View source for Georgian Railway

{{Short description|National railway company in Georgia}}
{{Infobox company
| name                = JSC Georgian Railway 
| native_name         = სს საქართველოს რკინიგზა
| logo                = Georgian Railways logo.svg
| type                = [[State-owned enterprise|State owned]] [[Joint-stock company]]
| industry            = [[railway]]
| fate                = 
| founded             = {{Start date and age|1872|10|10}} in [[Tbilisi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| hq_location_city    = [[Tbilisi]]
| hq_location_country = [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| area_served         = [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| owner               = JSC Partnership Fund (100%)
| revenue             = [[Georgian Lari|₾]]357.8 million
| assets              = [[Georgian Lari|₾]]1.2309 billion
| equity              = [[Georgian Lari|₾]]676 million<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fund.ge/uploads/archive/37/AnnualReport2014.compressed.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208194854/http://www.fund.ge/uploads/archive/37/AnnualReport2014.compressed.pdf |archive-date=2017-02-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| revenue_year        = 2014
| num_employees       = ~13,000
| num_employees_year  = 2017
| parent              = 
| website             = {{URL|http://www.railway.ge/|railway.ge}}
}}
{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name     = '''Georgian Railway '''
| logo_filename     = Georgian Railways logo.svg
| logo_size         = 250px
| system_map        = 
| map_caption       = 
| map_size          = 
| marks             = 
| image             = 
| image_size        = 
| image_caption     = 
| locale            = 
| start_year        = 
| end_year          = 
| predecessor_line  = 
| successor_line    = 
| gauge             = {{track gauge|1,520mm|lk=on}}
| old_gauge         = 
| electrification   =  
| length            = {{convert|1,576|km|mi|abbr=on}} 
| hq_city           = 
| website           = {{URL|http://www.railway.ge}}
| map               = {{Georgian Railway|inline=y}}
}}

'''Georgian Railway LLC''' ({{lang-ka|საქართველოს რკინიგზა|tr}}) is the national [[railway company]] of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]].

A vital artery linking the [[Black Sea]] and the [[Caspian Sea]], it sits on the shortest route between [[Europe]] and [[Central Asia]].<ref name="GRHist"/> Built to {{track gauge|1520mm}} standard [[Russian gauge]], at present the fully electrified mainline of the Georgian Railway is 1,323.9&nbsp;km (total: 1,576&nbsp;km) in length, consisting of 1,422 bridges, 32 tunnels, 22 passenger and 114 [[goods station]]s.<ref name="GRAus">{{cite web|url=http://www.railway.ge/portal/alias__Railway/lang__en/tabid__886/default.aspx|title=Georgian Railway - About Us|publisher=Georgian Railway LLC|access-date=2008-08-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070822220152/http://www.railway.ge/portal/alias__Railway/lang__en/tabid__886/default.aspx|archive-date=2007-08-22}}</ref> In 2017, Georgian Railways passenger ridership was 2,684,000,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://cdn1.grmedia.com.ge/app/uploads/2019/03/annual_2017.pdf|title=Georgian Railway – 2017 Annual Report|access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref> of which 100,000 were international passengers, the rest domestic.<ref>[[Nana Bolashvili]], Andreas Dittmann, Lorenz King, Vazha Neidze (eds.): ''National Atlas of Georgia'', 138 pages, Steiner Verlag, 2018, {{ISBN|978-3-515-12057-9}}</ref>

== History ==
The railway was founded in 1865,<ref name="GRHist">{{cite web|url=http://www.railway.ge/?web=0&action=page&p_id=203&lang=eng|title=Georgian Railway - History|publisher=Georgian Railway LLC|access-date=2008-08-23}}</ref> and 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]].<ref name="GRHist"/>

From this central spine, the railway network expanded with links to: [[Rioni River|Rioni]] to [[Kutaisi]] (1877), Rioni-[[Tkibuli]] (1887), Zestaponi to [[Chiatura]] (1895). The Tbilisi to [[Baku]] line became operational in 1883, allowing transportation of [[Azerbaijan|Azeri]] oil through the port of [[Batumi]]. In 1899, the [[Kars–Gyumri–Tbilisi railway]] connection between Georgia and [[Armenia]] was established.<ref name="GRHist"/> The [[Khashuri]] to [[Borjomi]] link was built in 1894, with the {{track gauge|900mm|lk=on}} [[Borjomi-Bakuriani railway "Kukushka"|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.<ref name="GRHist"/>

