Freight trains in the outskirts of Baku are steadily heading towards the Russian Arab border along the double track railway. Next to the old signal system in the subway tunnel, the technical team has begun preparing for the arrival of the new generation digital control system. Within three weeks, the Asian Development Bank has intensively implemented two transportation infrastructure loans totaling over 650 million US dollars, and Azerbaijan's Eurasian hub upgrade plan is pressing the accelerator button.

Upgrading the North South Corridor Railway and Connecting the Cross border Freight Arteries

The 192 kilometer Bilakali Yarama double track railway is a core node of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Network and the International North South Transport Corridor. Over 70% of Azerbaijan's exported goods are transported across borders through this line. The $350 million Asian Development Bank loan will complete the electrification renovation of 15 stations along the entire line, upgrading the long used 3kV DC power supply to a 25kV AC system, and synchronously supporting new signal and communication facilities, achieving a qualitative leap in the freight capacity of this line.

The total investment of this project is 447.88 million US dollars, jointly funded by the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the government of Azerbaijan. The civil engineering and line repair projects have been completed, and the international bidding and awarding work for electrification and signal engineering is underway. The total construction period is 42 months, and it is planned to be fully put into use before the end of 2030. After the renovation is completed, this line will form a cross with the east-west Baku Daxik electrified railway, completely connecting the north-south and east-west railway expressways in Azerbaijan.

Digital upgrade of Baku subway activates urban commuting network

The $302.38 million Asian Development Bank loan will be used to replace the old signal system of Baku Metro, introduce communication based train control technology, upgrade the new operation control center, and simultaneously build an integrated digital system covering enterprise management, asset management, network security, and passenger information. The data center and security network renovation will be completed. This project is a core component of Azerbaijan's $2.6 billion Baku Metro expansion plan, injecting new operational power into the existing 41 kilometer operating mileage and 27 station subway network.

The total investment of the project is 515.07 million US dollars, with joint financing of 79.98 million US dollars from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and a matching investment of 132.71 million US dollars from the government of Azerbaijan. After the renovation is completed, the operational safety, punctuality, and capacity of the Baku Metro will be greatly improved, laying a digital foundation for the subsequent expansion project of building a 20 kilometer tunnel, 9 stations, 2 vehicle depots, and purchasing 300 additional carriages. Keywords: Azerbaijan, transportation hub

From cross-border freight trains speeding along the border railway lines to subway trains smoothly stopping underground in cities, Azerbaijan's transportation infrastructure upgrade is gradually transforming its geographical advantage into a tangible hub competitiveness connecting Europe and Asia.Editor/Cheng Liting