On May 26, after a six-year hiatus, passenger rail service between Tbilisi and Baku finally resumed, having been suspended during the coronavirus pandemic.
The first passenger train arrived in the Georgian capital at 8:41 a.m. Tbilisi time. The train was officially welcomed at the Central Station platform by Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Director General of Georgian Railway. Modern Swiss-made Stadler trains will run daily on the restored route.
Ticket prices from Baku to Tbilisi start at 81 manats/135 lari (approximately $48), though the final cost depends on the selected carriage class and seating. Furthermore, fares are pegged to the Swiss franc, meaning prices may fluctuate and are subject to adjustments on weekends and public holidays.
The total travel time of around nine hours already includes border and customs control, with one hour allocated at each border crossing. As for the route, only two stops are scheduled within Georgia: Tbilisi Central Station and Gardabani Station.
Azerbaijan’s land borders had been closed since 2020 due to the pandemic. Although COVID-19 restrictions have long since been lifted elsewhere, Baku repeatedly extended its “special quarantine regime” for several consecutive years. While rumors of resuming the rail service had circulated for some time, the final details were only agreed upon during a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister and the Azerbaijani President. Nevertheless, Baku kept everyone in suspense until the very last moment.
Analysts at Galt & Taggart have already assessed the economic impact of the move. According to their report, the resumption of the Baku-Tbilisi rail service will bring Georgia an additional $200 million in tourism revenue in the second half of 2026. This will fully offset the temporary decline in tourist arrivals from the Middle East caused by the escalating regional conflict. Analysts point out that due to the closed land borders, Azerbaijan’s share in Georgia’s tourist flow plunged from 15% in 2019 to just 4% in 2025. The daily train service is expected to help restore these figures, driven not only by Azerbaijani citizens but also by third-country tourists—who accounted for nearly half of all passengers on this route before the pandemic, with China being one of the largest markets.