According to the General Director of the South Caucasus Railway Alexey Melnikov, Armenia noted a 30% decrease in demand for rail travel to Georgia and other foreign countries compared to last year. But the number of passenger traffic within the country increased by 13%.
"Currently, passenger transportation is operating quite efficiently. I can't help but mention domestic, local transportation. These are electric trains that run across the territory of Armenia. According to the results of the first half of the year, we have an increase of 13% compared to last year",
Alexey Melnikov said.
The most popular destinations among Armenians were Yeraskh, Gyumri, and Shorzha, where commuter trains began running this summer.
The decline in international traffic is attributed to the fact that many Russian tourists began to use railways to get to Georgia less often, as more direct flights have been launched between the countries.
Melnikov reminds that rail transportation is unprofitable for the South Caucasus Railway. For this reason, the Armenian government provides the company with subsidies. In 2023, it paid five million drams (about 1.1 million rubles) .
