A group of Armenian journalists visiting Turkey under a journalist exchange program observed on site the work being carried out on the Turkish side to put the Kars–Gyumri railway back into operation.
Providing information to the visiting journalists, Ergüder Toptaş, the Mayor of Akyaka stated that work has begun to restore the infrastructure of the Akyaka–Gyumri railway line and that the goal is to complete it within two to three months. He also announced that the tender for establishing a road connection between Akyaka and Gyumri has been opened.
Speaking to Shant Khlghatyan of Armenpress, who is participating in the exchange program, Mayor Toptaş said he was optimistic about the normalization of Armenia–Turkey relations.
Toptaş also said that once relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are normalized, he believes there will be no remaining obstacle to opening the Armenia–Turkey border.
The mayor stated that, under the instructions of the President of Turkey and in coordination with the Ministry of Transport, work has also begun to prepare the border crossings and railway infrastructure for the reopening of the border.
At present, the biggest obstacle to the railway becoming operational again is the closed border, although the infrastructure also needs to be renewed. The mayor announced that construction work has begun to restore the railway infrastructure along the Akyaka–Gyumri line, adding that, in his assessment, the work will be completed within two to three months. He also noted that renovation work is ongoing and that public tenders for the construction has already been issued.
Tender for the road
Mayor Toptaş said, "Construction has therefore already begun, and the work is continuing." He also emphasized that these efforts are part of the preparations for the reopening of the Armenia–Turkey border.
However, the preparations are not limited to this. A tender has also been launched for the establishment of a road connection between Akyaka and Gyumri.
The mayor said, "The tender process has been initiated for the road extending from Akyaka to Gyumri. We expect work here to begin in the near future as well. This is also part of our government’s policy of developing good-neighborly and friendly relations."
According to the Mayor of Akyaka, reopening the Armenia–Turkey border will bring significant economic benefits to both countries. Stating that there are broad opportunities for cooperation in many areas, especially agriculture and industry, Toptaş added:
"When our President and Armenia's leader make the right decisions regarding state policy, we believe this region will achieve significant gains. I sincerely believe that opening the border and subsequent economic cooperation will bring great benefits to both Armenia and Turkey."
Toptaş also said that with the reopening of the border, Turkey will gain an additional route to the Caucasus, while Armenia will have the opportunity to connect with the Middle East through Turkey.
Meanwhile, the journalists, who also wanted to learn the expectations of residents living in Turkish settlements near the Armenian border regarding the possible reopening of the border, met with local residents of Akyaka. The vast majority expressed their hope that the border will be reopened as soon as possible. According to the residents, reopening the border will create new economic opportunities, particularly for Turkish settlements along the Armenian border.
Farther from Kars, closer to Gyumri
The Armenian journalists traveled from Kars to Akyaka by train. The journey of approximately 57 kilometers took 50 minutes. From Akyaka railway station to Gyumri, the distance by rail is only 18–20 kilometers, which could be covered in 30–40 minutes. However, because the border remains closed, it is currently impossible to travel from Akyaka to Gyumri.
The Armenian journalists traveled by train from Kars to Akyaka. The approximately 57-kilometer journey took 50 minutes. From Akyaka Station, the railway distance to Gyumri is only 18–20 kilometers. If the border were open, this distance could be covered in approximately 30–40 minutes, but under current conditions it is not possible to travel from Akyaka to Gyumri because the border remains closed.
What had happened?
One of the key issues on the agenda of the Armenia–Turkey normalization process is the reopening of the Gyumri–Kars railway. During the visit of Turkey's Special Representative for the Armenia–Turkey Normalization Process, Serdar Kılıç, to Armenia, an agreement was reached to reopen the Armenia–Turkey railway as early as September 2025.
Following the meeting between Kılıç and Armenia's then Special Representative for the Normalization Process, Ruben Rubinyan, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the special representatives had agreed that the relevant authorities of the two countries would carry out the necessary technical assessments for the repair and reopening of the Gyumri–Kars railway and the electricity transmission line.
On April 28, 2026, Kars hosted the Armenia–Turkey Joint Working Group meeting on the restoration and reopening of the Gyumri–Kars railway. In the context of expanding regional transport connectivity, both sides emphasized the importance of reopening the railway as soon as possible.
On May 7, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told journalists that technical assessment work for the reopening of the Kars–Gyumri railway was going on.
