Azerbaijani Railways JSC has commissioned express carriages of Stadler Rail Group for more convenient, faster and safer passenger transportation between Baku and Sumgayit. Each electric train consisting of four carriages accommodates 919 passengers, while the number of seats amounts to 396. The two-storey electric carriages also offer 84 business-class seats. Over 100,000 passengers have been transported through this route within a short period of time.
The September 12 ceremony of launching the first passenger train at the Baku-passenger station via route Baku-Sumgayit was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. President of Azerbaijani Railways JSC JavidGurbanov informed the head of state about the work carried within the Baku-Bilajary-Sumgayit railway project.
The road extends to 84 km. The passenger stations of Baku, Keshla, Bilajary, Khirdalan, Guzdek, Sumyagit, 10th and 6th block-posts-dividing points are located along the route. 106 sets of switch throws have been installed at the backbones of stations and dividing points. The last repair works at the section were held in 1985.
Four new platforms were built as part of reconstruction of the Baku-passenger station. One of them extends to 310 km and the rest to 254 km. Major repair was conducted at the four of the ways at the station intended for receipt and departure of carriages, the contact network and signal equipment were upgraded as well. The 17-storey hotel ‘Vokzal’ with a total area of 8,000 square meters and a passengers’ waiting hall are currently undergoing overhaul repair. The five-storey building of the Sumgayit railway station covering an area of 10,000 square meters was in a useless state, for this reason it was demolished. Construction of a new building started in its place.
Tickets can be bought both in automatic booths and cash-desks. 55 tourniquets and 10 booths have been installed forthe project. It will be possible to use a single payment card BakiKart currently applied in the buses of BakuBus and underground and buy tickets via payment terminals and mobile phones.
The express trains of Stadler Rail Group are operated for more convenient, faster and safer passenger transportation on this route. These are 3 KISS-brand electric carriages, manufactured at theStadler Minsk plant of Stadler Rail Group. The trains consist of four carriages. Two more two-storey trains will be delivered to the country at the end of the year, thus raising the number of two-storey trains on this line to five. In addition, the new trains are equipped with air conditioning and wi-fi.
Each electric train consisting of four carriages accommodates 919 passengers, while the number of seats amounts to 396. The two-storey electric trains also have 84 seats in business class. Trains move from Sumgayit to Baku and back with various intervals. The time-schedule may vary depending on the number of passengers. Wide-scale construction and installation, as well as maintenance works were launched on route Baku-Sumgayit for the purpose of ensuring high-speed and comfortable passenger transportation. An underground pedestrian pass, high platforms and modern posts at the crossings were built at the section and major repair of railroads was launched. 60 kilometers of roads have undergone major repair so far. Owing to this, the time on route between Baku and Sumgayit has been reduced to 48 km. In the coming future the time will be reduced down to 40 minutes.
“Such wonderful carriages must provide excellent services. I am sure that so it will be. Azerbaijani railroad has been improving its quality. It must be on an even higher level and respond to the modern standards. There are all opportunities for this. New wonderful trains were bought, railroads are being constructed, and new lines are launched. I am sure that the citizens of Azerbaijan will see these positive changes in the nearest future. Azerbaijani railways develop in line with the overall development of the country. This sphere has a great need for reforms. This is a very important sphere. Thousands of people work in the railway system. Our lines must be renewed,” President IlhamAliyev said at the ceremony while meeting with personnel of the new trains. The Baku-Sumgayit line has been built within a short period of time and is commissioned today. The lines have been renewed and the modern carriages have started travelling at a higher speed.
The passenger trains follow the route from Baku railway station to the Sumgayit passenger station via Keshla, Bilajary, Khirdalan, and Guzdek.
At the next stage the electric trains at Baku-Khirdalan-Sumgayit passenger section will move by the ring railroad, as the route from Sumgayit, covering Saray, Horadil, Fatmai, Pirshagi, Kurdakhany, Zabrat, Sabunchu, Bakikhanov will be commissioned gradually, thus turning the Baku-Sumgayit railway into a ring railroad.
Changes were introduced to the time-schedule of electric trains on route Baku-Sumgayit beginning from October 18. Considering the density of passenger flow and passengers’ proposals, the frequency of electric train movement was intensified, that is the intervals between the rail runs were reduced. Thus, the electric trains operate 20 rail runs a day-10 rail runs from Baku to Sumgayit and 10 in a reverse direction.
The 100,000th passenger of the electric train, operating on route Baku-Sumgayit from September 12 of this year, came out on November 13. This means that the residents of the capital city and Sumgayit prefer the new comfortable and, most importantly, safe carriages.
