Azerbaijan to finish Zangezur Corridor railway by end of 2026
The construction of the railway line forming part of the strategic Zangezur Corridor on Azerbaijani territory will be completed by the end of 2026, an official from Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) has announced.
"By the end of next year, railway construction up to the border [with Armenia] will be completed. After that, electricity, signaling, communications and landscaping work will be finalized," Tural Abbasli, adviser to the ADY chairman, said during a visit by foreign diplomats to Zangilan District, News.Az reports, citing local media.
He noted that the project is progressing rapidly, with tunnel and bridge works now in their final stage. Dynamite is being used to carve out the tunnel walls, with 2–3 meters of excavation carried out daily. The first tunnel spans 677 meters, followed by a second measuring 1,067 meters. Both are being built using closed-pipe technology, while the mountainous terrain required a protective gallery to prevent rockfall.
The overall project includes 594 engineering structures, including four tunnels and 14 bridges. The region’s longest railway bridge - 771 meters in length - is located on this section, while another bridge, 35 meters high, is among the largest engineering facilities in the region. Overall progress has reached 68 percent.
The railway will include nine stations in total. Work between the Hakari and Zangilan stations is nearing completion, and a bridge connecting Azerbaijan with Iran will be built at the tunnel exit.
Abbasli added that part of the line is already in operation to serve the Holcim cement plant in the Araz Economic Zone, with 25,000 tons of cargo transported so far this year.
Responding to a question about restoring the railway line through Armenian territory, he said that, from a technical standpoint, it would be possible to complete the 42-kilometer segment in 2–2.5 years once a detailed project is prepared.
Similar news
