From Sept. 15, travel time for trains operating on the Khirdalan-Baku route will be shortened.
“Azerbaijan Railways” (ADY) told the Operative Information Center-OMM.
Under the new timetable, trains will complete the journey in 35 minutes.
“Currently, travel time on this route is 45 minutes due to repairs to a railway bridge as part of infrastructure upgrades on the Khirdalan-Bilajari section. The change will help passengers save time and plan their journeys more conveniently. Once the bridge restoration is completed, the speed limit on the route will be increased further. As a result, travel time on the Baku-Khirdalan route will return to 26 minutes, while passenger services on the Khirdalan-Sumgait line will also resume,” the statement said.
Under the new schedule, the number of services on the Baku-Khirdalan-Baku route will increase from 26 to 32. Two additional morning services will operate toward Khirdalan in response to passenger demand. A 8:30 p.m. service will also be added on the Baku-Khirdalan route. Overall, the number of daily suburban train services will rise from 90 to 96.
Contactless payment options at turnstiles have also been expanded for passenger convenience. In addition to Visa, passengers can now pay fares using Mastercard cards via NFC.
Fares paid by bank card will now be charged on the day of travel. The measure is intended to make the payment process more convenient and transparent.
As part of efforts to expand electronic payment options, 58 additional validators for bank-card access have been installed at turnstiles at Baku and Sabunchu railway stations, as well as at Pirshagi, Khirdalan, Koroglu, Bakikhanov, Mammadli and Darnagul stations and stops. The move will give passengers wider access to alternative payment methods.
At the next stage, the number of SIMA Pay terminals enabling facial-recognition payments is expected to be increased to further improve travel convenience.
The measures are aimed at improving service quality in railway transport, enhancing passenger convenience and expanding the use of modern digital solutions.
