Turkish officials have launched construction of a 224-kilometre rail line that will connect the eastern city of Kars to Dilucu, on the border of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave.

The project, announced during a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, is designed to carry up to 15 million metric tons of freight and 5.5 million passengers annually, according to official statements.

The Kars–Dilucu line is part of the planned Turkey–Nakhchivan–Azerbaijan railway, also known as the TRIPP corridor, which aims to create a direct link through the South Caucasus and strengthen the “Middle Corridor” trade route between East Asia and Europe. The initiative has been framed as a step toward boosting regional economic cooperation and improving connectivity across Eurasia.

Supporters of the project say it could contribute to broader efforts to normalise diplomatic and trade relations in the South Caucasus, particularly if ongoing peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan lead to stable border openings. Analysts view the corridor as an important transport alternative that would bypass longer routes through Russia or Iran.

Despite the ceremony, uncertainties remain about the project’s timeline. Tenders for consultancy services were completed in late 2024, but contracts are still pending, and a construction tender has not yet been published. The project has been listed in Turkey’s national investment program since 2022, with an estimated budget of $3.4 billion, though only $61 million has been allocated to date.

Observers note that while the symbolic groundbreaking highlights Turkey’s commitment to the corridor, actual construction progress will depend on financing, regional stability, and coordination with Azerbaijan.