Transcaucasus Railway

The Transcaucasus Railway was the first railway in the South Caucasus. It was built by the Russian Empire to connect the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

This railway helped the Russian army move more easily in the Caucasus region. It also made it faster to send troops from Central Asia with the help of the Trans-Caspian railway.

At first, the railway was run by a private company from 1865 to 1922. Later, it became part of the Soviet Railways and stayed that way until 1991. The railway was important for moving people and goods across a big part of the world.

History

Russian Empire (1865-1917)

The railway started in 1865 at the port town of Poti on the Black Sea. It reached Zestaponi in 1871 and T'bilisi in 1872. A branch line went to Kutaisi in 1877.

By 1883, the railway reached all the way to Baku. Trains carried oil from Baku to Poti to be shipped to other cities in Russia. In 1899, a branch line was built from T'blisi to Kars, an important city for Russia.

The railway connected to the rest of the Russian system in 1900 with the line from Baku to Makhachkala. During World War I, Russia built more railway lines to help its military.

Russian Civil War (1918-1922)

After the Russian Empire ended, parts of the railway were taken over by different countries. The railway kept running in some areas, but some parts were left unused.

Soviet Union (1922-1991)

The Soviet Union took control of the railway in 1922. New lines were built to connect different cities, including Baku, Batumi, and others.

Dissolution of the Railway (1991)

When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, the railway was split among the new countries. Parts of the railway were taken over by Russian Railways, Georgian Railways LLC, Azerbaijan State Railway, and Armenian Railway. The railway between Tbilisi and Baku was renewed between 2008 and 2014.