Escape from the railway ghetto. Descriptions of railways of foreign countries Railways of Iran map
In Iran, the railway sector began to develop after 1914. The first line Tabriz - Julfa was built by specialists from Russia. Today, Iran's railways represent an extensive network. Its infrastructure is developing rapidly, despite the mountainous terrain of the country.
State of the railway system
The length of railway tracks exceeds 10 thousand km. The longest routes are: Tehran - Bandar-Khomeini, Qom - Zerend, Isfakan - Shiraz, etc. Only a small part of the railways is electrified, so diesel locomotives are most often used to service trains. The country is currently modernizing its railway system, which includes laying new tracks. Iran's railways are actively used for transporting goods. The railway network in this state is ideal for the transit of various goods from Asia, Europe and the Persian Gulf. Over the course of a year, over 2-3 million tons of transit cargo are transported along the country's railways. Passenger transportation takes place on trains, which vary in the degree of comfort of the cars. There are sleeping compartments for 4 and 6 people, comfortable seats and hard seats.
Iranian train tickets are inexpensive. In Iran, rail transport is in great demand among passengers. Demand for tickets often outstrips supply. For transportation, locomotives made in Germany are used. Not so long ago, the country began producing its own diesel engines. The carriages are produced at the Iranian enterprise "Wagon Pars". Iran's railways have been owned by the state-owned Iranian Railways company from the very beginning. In recent years, private enterprises have begun to penetrate into this area. Today, most of the freight cars and almost half of the rolling stock in the passenger transportation sector have been privatized. The remaining carriages and locomotives are the property of the national company Raja. The official website of the company is www2.rajatrains.com.
Train tickets
Train travel is cheap. Traveling by train is in many cases more convenient and faster than traveling by other means of transport. Various surcharges apply for express travel. Train tickets can be purchased at any station. The reservation system in Iran is far from perfect, so sometimes there are problems with tickets for passing trains. Passengers have access to an online ticket reservation service. This can be done on the website goiran.ru. Prices depend on the length of the trip and the type of train. You can book any ticket using a credit card for payment.
Following the December Central Asian tour of President Hassan Rouhani, Iran announced plans to create a unified railway network with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. This project, which should help expand the transit potential of Iran and the Central Asian states, can have both positive and negative consequences for Russia and the EAEU.
“These negotiations started as a consequence of President (Hassan) Rouhani’s recent trip to the Central Asian states,” TASS, citing the Mehr news agency, quoted the deputy head of the Iranian Railway Company, Mir-Hassan Mousavi, as saying. According to him, the heads of relevant departments of Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan have already held negotiations on this topic, and the next meeting will take place in six months. It is noteworthy that at the end of last year H. Rouhani. But in the statement of M.-H. Mousavi Kyrgyzstan is not mentioned at all, but we are talking about Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, which do not have direct railway connections.
Various projects for integrating the railway networks of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and the Asian CIS countries have been put forward for quite some time. But at the beginning of last year, when international sanctions were lifted from Iran, they received a new impetus. Tehran decided to take advantage of the emerging opportunities to expand trade and economic ties with the Asian CIS countries located to the north and northeast of it, as well as China. Tehran's previous attempts to gain a foothold in Central Asia did not bring much success. Confessional differences had an impact (most residents of the Central Asian republics profess Sunni Islam, while Iran professes Shiite Islam), the orientation of the CIS countries towards a secular rather than religious model of the state, as well as Tehran’s lack of economic opportunities comparable to those that Beijing has.
On February 2, 2016, Iranian Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Ali Najafi Khoshroudi said that construction of a railway could soon begin in the region that would connect Iran with Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. “Central Asia occupies an important place in the transit and transport spheres of Iran,” said the Iranian diplomat. - We are ready to provide Central Asian countries with the opportunity to use our capabilities and ports, of which there are many in our country. Strategically important projects have been prepared and are being considered, including the development of cooperation in the field of transport. The highest priority of them, I would call the construction of a five-way railway, which will run through China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran... We consider it very important and soon... we will be able to witness the start of the implementation of this project.”
