Baku-Tbilisi passenger train service may resume by end of May

The long-suspended passenger rail service between Azerbaijan and Georgia may resume by the end of May, according to a report by Azerbaijani news agency Trend, citing the Georgian government.

A Georgian government representative said talks were ongoing but expressed optimism about the potential reopening. “The resumption of Baku-Tbilisi-Baku rail services is planned for the end of May; however, negotiations in this direction are still ongoing.”

Passenger rail services between the two countries were halted in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as Azerbaijan imposed a strict quarantine regime. The restrictions, first enacted by Resolution No. 336 of the Cabinet of Ministers on 12 September 2020, included the closure of land borders and the suspension of international passenger rail traffic.

While many countries have lifted COVID-era border controls, Azerbaijan has maintained its land border closures as part of its extended quarantine measures. On 18 March, authorities once again prolonged the special quarantine regime – this time until 06:00 on 1 July 2025.