BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 24. The passenger capacity of trains on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku international route has been increased by approximately 120%.
This was revealed by the press service of the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC.
The company notes that 2 Comfort Class and 5 Standard+ Class coaches have been added to the train composition in phases. As a result, the number of passenger coaches (excluding the dining car) has increased from 6 to 13, while total passenger capacity has risen from 178 to 386 seats. This represents an increase of approximately 120% in available passenger seats compared to the initial capacity.
"The introduction of additional coaches provides passengers with a wider range of travel options and enables more people to use the service. The consistently high occupancy rate on the route reflects growing demand for international rail travel. To date, nearly 23,000 passengers have travelled on the Baku–Tbilisi–Baku route, with trains operating at a 100% occupancy rate," the statement of the company reads.
Azerbaijan Railways noted that it continuously monitors ticket sales, coach occupancy levels, and passenger traffic on the Baku–Tbilisi–Baku route. Based on these analyses, measures are taken to expand train formations, introduce additional coaches, and create new travel opportunities for passengers. This process is carried out taking into account the technical and operational readiness of both the Azerbaijani and Georgian sides, border and customs procedures, train schedules, station capacity, and safety requirements along the route. It also requires the necessary coordination between the two railway administrations and the alignment of all operational processes. For these reasons, passenger capacity is being increased in a planned and phased manner.
The company added that the priority is to increase the available capacity as quickly as possible while fully complying with all safety requirements. In the coming days, the necessary technical and operational work is being carried out in cooperation with the Georgian side to introduce additional coaches on the Baku–Tbilisi–Baku route.
