Georgia to buy 50 locomotives and 1,500 wagons under railway expansion plan, PM

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said Georgia will purchase 50 new locomotives and 1,500 new wagons as part of the country’s 2026-2028 railway development action plan aimed at significantly expanding rail capacity and modernising infrastructure.

Speaking at a government meeting, Kobakhidze said modern railway systems would also be introduced to improve operational processes, with the upgrades expected to double the carrying capacity of Georgian Railway.

He added that the government plans to acquire 10 new passenger trains, allowing all mainline services to operate with new rolling stock.

He further noted the annual number of rail passengers was projected to rise from two million to five million as a result of the investment.

Kobakhidze also announced that the Tbilisi-Kutaisi rail route will be added to the network, while rehabilitation of the Tbilisi-Batumi railway was due to be completed in August. He said the upgrade will reduce travel time between the two cities from five-and-a-half hours to four hours.

The official also said rehabilitation of the Tbilisi-Akhaltsikhe railway will also conclude in August, restoring a service suspended since 2009. Travel time on that route is expected to fall from six hours to three.

The prime minister further announced plans to restore the historic Borjomi-Bakuriani railway, known locally as the “Kukushka”.

He said both the train and railway infrastructure will undergo full rehabilitation, including the renovation of five railway stations, with services expected to resume in January next year after the line has remained inactive since 2020.

Kobakhidze said the restoration of the route would also have significant tourism value for the country.