JSC Azerbaijan Railways is actively implementing the construction of the strategically important Astara terminal in Iran as part of the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor. 85% of the design and 72.4% of the construction and installation works have already been completed. An 8.3 km railway line has been laid from the Astara station to the Iranian border and a bridge has been erected across the Astarachay River. Of the seven planned bridges, one is completely ready, and the rest are in the final stage (90% of the work has been completed).
The project, which started in 2017 under an intergovernmental agreement between Azerbaijan and Iran, is being implemented on land leased from Iran for a period of 25 years, in the city of Astara, just 1.4 km from the border. All work is being carried out by the Azerbaijani side.
The Astara terminal is already showing growth in cargo turnover: 692 thousand tons were handled in 2023, and over 777 thousand tons since the beginning of 2024. After the completion of the project, its throughput capacity will reach 3.5 million tons per year, significantly strengthening Azerbaijan’s role in logistics between the North and the South.