Baku–Ganja Express

Azerbaijan Railways (ADY / Azərbaycan Dəmir Yolları)
Azerbaijan
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The Journey

Navigate from Baku Railway Station (Bakı Dəmiryolu Stansiyası) to Ganja Railway Station (Gəncə Dəmiryolu Stansiyası) across a span of 361km.

Scenery Highlights
  • Baku departure with panoramic views of the Caspian Sea, the Flame Towers and the Baku TV Tower rising over the Old City (İçəri Şəhər)
  • Absheron Peninsula semi-desert steppe — long views across arid terrain under wide Caucasus skies
  • Kura River bridge crossing near Yevlakh — a 1.5 km-long steel-truss crossing over the Kura-Aras lowland
  • Vast Azerbaijani agricultural steppe — wheat, cotton and rice fields from spring through autumn
  • Approach to Ganja — historic city founded ~850 AD, with views of the famous Heydar Aliyev Park square
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Distance

    361 km

  • Est. Price

    Mid-Range (AZN 70 / AZN 100 — Economy / First Class respectively)

Official Booking Provider
Classes & Accommodations

Meals: Complimentary tea / coffee / water service

Ensuite: No

Meals: None — vending service

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

Stadler KISS electric double-decker multiple unit (EMU)

Locomotive Weight

N/A — distributed traction across 6 bogies (EMU)

Track Gauge

1,520 mm Russian broad gauge

Braking Technology

Electronic braking (Stadler regenerative + pneumatic blended brake system)

Route Engineering Challenges

  • Mixed-voltage operation — the line switches between 3 kV DC (Baku → Yevlakh) and 25 kV AC (Yevlakh → Ganja) at Yevlakh junction, requiring careful pantograph setting

  • Single-track sections on the older alignment between Yevlakh and Ganja — passing loops at Yevlakh, Tərtər and Goran

  • Kura River floodway maintenance — seasonal ballast work after spring snowmelt between Laki and Yevlakh

  • Operating temperatures >40°C in the Kura valley in summer — air-conditioning systems on the KISS were specified for these conditions and require annual servicing

  • Kura River bridge approach — 1.5 km steel-truss section near Yevlakh requires annual thermal-expansion joint inspection

  • Absheron Peninsula wind constraints — strong north winds in autumn can briefly reduce outdoor platform operation at Baku

  • Coordination of timetable with the Ganja–Gabala regional and Baku–Balaken overnight to ensure first-class passengers can transfer at Ganja without long waits

  • Locomotive depot maintenance windows at the Baku depot that require paired overnight stabling on off-peak days

Train Type

Stadler KISS double-decker EMU (5 sets in ADY roster)

Manufacturer

Stadler Rail (Altenrhein, Switzerland) — delivered 2018–2019

Capacity

~360 passengers per set (166 First Class upper deck + ~194 Economy lower deck)

Operator

Azerbaijan Railways (ADY)

Parent Network

Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) — successor to Soviet 61st Route (1991)

Route Length

361 km Baku–Ganja

Highest Point

~150 m above sea level (Yevlakh plateau)

Maximum Speed

159 km/h (operating); 90 km/h average speed in service

Travel Time

4 h flat in either direction

Track Gauge

1,520 mm (Russian broad gauge)

Electrification

3 kV DC (Baku → Yevlakh) and 25 kV AC (Yevlakh → Ganja) on KISS regen-tolerant config

Stations Served

Baku – Bilajary – Laki – Goran – Yevlakh – Ganja (6 stops)

Cross-Border Connection

Onward trains from Ganja to Tbilisi not yet operational in 2026 (planned 2027 launch of Ganja–Tbilisi cross-border corridor)

Operating Days

Daily (twice daily each direction)

Time Zone

Asia/Baku (UTC+4)

Booking Horizon

24 days in advance via ticket.ady.az

Currency on Board

AZN; vending accepts AZN cash and most international cards via app-payment

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    4 hours

  • Distance

    361 km

  • Est. Price

    Mid-Range (AZN 70 / AZN 100 — Economy / First Class respectively)

Official Booking Provider