China - Kyrgyzstan - Tajikistan - Afghanistan - Iran railway project
In addition to political integration of the Iranian railway infrastructure with the Asian CIS countries, Tehran also promises large economic dividends. Thanks to its advantageous geographical location, Iran can become an important transport and logistics center for the Central Asian and Transcaucasian states isolated from the World Ocean, providing them with access to the ports of the Persian Gulf and the technologically developed economies of the Asia-Pacific region. Since up to 40% of Iran's total transit cargo turnover is currently provided by the CIS countries, its desire to gain a foothold and strengthen its position in this area seems quite understandable. By taking over the transport flows of the republics of the former USSR, Iran will not only increase the volume of transit, but will also gain access to their internal markets. Hence the interest in creating a free trade zone with the EAEU, which will give Iran access to a market with a population of 183 million people.
What is noteworthy about Tehran’s plans to integrate its railways with Central Asian ones is that if by this we mean the joining (connection) of tracks, then they have long been integrated. In 1993, construction began on the Tejen-Sarakhs-Mashhad railway connecting Turkmenistan with Iran, which was put into operation in May 1996. In 2005, Iran put into operation the Bafq-Mashhad railway, thanks to which the route to the city became much shorter. In 2014, the construction of the Uzen (Kazakhstan) - Gyzylgaya - Bereket - Etrek (Turkmenistan) - Gorgan (Iran) railway with a total length of 934.5 km was completed. The new road, which is 600 km shorter, connected the three countries, bypassing the territory of Uzbekistan, through the Etrek-Gorgan border crossing. A memorandum on its construction was signed in 2007 in Tehran, but due to difficulties with the construction of the Turkmen section, commissioning was repeatedly postponed.
Both railway crossings connecting Iran with Turkmenistan, and through it with the railway network of all CIS countries and Russia, are positioned as the eastern route of the international railway. The agreement on its creation was signed in September 2000 in St. Petersburg by Russia, India and Iran. Subsequently, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Oman and Syria joined them, and Turkey and Ukraine submitted applications to join. The project includes three main routes. The first of them should pass along the western coast of the Caspian Sea in the direction of Astrakhan - Makhachkala - Astara - Rasht, the second provides for the transportation of goods by sea between Astrakhan and the Iranian port of Anzeli, and the third runs along the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea through Central Asia. Thanks to the efforts of Astana, Ashgabat and Tehran, it was the eastern route that has advanced the furthest. Therefore, Iran’s statement about creating a unified railway network with the countries of the region, which already actually exists, looks somewhat strange.
The problem with Iran creating a common railway network with the Asian republics of the former USSR is that they use different railway gauges. As a legacy from the period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, when the country was semi-colonially dependent on the Russian and British empires, Iran inherited three gauge standards. In the regions bordering Azerbaijan, it has a “Russian” standard of 1520 mm, in areas located near Pakistan, the “Indian gauge” with a width of 1676 mm is common, and in most of the country the railway is built according to “European” standards and has a gauge of 1435 mm . In Central Asia, as well as in other regions of the former USSR, the “Russian” gauge standard with a width of 1520 mm is in force. In order for goods to get from Turkmenistan to Iran, all wagons today have to change their wheel bogies. This limits the capacity of railway crossings. For example, only 200 wagons can pass through the Serakhs-Mashhad crossing per day.
It would be much more convenient for Tehran to use its own “European” gauge standard, which is also used in China. This would not only increase the capacity of the railways, but also create a direct connection with the PRC, making part of the region’s railway network truly unified. This can be achieved by building the China-Iran railway, which has two main route options: through Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, or, bypassing Uzbekistan, through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The latter option is attractive because Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which are in a transport impasse, do not have direct railway connections with Iran and one can try to impose a “European” gauge standard on them. With Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, which have a developed and, moreover, significantly expanded railway network after the collapse of the USSR, this is much more difficult to do.
The railway project, which should connect China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran, was agreed upon by the transport ministers of five states back in 2010. The road should have a “European” gauge and ensure “non-stop” transit of goods between China and Iran. However, the implementation of this project has not yet moved forward. The obstacle turned out to be Kyrgyzstan, which is in no hurry to switch to the railway “European standard”.
In June 2012, the Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic, Kalykbek Sultanov, unexpectedly announced that Kyrgyzstan, most likely, would not support the construction of the China-Iran railway on its territory, which caused untold surprise on the part of Dushanbe. The fact is that in parallel, Bishkek was considering the option of a railway through Uzbekistan, which at that time had extremely tense relations with Tajikistan. In addition, in 2015, Kyrgyzstan joined the EAEU and pledged to comply with uniform standards of transport communications, including railway gauge.
