku suburban railway first phase". Metro Report. 24 May 2019.
  7. ↑ "Railway line to be laid to Heydar Aliyev International Airport". AzerNews. 22 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "Abşeron dairəvi dəmir yolu bu gündən etibarən işləyir – Cədvəl". banker.az (in Azerbaijani). 20 March 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
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