ARMENIA: South Caucasus Railway has restarted local passenger services between Gyumri, Shirakamut and Vanadzor with the launch of a trial daily train each way.
The Russian Railways subsidiary operates the Armenian network under a long-term concession agreement. The 65 km route forms part of SCR’s electrified main line which runs north from Yerevan to the Georgian border south of Tbilisi through Gyumri, Vanadzor and Ayrum.
Augmenting the international train between Yerevan, Tbilisi and Batumi, the local service operates daily except Wednesdays, departing from Gyumri at 07.30 and reaching Vanadzor at 08.59. The return trip leaves Vanadzor at 17.15, arriving at Gyumri at 18.47. The single fare has been set at 700 drams. The service is operated using an old EMU displaced from the Yerevan – Gyumri route by a pair of two-car EP2D EMUs supplied by TMH Demikhovo in 2021.
‘I am happy that, following long discussions, the Gyumri – Vanadzor route was relaunched after a 13-year break’, commented Shirak Governor Mushegh Muradyan, who attended a ceremony on September 1 to mark the resumption of passenger services. ‘It is important for the residents of the Shirak and Lori regions. I hope that South Caucasus Railway will take measures to modernise the trains and increase the comfort of trips.’
