The Baku – Tbilisi – Kars (BTK) railway line will be opened for rail freight transport on 20th May 2024 following the completion of modernisation work. The work on the Georgian side of the line was recently completed. The opening was originally planned for April 2024. At the same time, a joint venture (JV) is to be established between Georgia and Azerbaijan for the management of operations on the BTK. The BTK runs from the port of Baku in Azerbaijan via the Georgian capital Tbilisi to the Turkish city of Kars. It was opened in 2017 and the modernisation project started in 2022 at a total cost of around €100 million. If the new capacities are fully utilised, the freight volume on the BTK could increase from one to five million tonnes per year.