For Russia, the creation of a unified railway network between Iran and the states of Central Asia may have ambiguous consequences. The development of the North-South transport corridor along the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, which opens access to the ports of the Persian Gulf, is clearly beneficial and promises great prospects. However, the “European” railway between Iran and China will contribute to the separation of the Central Asian republics from Russia in transport, technological, trade and economic terms. In addition, such a road will allow the rapid transfer of troops and military equipment, which will lead to an increase in the geopolitical influence of the PRC. It is not surprising that this project does not cause any enthusiasm in Moscow.
_________________________
Photo http://e-center.asia/ru/news/view?id=3547
On Friday, the luxury Golden Eagle train whisked off truly golden travelers from Moscow to Tehran. A Life correspondent went to see off these lucky ones. Or madmen? After all, they gave almost 20 thousand euros each!
On November 11, 2016, Russian Railways and the Golden Eagle Luxury Trains company sent the Golden Eagle train from Kazansky Station on its first trip, which will cross Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. The Golden Eagle could be called a "cruise train" or a "hotel on wheels." In comfortable compartment cars, designed for only 50 travelers, passengers will spend 14 days, or rather nights. During the day they will have an excursion program.
The luxury of the trip - soft sofas, bathrooms in the compartments, fresh flowers, sparkling glass dining cars - somewhat justifies the price of the trip, which will cost almost 20,000 euros. Who are those who have enough time and money to travel on the Golden Eagle through five countries, and what do they expect from the trip?
The statistics are both encouraging and disappointing at the same time. Russia is becoming more and more attractive to foreign tourists. The walls of the Golden Eagle compartment cars are decorated with metal plates with the names of passengers from England, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, America, and Taiwan. However, so far there is not a single sign with a Russian name. Russians either consider the train too expensive or prefer other destinations.
Any minute now the train is due to arrive at the platform of the Kazan station, but for now its passengers, who have flown in from all over the world for Russian-Central Asian exotica, are drinking champagne in the walls of the VIP waiting room decorated with paintings and stucco.
I traveled all over the world: Europe, America, Africa! - Englishwoman Adrian is not young, but elegant. Pearls glitter on her neck. Despite the wheelchair, her image eclipsed both the Golden Eagle passengers and the Russian Railways representatives present. - This trip will be the best of all! Such luck to travel through five countries and see what is impossible to see when traveling on your own!
When asked what she expects from the trip, Adrian throws up his head: “Romance! Such a romantic trip, a real gift of fate!”
Jon is from England and fully corresponds to our ideas about a typical Englishman: tall, discreet, but well dressed and very polite. Like almost all of the Golden Eagle's passengers, he is older than middle age. “I’m traveling alone, my wife works, so I plan to read a lot on the trip. No, no, not during the day. During the day I’ll look out the window,” he laughs, “and in the evenings, when it gets dark, I’ll read books.”
It seems that all the passengers of the Golden Eagle are in the mood for a long, meditative journey through unfamiliar countries. Although not so unfamiliar, at least for some of those gathered.
Having arrived from South Africa to Moscow for the sixth time, Elizabeth thoroughly prepared for her trip to the countries of the ancient Silk Road.
I read a lot about the countries I will see. I like to learn about history, people, customs in advance... No, the issue of safety does not bother me at all! My husband and I have already traveled throughout most of the Middle East. We are not fans of group tourism, but many places simply cannot be reached on our own. I'm sure it will be a wonderful trip! - she anticipates.
The "Golden Eagle" differs little in appearance from the trains standing on neighboring tracks. But its passengers happily take pictures against the backdrop of blue carriages and a playing orchestra. For them, exotic is Moscow's cloudy and rainy reality.
The "Golden Eagle" has three classes of compartments: Silver is still not far removed in evolution from ordinary coupes, however, with soft sofas, plasma, a wardrobe and a personal toilet; in Gold there is more space, so that a shower cabin fits, Imperial is already a full-fledged living space with a living room, an office and a bedroom.
The fact that this is not a good hotel room, but a train, will be reminded only by the measured rocking of the carriage, the clatter of wheels, and even the fact that the maids appear on the threshold in Russian Railways uniform.
