Due to geographical location all transport types are applied in Azerbaijan. The country possesses railway, road, inner city, sea, pipeline and air transportation infrastructures. Currently the Azerbaijan State Railway Department, State Caspian Shipping Company, Azerbaijan Automobile Transport and Azerbaijan Airlines State Concerns are implementing the state governing and operational management in the transportation complex. The Ministry of Transport was established in 1999 to execute the single transportation policy and provide effective management and equal development of all types of transport. The single management organization will create enough ground for further development of road and transportation complexes and their strengthening in Azerbaijan.
In 2001 110 mln. tons of cargos were transported by all transportation means including the oil and the gas pipelines. The volume of cargo transportation by railways was 15.4 mln. tons, by sea - 10.2 mln. tons, by road - 61.9 mln. tons and by pipeline - 22.5 mln. tons. The annual passenger turnover for all transportation types constituted 10.78 bln. passenger/km, including railway transportation 0.54 bln. passenger/km, sea - 0.01 bln. passenger/km, air - 0.83 bln. passenger/km, road - 9.4 bln. passenger/km. The Baku subway carried 91 mln. paid passengers.
"Azerbaijan Airlines" state concern, "Imair" and "Turan Air" airlines provide air transportation services in the Azerbaijan's single transportation system "Azerbaijan Airlines" SC provide transportation from Azerbaijan to near and far countries, thus handling 2/3 of the passenger turnover and almost all cargo transportation turnover. Airplanes of AZAL fly to CIS, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Private airlines, such as "Imair" and "Turan Air" companies fly mainly to the CIS countries. Besides, some European, Asian and CIS airline companies have representative offices in Baku and their planes fly to different destinations using Azerbaijan's air territory.
"Azerbaijan Airlines" State Concern
370000,
11, Azadlig Avenue, Baku
Tel. (99412) 934434
"Imair" airline
370000,
115, H.Aslanov Street, Baku
Tel. (99412) 980970
"Turan Air" airline
370022,
102, Mardanov gardashlari Street, Baku
Tel. (99412) 989431
The Azerbaijan State Railway being the country's main transportation "gate", provides transportation to Russia in the North, to Georgia in the West, to Iran in the South, and through Baku International Trade Port to Aktau in Kazakhstan and Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan by means of the Baku-Aktau and Baku-Turkmenbashi ferry services in the East. The State Rail Company also possesses some railway junctions, large sorting stations, cleaning stations for the oil product transporting rail tanks, rail car repair plant, locomotive, cargo, passenger and refrigerator rail cars repair depots.
Azerbaijan State Railway Company
370010,
230, D.Aliyeva Street, Baku
Tel. (99412) 984467, 994400
The Azerbaijan State Caspian Shipping Company provides the sea transportation in Azerbaijan and its ships carry fluids, dry cargoes and its ferries carry passengers from the Baku port to all other ports of Caspian countries. Besides, the ships of Caspian Shipping Company provide sea transportation from Caspian Sea to other countries. Its ships sail to far countries using Russia's inner river systems and Mediterranean and Black Seas using river-sea type ships.
Azerbaijan State Caspian Shipping Company
370005,
5, M.Rasulzade Street, Baku
Tel. (99412) 932058
Baku International Sea Trade Port
370010,
72, U.Hacibeyov Street, Baku
Tel. (99412) 930268
The Azerbaijan's road transportation market is represented by the large number of legal entities, individuals, state and public organizations, service type automobile enterprises, joint-stock companies, including Azerbaijan Automobile Transport State Concern (AATSC) and private carriers without establishing legal entity format. It is a fact that 90% of road transportation means, including 60% of the trucks, 80% of the buses and 90% of the cars have been privatized, and the process of privatization in this sector continues at present. AATSC implements the state regulatory policy in the road transport and its area of activities covers mainly the international and intercity road transportation of passengers.
Azerbaijan Automobile Transport State Concern
370602,
1054, Tbilisi Avenue, Baku
Tel. (99412) 319111
The domestic transportation in Azerbaijan covers the inner city, outside city and inter-city transportation of passengers. The inner city passenger transportation is mainly provide by means of buses and taxes. The inner city road transportation including the electric powered transportation, activity coordination is fulfilled by the Baku city Executive Power Transportation Department. Approximately 40% of Baku passenger transportation is provided by the Baku subway, which transports 400 thsd. passengers every day. The outside passenger transportation is fulfilled by buses and the Azerbaijan State Railway Company's Absheron electric railways. The inter city passenger transportation is provided by the Azerbaijan State Railway Company, which by means of the passenger railway cars covers all regions of the country. Another carrier is "Azerbaijan Airlines" SC, which conducts Baku-Nachchivan-Baku flight. Azerbaijan Automobile Transport State Concern and other private bus and taxi service providers are in the market too.
Baku Subway Company
370602,
33a, H.Cavid Avenue, Baku
Tel. (99412) 900000
Baku city Executive Power Transportation Department
29,
A.Garaybeyli Street, Baku
Tel. (99412) 906774
Azerbaijan has a historically old position over the road passage from Europe, Near East, Central Asia to the Eurasian north-south and west-east trading markets and large regional markets. Such position has also been determined by Azerbaijan's geographical and economical importance. The shortest route connecting Europe with China goes through Azerbaijan.
The central point of the future transportation system is the development of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia TRACECA international passage and the Northern Europe-Russia-Caspian Sea-Azerbaijan-Iran-Persian Gulf-India route "North-South" international passage.
In September 1998 the International Conference on restoration of "Great Silk Road" supported by the European Union held in Baku. During the conference 12 European and Asian countries signed the Main Multi-party Agreement on the International Transportation directed to the development of Europe-Caucasus-Asia TRACECA passage. In accordance with the signed agreement the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission of the Main Multi-party Agreement on the International Transportation was established in Baku. Currently, the Permanent Secretariat is engaged in resolution of the normative, procedure, technical and organizational issues.
For the last several years volume of transit cargoes through the TRACECA route has significantly increased. Thus, in 1998 the volume of cargoes in transit through Azerbaijan's territory was 3.4 mln. tons, in 1999 the volume increased up to 4.4 mln. tons, in 2000 - 5.7 mln. tons and in 2001 the volume reached 7.7 mln. tons. These facts reflect the dynamic growth of the TRACECA international transportation passage role and Azerbaijan's placement as a communications joint in the south of Eurasian transportation area.
The Azerbaijan's territory, especially its capital Baku, is situated in the center of international passage covering the North Europe-Russia-Caspian Sea-Iran-Persian Gulf-India route. It is expected that over 100 mln. tons of cargo will be transported through this passage from the European countries per year. It is also forecasted that initially up to 20 mln. tons of cargo will be transported through Azerbaijan's territory. The parties currently work on the projects for construction and restoration of road, railway and water ways with the purpose of further passage development facilitation.
Under these circumstances, Azerbaijan becomes more attractive for carriers, thus there are over 70 joint or foreign transportation and expediting companies are currently performing services in the country. These companies carry passengers and cargoes by all transportation means.