Azerbaijan buys new passenger trains
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Azerbaijan has purchased two new two-storey passenger trains from Switzerland's Stadler Rail Group company and the trains have already been delivered to Baku, the spokesperson for Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Natavan Bayramova has told local media.
She said the new trains will operate in the direction of Baku-Sumgayit and Baku-Pirshagi. The commissioning of one of the trains is expected in late December 2019, the second - in early January 2020.
The trains have been produced in accordance with the latest technologies and fully meet all modern standards.
Bayramova noted that the new trains have 371 seats, of which 307 are standard seats 62 - business class and nine are first class seats. The reason for the acquisition of new trains is the increase in passenger traffic. The number of Stadler’s trains will increase to nine in the future.
Azerbaijan has signed an agreement to buy six more FLIRT single-storey trains from Stadler. These trains will also be delivered to Baku within the next three years.
Moreover, 10 more trains belonging to the Swiss Stadler will be brought to Baku by 2020 on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route.
Azerbaijan Railways received 20 carriages for passenger transportation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, 10 of which are already in Baku.
Stadler builds trains which are tailored to meet the needs of customers. The company’s trains are reliable and safe, with optimum comfort for the passengers' travels.
Azerbaijan Railways has been cooperating with Swiss Stadler Rail Group since 2015. The Stadler Rail Group focuses on regional and suburban traffic, light S-rail traffic, the tram and rack railway sectors.
A passenger train of 10 wagons intended for operation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is intended to transport one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of freight at the first stage, arrived in Baku on March 29.
The train includes nine passenger cars and a dining car. The train is designed to carry 246 people in one direction and is able to run at a speed of 160 km/h.
Railway departments of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey have to make decisions on the days of the week and hours of movement of the trains and on the tickets prices.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway was commissioned on October 30, 2017. Currently, this route carries freight. At the initial stage, BTK is expected to carry up to one million passengers.
Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz