Georgian Railway has completed the modernization project. An official inauguration ceremony was held in Kvishkheti village, at the eastern portal of the 8,300-meter-long tunnel entrance.

The management of the Georgian Railway hosted Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili, Cabinet members and representatives of the Diplomatic Corps.

Georgian Railway created new railway infrastructure at the Rikoti Pass section. It constructed new tunnels, bridges, stations, sub-stations, in total over 100 various types of artificial facilities, and installed modern security systems. The cost of the large-scale infrastructure project is approximately 1 billion GEL.

The project abolishes the mountainous regime, which reduces the travel time of freight trains by an additional 4 hours. The railway’s capacity will increase from 27 million tons to 48 million tons. Operating costs will decrease. Train travel time on the pass section will accelerate. Travel time to Batumi will be reduced by 40 minutes.

“The modernized railway is entering a new stage in history, where through renewal, reliability, and continuous development, Georgia once again emphasizes its position as a key link in the transport network,” said Lasha Abashidze, General Director of Georgian Railway.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili delivered their speeches. The guests watched a video about the modernized project.