The Astara–Rasht–Qazvin railway is a transport corridor that connects existing railways of Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran. The project is carried out within the framework of the International North–South Transport Corridor. The purpose of the project is to integrate the transport and information routes of Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and India.
Map of the Astara–Rasht–Qazvin railway
Historyedit
The agreement on the route's construction was signed by three parties (Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia) in 2005.[1] The most challenging section from an engineering point of view was the construction of the railway between Rasht and Ghazvin which started in 2009 [2] and took nearly a decade to complete. On 22 November 2018, a test train ran for the first time on that 164 km section of the line[3] whose formal opening ceremony was held on 6 March 2019 with the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev plus officials from Pakistan and Iraq in attendance.[4][5] The line was a major engineering achievement including some 53 tunnels with a cumulative length of over 22 km.[6]
The bridge and short section of track between Azerbaijani and Iranian Astara, using dual gauges (1520mm and 1435mm) plus a 82.5m river bridge over the Astarachay River,[7] was completed in March 2017.[8] The first arrival of a train coming all the way from Russia to Iranian Astara was documented on February 8, 2018.[9] Immediately after putting into operation the section Astara (Azerbaijan) - Astara (Iran) in 2018, the Iranian section of the railway together with the Astara station and the newly built cargo terminal was leased to Azerbaijan for a period of 25 years. During the first 11 months of operation, around 270,000 tons of cargo was transported via this railway[10] growing to 364,000 tons in 2019.[11]
As of early 2019, the construction of the 130 km Rasht-Astara leg remained at a 'study and review stage' but with approval granted in Iran as of January [12] and around half of the estimated cost ($1.1 billion) secured by a preferential loan of $500 million from Azerbaijan. Some press reports claimed that track laying should be complete by around 2023[13] whilst others hinted that as of the ECO meeting of 17 December 2019,[14] no physical construction had yet commenced.[15] In November 2020 the Iranian ambassador to Russia was quoted as calling for a rapid completion of the Astara Rasht line as an economic imperative.[16]
As of April 2022, only the first section between Rasht and Anzali Caspian Port was reported as expected to open in 2023,[17] (later revised to Spring 2024)[18] the remainder of the route from just south-east of Bandar Anzali to Astara taking a further 5 years at a cost of €1.6B primarily financed by a loan from Russia.[19][20]
^"İran prezidentinin Azərbaycana səfəri çərçivəsində Rəşt-Astara dəmir yolunun tikintisinə dair sənədlərin imzalanması gözlənilirİnterfaks Azərbaycan". interfax.az. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
^Ziyadov, Taleh (2012). Azerbaijan as a Regional Hub in Central Eurasia: Strategic Assessment of Euro-Asian Trade and Transportation. Taleh Ziyadov. ISBN9789952348019.
^Rasht-Anzali Port railway to be inaugurated by Iranian year end
^Completion of construction of Astara Rasht railway expected by 2028
^Talks ongoing between Tehran and Moscow on construction of Rasht-Astara railway
May 08, 2024
astara, rasht, qazvin, railway, transport, corridor, that, connects, existing, railways, russia, azerbaijan, iran, project, carried, within, framework, international, north, south, transport, corridor, purpose, project, integrate, transport, information, route. The Astara Rasht Qazvin railway is a transport corridor that connects existing railways of Russia Azerbaijan and Iran The project is carried out within the framework of the International North South Transport Corridor The purpose of the project is to integrate the transport and information routes of Russia Azerbaijan Iran and India Map of the Astara Rasht Qazvin railwayHistory editThe agreement on the route s construction was signed by three parties Iran Azerbaijan and Russia in 2005 1 The most challenging section from an engineering point of view was the construction of the railway between Rasht and Ghazvin which started in 2009 2 and took nearly a decade to complete On 22 November 2018 a test train ran for the first time on that 164 km section of the line 3 whose formal opening ceremony was held on 6 March 2019 with the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev plus officials from Pakistan and Iraq in attendance 4 5 The line was a major engineering achievement including some 53 tunnels with a cumulative length of over 22 km 6 The bridge and short section of track between Azerbaijani and Iranian Astara using dual gauges 1520mm and 1435mm plus a 82 5m river bridge over the Astarachay River 7 was completed in March 2017 8 The first arrival of a train coming all the way from Russia to Iranian Astara was documented on February 8 2018 9 Immediately after putting into operation the section Astara Azerbaijan Astara Iran in 2018 the Iranian section of the railway together with the Astara station and the newly built cargo terminal was leased to Azerbaijan for a period of 25 years During the first 11 months of operation around 270 000 tons of cargo was transported via this railway 10 growing to 364 000 tons in 2019 11 As of early 2019 the construction of the 130 km Rasht Astara leg remained at a study and review stage but with approval granted in Iran as of January 12 and around half of the estimated cost 1 1 billion secured by a preferential loan of 500 million from Azerbaijan Some press reports claimed that track laying should be complete by around 2023 13 whilst others hinted that as of the ECO meeting of 17 December 2019 14 no physical construction had yet commenced 15 In November 2020 the Iranian ambassador to Russia was quoted as calling for a rapid completion of the Astara Rasht line as an economic imperative 16 As of April 2022 only the first section between Rasht and Anzali Caspian Port was reported as expected to open in 2023 17 later revised to Spring 2024 18 the remainder of the route from just south east of Bandar Anzali to Astara taking a further 5 years at a cost of 1 6B primarily financed by a loan from Russia 19 20 See also editBaku Tbilisi Kars railway Pipelines in AzerbaijanReferences edit Iran prezidentinin Azerbaycana seferi cercivesinde Rest Astara demir yolunun tikintisine dair senedlerin imzalanmasi gozlenilirInterfaks Azerbaycan interfax az Retrieved 2019 03 27 Ziyadov Taleh 2012 Azerbaijan as a Regional Hub in Central Eurasia Strategic Assessment of Euro Asian Trade and Transportation Taleh Ziyadov ISBN 9789952348019 Qazvin Rasht railway opens today AzerNews az 2018 11 22 Retrieved 2019 03 27 Financial Tribune Iran article 5 March 2019 Kaspiski Vestnik article 12 March 2019 Financial Tribune Iran article 6 March 2019 Reconecting Asia article Astara link railway opens Testovyj poezd pushen iz Azerbajdzhana v Iran po zheleznoj doroge TASS Retrieved 2019 03 27 Azvision Azerbaijan eyes to increase capacity of cargo terminal in Iran s Astara Retrieved 2019 03 27 Railfreight article on Astara terminal May 2020 Iran budget organization approves RashtAstara railway projec Railway Gazette article March 2019 suggests four years as probable timescale for the Rasht Astara section s construction ECO meeting outlined Archived from the original on 2021 04 27 Retrieved 2020 11 21 Financial Tribune Iran article 14 December 2019 Rasht Astara railway Iran s missing North South corridor rail link proceeds with construction Rasht Anzali Port railway to be inaugurated by Iranian year end Completion of construction of Astara Rasht railway expected by 2028 Talks ongoing between Tehran and Moscow on construction of Rasht Astara railway Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Astara Rasht Qazvin railway amp oldid 1213978678, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
