Public | |
Industry | railway |
Founded | October 10, 1872Tbilsi, Georgia | in
Headquarters | Tbilisi, Georgia |
Area served
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Georgia |
Revenue | ₾357.8 million (2014) |
Total assets | ₾1.2309 billion |
Total equity | ₾676 million |
Owner | JSC Partnership Fund (100%) |
Website | www.railway.ge |
Georgian Railway Network
|
|
Track gauge | 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in) |
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Length | 1,576 km (979 mi) |
Georgian Railway LLC (Georgian: საქართველოს რკინიგზა, Sakartvelos Rkinigza) is the national railway company of Georgia.
A vital artery linking the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, it sits on the shortest route between Europe and Central Asia. Built to 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in) standard Russian gauge, at present the fully electrified mainline of the Georgian Railway is 1,323.9 km (total: 1,576 km) in length, consisting of 1,422 bridges, 32 tunnels, 22 passenger and 114 goods stations.
Founded in 1865, operations started in 1871 between Poti and Kvirila (present day Zestaponi). The first passenger train ran on October 10, 1872, from Poti to Tbilisi central station.
From this central spine, the railway network expanded with links to: Rioni to Kutaisi (1877), Rioni-Tkibuli (1887), Zestafoni to Chiatura (1895). The Tbilisi to Baku line became operational in 1883, allowing transportation of Azerbaijan oil through the port of Batumi. In 1899 the Kars–Gyumri–Tbilisi railway connection between Georgia and Armenia was established. The Khashuri to Borjomi link was built in 1894, with the 914 mm (3 ft) Borjomi to Bakuriani narrow-gauge line operational from 1902, to serve the higher level skiing community. The Kakheti railway branch line was completed in 1915.