Comfort in the "Golden Eagle" is truly at its best. Each door opens with a magnetic card, standard sets of shower gels and shampoos are prepared near the sinks, bathrobes and slippers are waiting for the owners in the closet, water and, more surprisingly, vodka are prepared on the tables, and for the inhabitants of Imperial there are also fruits and champagne.
Even on a luxury train, the staff carriages differ little from the usual conductor compartments of any Russian train. Except that it’s much cleaner here and passengers don’t tend to throw trash on the floor or break official glasses.
However, the guides are also delighted with the upcoming trip. Tatyana, who meets guests at the silver-class carriage, says that she hopes to see distant cities not only from the train window.
During the day the train stops, tourists go on excursions. “We might also have time to see something,” the conductor hopes.
She admits that working with foreign guests is much more pleasant: they are both more polite and calmer than their compatriots.
The train, stylized as a 19th-century steam locomotive, departs from the platform, showering mourners with a cloud of fine coal dust. The orchestra that played on the occasion of the departure of the Golden Eagle falls silent. Ahead of the train is the route Moscow - Baikonur - Tashkent - Samarkand - Bukhara - Khiva - Ashgabat - Merv - Mashhad - Mahan - Kerman - Yazd - Isfahan - Persepolis - Shiraz with a final stop in Tehran.
Photo www.ady.az
In March of this year, the railways of Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia will be connected. This will become possible after the commissioning of the Astara (Iran) - Astara (Azerbaijan) railway line, which is one of the links in the North-South transport project.
This information was officially announced during the visit to Baku of a delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran led by the Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, President of Iranian Railways Said Magomedzadeh.
The delegation held a number of meetings in Baku, as well as negotiations with the leadership of the Azerbaijan Railways (AZD). It was during negotiations with the Chairman of the Board of JSCJSC Javid Gurbanov that his Iranian colleague announced that the Astara (Iran) – Astara (Azerbaijan) railway line would be put into operation in March. At the same time, he added that final preparations for this event are being made in Astara, Iran.
In turn, Javid Gurbanov said that Azerbaijan has completed the construction on its territory of a single-line railway from Astara station to the state border, 8.3 km long, a railway bridge connecting the two countries and tested this section. Meanwhile, as NG was told in the Azerbaijan Railways, the meeting also discussed issues of expanding the cargo terminal in Iranian Astara, where loading and unloading of industrial goods and metals, as well as grain crops, will be carried out on an area of 10 hectares.
The parties' special attention to this issue is not accidental. The fact is that Azerbaijan has expressed its readiness to invest in the construction of the terminal. According to some reports, the volume of these funds will amount to almost 500 million dollars.
By the way, Moscow also promises financial assistance to Tehran. And this indicates that both Russia and Azerbaijan are very interested in accelerating the process of implementing the North-South railway project.
It should be noted that many countries in Europe and Asia are awaiting the commissioning of the new transport route. This project will ensure uninterrupted transshipment of millions of tons of cargo coming from India, Pakistan and Iran through the territory of Azerbaijan to Russia, Northern Europe and back.
Let us recall that on September 12, 2000, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Iran and India entered into an agreement on the international North-South transport corridor. It came into force on May 21, 2002. Azerbaijan joined the agreement in September 2005.
As NG has already written, the implementation of the project to build a railway line within the framework of the North-South project promises great economic benefits in comparison with other alternative international transport routes. Unlike the current sea route through the Suez Canal, the North-South corridor is half as long - cargo will be in transit not 1.5 months, but about two weeks.
According to preliminary estimates, the railway's capacity at the first stage will be 1.4 million passengers and from five to seven million tons of cargo per year, and in the future - 15-20 million tons.
It should also be noted that Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia tested this route even before the completion of the unification of the Iranian-Azerbaijani railways. As NG has already written, last summer the train was sent by ferry from the Indian city of Mumbai to the Iranian Bandar Abbas, from there it traveled by rail to the Iranian city of Rasht. Due to the lack of a railway section to the northern border of Iran, the cargo was delivered by road to the Azerbaijani border city of Astara, where it was again sent by rail to Moscow. Thus, for the first time, the route was tested, which actually forms the basis of the North-South project.