Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Davit Khudatyan, stated that the railway is strategically important infrastructure for Armenia and said that extensive repair and reconstruction work is planned on some sections.
An agreement on the reopening of the railway was reached between Armenia and Turkey in September 2025, during a visit to Armenia by Turkey’s special envoy, Serdar Kılıç. Following the meeting, the Armenian side announced that the relevant institutions of the two countries would conduct technical assessments aimed at restoring the railway and the electricity transmission line to operation.
The Turkish side has also issued statements regarding efforts to renew the railway infrastructure. Ergüder Toptaş, mayor of Akyaka, a district bordering the Shirak region, said about a month ago that work being carried out upon the instructions of the Turkish president was expected to be completed within 2–3 months.
If the railway is reopened, the issue of differing railway standards will also need to be resolved. In Armenia, railway tracks have a 1520-millimeter gauge, while in Turkey they use a 1435-millimeter gauge. According to Davit Khudatyan, these differences need to be taken into account when designing new infrastructure, so that no problems arise when connecting railways built according to Soviet and European standards.
