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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced Sunday that the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway has been opened for Armenian export and import traffic, following the earlier opening of the Azerbaijani railway to Armenian trade, providing Yerevan with a rail connection to the European Union via Georgia and Türkiye.
The move was welcomed by Türkiye's special envoy for the Armenian normalization process, retired Ambassador Serdar Kilic.
"Pleased to announce that following the Azerbaijani railway, the Turkish railway via Georgia is now open for Armenian export and import. This is a major development for our country's economic life. I express appreciation to our partners in Türkiye and Georgia for their constructive cooperation," Pashinyan wrote on X.
Pashinyan outlined Armenia's emerging rail connectivity picture. Armenia already has rail links to Russia via Georgia and Azerbaijan, and onward through Russia and Kazakhstan to China.
The newly activated Akhalkalaki-Kars corridor now provides access to the EU via Georgia and Türkiye.
Looking ahead, Pashinyan said the opening of a direct Armenia-Türkiye railway, a direct Armenia-Azerbaijan line, and subsequently a connection to Iran via Nakhchivan were all expected in the near future as part of the TRIPP, Trump's Route for International Peace and Prosperity, project.
"In the near future, the opening of the Armenia-Türkiye railway, the Armenia-Azerbaijan railway and then through Nakhchivan the Armenia-Iran railway is expected," Pashinyan said.
Kilic posted on X in response to Pashinyan's announcement, describing the opening of the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway to Armenian foreign trade as a new step in direct trade under the Türkiye-Armenia normalization process.
"I wish this new step, which will also advance the quadruple cooperation among Türkiye, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia and will make an important contribution to regional peace and stability, to be auspicious for all these countries," Kilic said.
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