The second major development of Georgian railways was due to rapid industrialisation and need for better distribution of agricultural products, including [[tea]], [[citrus]] and [[wine]] produce. This resulted in the construction of the branch lines to: [[Natanebi]]-[[Ozurgeti]] (1924); [[Brotseula]]-[[Tskaltubo]] (1934), [[Senaki]]-[[Ingiri]]-[[Gali (town)|Gali]] (1930), Gali-[[Ochamchire]]-[[Sokhumi]] (1938), [[Gori, Georgia|Gori]]-[[Tskhinvali]] (1940). The construction of the [[Sokhumi]]-[[Adler, Russia|Adler]] allowing direct connection to the Russian railway network started during [[World War II]], and was in full operation by 1949.<ref name="GRHist"/>

The [[Marabda]] to [[Akhalkalaki]] line opened on 31 December 1986.<ref name="GRHist"/>

The rail connection between Kars and Tbilisi [[Kars–Gyumri–Tbilisi railway|via Gyumri (Alexandropol, Leninakan)]] that began in 1889 ended in 1993 with the closing of the Turkish-Armenian border.{{cn|date=September 2023}}
  
=== Infrastructure ===
[[File:Грузовой электровоз ССМ14 (13).jpg|thumb|left|A preserved Class Ss locomotive of 1933, built for the Surami pass]]
Due to the challenging mountainous geography of Georgia, railway engineers have often been faced with some difficult challenges. In 1890, the dual tracking of the [[Tsipa, Georgia|Tsipa]] tunnel was completed, allowing faster passage of East-West traffic.<ref name="GRHist"/>

On August 16, 1932, for the first time in the [[USSR]], the first electric traction train ran in the [[Surami]] pass. The [[General Electric Company]] produced the initial eight electric locomotives of Class S for the service, followed by an additional 21 Class Ss built by the [[Kolomna Locomotive Works|Kolomna]] and [[Dinamo Locomotive Works|Dinamo]] works between 1932 and 1934. By November 1967 all Georgian railway was electrified, including the [[Borjomi–Bakuriani railway "Kukushka"|Borjomi-Bakuriani narrow-gauge line]].<ref name="GRHist"/> (Some lines are no longer electrically operated due to political and economic instability and war, particularly in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.)

Post [[World War II]], from 1946 the USSR army engineers with the prospect of connection to their system introduced modern communications, automatisation and [[Automatic Block Signal]]ling systems. This was followed by the introduction of on train and guard radio communication systems, a process which was completed by 1949.<ref name="GRHist"/>

=== Rolling stock ===
At Georgia independence, Georgian Railway operated Soviet trains. Maintenance, repair and modernisation were performed at "Elmavalmshenebeli" plant in Tbilisi and "Carriage-Building Company" in Rustavi.

In 2009 Georgian Railway took delivery of the first of an order of eight [[Georgian Railways Class VMK EMU|inter-city EMUs]] produced by CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock, China, at a cost of US$6M each. The 3 kV dc trains have a maximum speed of 130&nbsp;km/h and each four-car set seats a total of 300 passengers in first and second class accommodation.

In 2016 four double-decker electric trains, model [[Eurasia (train)|ESh2]], of the Swiss company [[Stadler Rail|Stadler Rail AG]] were ordered at a cost of US$11M each. The 3 kV DC trains have a maximum speed of 160 km/h and each four-car set seats a total of 530 passengers in business class, first and second class accommodation.

As of 2022, there were 176 locomotives
and 4,469 freight cars in service.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=Company Presentation |url=https://www.railway.ge/app/uploads/2022/10/GR_presentation_2021.pdf |website=railway.ge}}</ref>
==== Gallery ====
<gallery widths=150 class=center>
File:Georgian Railway VL11 Class at Gori.jpg|VL11 electric locomotive
File:Georgian Railways Seated Coach Interior.jpg|Seated coach interior
File:Georgian Railways ER2 Class at Tbilisi.jpg|ER2 electric multiple unit
File:Georgian Railways ER2 Interior.jpg|ER2 unit interior
File:Stiopa-ER2-7251.jpg|ER2T
File:Georgian Railways ER2M Class at Tbilisi.jpg|ER2M electric multiple unit
File:Georgian Railway ES Class at Tbilisi 1.jpg|ES electric multiple unit
File:Georgian Railway VMK Class at Tbilisi 2.jpg|VMK electric multiple unit
File:Georgian Railway GRS Class at Tbilisi 5.jpg|GRS (ESh2) electric multiple unit
File:ESh2-001_interior_2nd_class.jpg|GRS (ESh2) unit interior
File:Tiflis-Borjomi Zug 20151031 1.jpg|Georgian Rail 001-01, at Borjomi train station
</gallery>

== Present day ==
[[File:The freight yard of Gori station.jpg|thumb|left|Gori station, showing freight yard in 2006]]
[[File:NEW TRAINS GEORGIA 2006 01.jpg|thumb|left|One of the present day Georgian Railway passenger trains]]
[[File:GeoRail_Logo.jpg|thumb|right|Previous Georgian Railway logo used from 1991 until 2016]]
Following the dissolution of the [[USSR]], the Georgian Government took control of many of the key assets of the new country and undertook an aggressive privatisation campaign. The railway assets of Georgia were formed into the new 100% government-owned company '''The Georgian Railway LLC''' – the biggest employer in the country (12,700 employees), which operates under the public law of the Enterprise Management Agency, part of the Ministry of Economic Development. It is charged with both management and maintenance of the rail infrastructure, as well as all operations of passenger and freight services. The team which forms the management body consist of The Assembly of Partners, the Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors. Company revenue in 2014 was $US287 million with a high EBITDA margin of 48.9%, debt was $US560 million. More than 95% of revenue comes from freight operations, more than half of which is transit.<ref name="GRAus"/>

==Incidents==
Following the [[2008 South Ossetia war]], Russian army forces entered parts of Georgia and damaged key Georgian assets. This included a railway bridge near the western Georgian town of [[Kaspi]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3583755,00.html|title=Damaged Georgian railway to open in 10 days|newspaper=Ynetnews |publisher=Israel News|date=2008-08-17|access-date=2008-08-23}}</ref> and application of [[Land mine|mines]] to the mainline west of Gori resulted in the complete derailment and resultant fire of an oil train.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-georgia-russia,0,1867681.story|title=US warship sails into Georgia with aid; Georgians blame Russia for oil train hitting mine|author=Rising, David|publisher=Chicago Tribune/Associated Press|date=2008-08-24|access-date=2008-08-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080817014030/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-georgia-russia%2C0%2C1867681.story|archive-date=2008-08-17}}</ref>

The lines located in [[Abkhazia]] and [[South Ossetia]] are not under the control of the Georgian Railway. Lines from [[Nikozi]] to [[Tskhinvali]] (5&nbsp;km) and from [[Ochamchire]] to [[Enguri|Enguri River]] are not in use; much of the track and overhead on these two lines have been [[metal theft|looted]], and stations such as [[Gali (town)|Gali]] have been destroyed or heavily damaged. Lines from [[Psou River]] to [[Ochamchire]] and from [[Ochamchire]] to [[Tkvarcheli]] are operated by separatist [[Abkhazian Railways]].

== Railway links with adjacent countries ==
[[File:Railways in the South Caucasus.svg|thumb|Railways in the South Caucasus]]
* {{flagicon|Azerbaijan}} [[Rail transport in Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]] – <span style="color:green">open</span> – {{track gauge|1520mm}} (Tbilisi-[[Baku]] line); a through {{track gauge|sg}} ([[standard-gauge]]) connection proposed{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}
* {{flagicon|Armenia}} [[Rail transport in Armenia|Armenia]] – <span style="color:green">open</span> – {{track gauge|1520mm}} ([[Kars–Gyumri–Tbilisi railway|Tbilisi–Gyumri–Yerevan]] line)
* {{flagicon|Turkey}} [[Rail transport in Turkey|Turkey]] – <span style="color:green">open</span> – [[standard-gauge]] line ([[Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway|Akhalkalaki–Kars]]); this standard-gauge line is [[break-of-gauge|connected]] with Georgia's {{track gauge|1520mm}} railway at [[Akhalkalaki]].<ref name=kav>[http://www.vestikavkaza.ru/news/ekonomika/transport/11643.html Станцию Ахалкалаки в Грузии спроектируют в Азербайджане] (Georgia's Akhalkalaki station will be designed by an Azerbaijani firm). [[Interfax]], 17.11.2009. {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line Officially Launched|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/baku-tbilisi-kars-railway-line-officially-launched-azerbaijan-georgia-turkey/28824764.html|access-date=4 November 2017|agency=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=30 October 2017}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Rail transport in Russia|Russia]] – <span style="color:red">closed</span> – {{track gauge|1520mm}} – [[Abkhazian railway|via]] the breakaway [[Abkhazia]] – de jure closed since the [[War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)]], de facto operates partly by Abkhazian Railway without track from [[Enguri]] to [[Sokhumi]].

