Tehran, June 22, 2024 (MRUD NEWS)—The Rasht-Caspian Railway Project in Gilan Province was inaugurated on June 20, 2024 with presence of Mohammad Mokhber, the acting president of Iran, Mehrdad Bazrpash, Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development, and other officials. 

The project as a top priority railway project in Iran is part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and it connects the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via rail. 

The 37-kilometer Rasht-Caspian Railway completes the Qazvin-Rasht rail route and connects the city of Rasht to the Caspian Sea, the Anzali Port, and the Astara Port. 

$30,000 billion IRR has been financed for construction of this project which it brings considerable benefits to Iran and regional transport and trade networks.

Located in the northern part of Iran, the primary purpose of the Rasht-Caspian Railway is to enhance connectivity and to facilitate transportation and trade links between Iran and the Caspian Sea region northward (Russia and Finland) and to the railway network southward (Mumbai) passing 13000 km through Iran's territory. 

It provides a more efficient and cost-effective mode of transportation for freight and passengers. Compared to the current route that passes through the Suez Canal, this rail route will reduce shipping time from 45 days to 25 days and costs by 30%, according to Iran Deputy Minister and CEO of the Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company, Kheirollah Khademi. 

The capacity of this railway line is a maximum of seven to ten million tons for freights and 600,000 for passenger in the seventh year of operation.  

This route has 18 big bridges with a length of 799 meters and 243 small bridges with a length of 3,745 meters.

The Rasht-Caspian railway has a station in Khomam. The area of this station is 21 hectares, the infrastructure of all the buildings and the canopy of the station is 1,550 m2, and the area of the main terminal is 612 m2, which are built by Iranian engineers and equipment.