First freight train which has crossed the Turkish border after bogie exchange, arrived Kars.

The freight train carrying grain had departed from Azerbaijan, crossed Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, arrived Akhalkalaki where there’s break-of-gauge, changed bogies and arrived Kars. This is the first train which continued after bogie exchange. Until now, only container trains had worked on this rail connection.

Is transport without transhipment possible at Baku-Tbilisi-Kars?

The bogie exchange station at Akhalkalaki will enable Azerbaijan and Kazakh conventional wagons to cross Turkish border without any need of handling of load. The station has capacity to change 14 wagons at the same time. Thus, in addition to container wagons, now conventional wagons such as tank wagons, hopper wagons, box wagons will be able to come to Turkey from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

CIS magons are wider and higher, thus it’s not clear if they will be accepted beyond Kars or not. Wagons with appropriate loading gauge are expected to be accepted.

Currently, CIS wagons are carrying goods to European side of Turkey, after bogie exhange at Varna (Bulgaria).

Baku Tbilisi Kars railway project

Cover Photo: TCDD Erzurum ©