== Modernisation ==
[[File:Georgian Railway GRS Class at Tbilisi 3.jpg|thumb|A new [[Stadler KISS]] next to the recently revamped Tbilisi station building]]

Until 2004 Georgian Railway had been significantly affected by [[corruption]]. On the one hand, modernization and maintenance of the railway were neglected; for example, out of 11,000 [[Rolling stock|rail cars]], only 7,000 were in operation. On the other hand, the [[Soccer|football]] stadium of Lokomotiv Tbilisi, the team of Georgian Railway, had one of the most modern sports sites in the country. General manager Akaki Chkhaidze was arrested in 2004 and spent several months in custody, before he redeemed himself for 3 million US dollars.<!--was this restitution or a bribe?-->

The railway company was restructured in the same year, and the general manager became subordinate to a supervisory board. From June 2004 until October 2005 [[David Onoprishvili]], a former finance minister and a professor at [[Vanderbilt University]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee]], was general manager. {{citation needed| date= August 2018}}

As part of a modernization program, 2,445 employees were [[Layoff|laid off]], while wages for remaining employees were increased by about 17 percent. Tariffs for goods (freight) transport were lowered, while modernized, [[Air conditioning|air-conditioned]] rail cars and express services were launched for passengers, including four Stadler passenger trains. A program of new and renovated station buildings commenced in 2006. The station building of the Tbilisi central station, excluding the rail infrastructure, was reconstructed and officially inaugurated in May 2010. The stations [[Makhinjauri]] (a suburb of [[Batumi]]) and [[Kobuleti]] also received new station buildings.

The {{convert|63|km|mi}} long Zestaponi–Moliti–Khashuri section (“Gorges” section) is a part of the main Georgian railway line across mountaineous terrain, with very steep gradient and tight curves. The track alignment imposes very low speeds on the line, and it leads to various operational problems. Currently it takes ca. 1.5 hours for a passenger train to cover the section, and much longer for freight trains because of brakes overheating. For this reason, the company is modernizing the section in order to increase capacity, reduce travel time, and improve safety as well as railway operation. Along this section of track several new tunnels, of which the new ca. {{convert|8.4|km|mi}} T9 tunnel will be the longest rail tunnel in Georgia,<ref name="railwaypro">
{{cite web
| url          = https://www.railwaypro.com/wp/milestone-achieved-for-georgia-longest-rail-tunnel/
| title        = Milestone achieved for Georgia's longest rail tunnel 
| date = 4 June 2018 
| access-date  = 2024-09-29
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20240929093633/https://www.railwaypro.com/wp/milestone-achieved-for-georgia-longest-rail-tunnel/
| archive-date = 2024-09-29
}}
</ref><ref name="gr-modernisation-project">
{{cite report
| url          = https://www.carecprogram.org/uploads/01-Georgian-Railway-Modernization-Project.pdf
| title        = Georgian Railway - Georgian Railway Modernization Project
| access-date  = 2024-09-29
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20230531182132/https://www.carecprogram.org/uploads/01-Georgian-Railway-Modernization-Project.pdf
| archive-date = 2023-05-31
| page         = 8
}}
</ref> will be built. The T9 tunnel will consist of two parallel tubes connected with cross passages at intervals of 300 m.<ref name="railwaypro" /> The project is planned to be completed in late 2019. After the completion of the tunnel, travel time for passenger trains on the Tbilisi - Batumi route will be reduced by 40 minutes.<ref name="railwaypro" />

== Sponsorships ==
As of 2020, the company has been the official jersey sponsor of the [[Georgia men's national basketball team]].{{cn|date=September 2023}}

==Gallery of stations==

<gallery widths=150 heights=150 class=center>
File:NEW STATIONS GEORGIA 2006 KOBULETI NEW Station 1.jpg|Station of [[Kobuleti]]
File:Airport station tbilisi.jpg|Airport station in [[Tbilisi]]
File:Batumi railway station.JPG|Station of [[Batumi]]
File:Gurjaani railway station.jpg|Station of [[Gurjaani]]
File:Borjomi railway station 2019 1.jpg|Station of [[Borjomi]]
File:Tskaltubo Railway Station.jpg|Station of [[Tskaltubo]]
File:Mtskheta Railway Station.jpg|Station of [[Mtskheta]]
File:Samtredia Train Station.jpg|Station of [[Samtredia]]


</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Transport in Georgia (country)#Railways|Transport in Georgia]]
* [[Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Rail transport in Georgia}}
* [http://www.railway.ge Georgian Railway website]
* [https://www.un.org/depts/Cartographic/map/profile/georgia.pdf UN Map]

{{Georgia (country) topics}}
{{National railway companies of Europe}}
{{Rail transport in Europe}}
{{Asia in topic|Rail transport in}}

[[Category:Railway companies of Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917)]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1872]]
[[Category:Transport companies established in 1872]]
[[Category:1870s establishments in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:1872 establishments in the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:Companies based in Tbilisi]]