YEREVAN-BATUMI PASSENGER RAILWAY SERVICE REACTIVATED
Yerevan, June 19. ArmInfo. After fourteen years of idling, the first
passenger train left Yerevan for Batumi, Saturday. The railroad was
reactivated to organize summer rest of Armenian tourists at Black
Sea resorts in Georgia, Georgian Minister of Economic Development,
Irakli Chogovadze said. The minister arrived in Armenia especially
to attend the opening ceremony of the railway service. The minister
said 50,000 tourists are expected to rest in Adzharia as against last
year’s 20,000. It is very important for the people to reach Georgia
in comfortable compartments, he said. I.Chogovadze said Armenia’s has
been recently actively investing in Adzharia. For instance, this year,
the first Armenian restaurant opened in Batumi in the current year,
he said.
Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan said
Yerevan- Batumi train will stop trice in the territory of Armenia
and once in Georgia. The train will undergo customs inspection
en route. The minister said the carriages are rather comfortable,
with air conditioning and television in special carriages. It is
noteworthy that the first train left with only four passengers, as
very few people were informed of the trip. The train can carry 180
passengers. Andranik Manukyan believes the tickets will be so highly
in demand in future that the parties will have to increase the number
of carriages. The minister said in Armenia like in the world, passenger
railway service is unprofitable and subsidized by the country.
To note, one ticket in double compartment costs 18,703 drams, the
ticket in four-place compartment – 9,297 drams. The tickets on the
return way from Batumi will cost tourists 21,256 drams and 10,542
drams, respectively in terms of lari.