East West Corridor / Baku Tbilisi Kars (BTK) Line: Freight and Logistics Guide
The Baku Tbilisi Kars railway is the 826 km rail spine of the Middle Corridor, the east west trade route that links Asia and Europe across the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Turkey. After the Georgian upgrade completed in 2024 and the modernized line was commissioned in 2026, annual freight capacity rose from about 1 million tonnes to about 5 million tonnes. This guide covers the route node by node, the gauge change at Akhalkalaki, customs and transit documents, and how PHShirt apparel shipments from the Philippines feed the corridor.
- Baku
- Tbilisi
- Akhalkalaki
- Kartsakhi
- Kars
- Marmaray
A rail bridge between the Caspian and Europe
The Baku Tbilisi Kars railway, usually shortened to BTK, is an international rail corridor that runs from the Azerbaijani Caspian coast, through the Georgian capital, and across eastern Turkey to the city of Kars. It opened on 30 October 2017 and forms the central land link of the Middle Corridor, the route that connects Asia and Europe without crossing Russia.
Caspian gateway at Baku
The corridor starts on the Caspian at the Port of Baku at Alat, which can handle about 15 million tonnes a year and sits beside the Alat Free Economic Zone. Feeder ships and rail ferries connect Azerbaijan with the Kazakh ports of Aktau and Kuryk, where the Middle Corridor begins its run from Asia.
Gauge interchange at Akhalkalaki
Azerbaijan and the existing Georgian lines use the 1520 mm broad gauge, while the new Georgian section and the Turkish network use the 1435 mm standard gauge. Akhalkalaki is where the two systems meet, and container transfer happens there between broad gauge and standard gauge wagons.
Europe link through Marmaray
West of Kars the route continues across Turkey to Istanbul, where the Marmaray sub sea tunnel carries freight under the Bosphorus. Beyond the tunnel, rail reaches the European network at the Kapikule border, completing the land bridge between the Caspian and central Europe.
The corridor, node by node
Each stop on the line has a distinct role in the movement of containers and bulk freight. The sequence below follows the route from the Caspian toward Europe.
- 01Caspian gateway
Baku and Alat, Azerbaijan
The corridor begins on the Caspian at Baku. The Port of Baku at Alat handles containers, rail ferries, and general cargo about 70 km south of the city, and the Absheron Logistics Center in the Garadagh district acts as a dry port with an on site customs post. Air cargo joins the corridor here through Heydar Aliyev International Airport at Baku.
- 02Caucasus junction
Tbilisi, Georgia
Tbilisi is the central rail junction of the corridor. The existing broad gauge lines from Baku through the Georgian capital were modernized to handle the higher traffic, so containers moving between the Caspian and the Black Sea ports of Poti and Batumi share this spine with BTK services. Tbilisi is also a natural consolidation point for cargo entering or leaving Georgia.
- 03Gauge interchange
Akhalkalaki, Georgia
Akhalkalaki is the operational heart of the BTK project and the point where the two rail systems meet. Freight is transferred between 1520 mm broad gauge wagons and 1435 mm standard gauge wagons at the transshipment terminal, and a gauge change facility supports rolling stock with adjustable wheelsets. The modernized Akhalkalaki Railway and Logistics Complex was commissioned in 2026.
- 04Border station
Kartsakhi, Georgia and Turkey
Kartsakhi sits on the Georgian and Turkish border and marks the start of the new standard gauge section built for the BTK project. Border and customs formalities between the two countries are handled around this crossing, so the consignment documents must be complete and consistent before the train arrives.
- 05Anatolian hub
Kars, Turkey
Kars is the eastern rail hub of Turkey and the corridor's connection to the national network. From Kars, services continue west toward Ankara and Istanbul, with the Kars Logistics Center providing container handling. The line gives eastern Turkey a direct rail connection to the Caspian and Central Asia.
- 06Bosphorus link
Marmaray and on to Europe
At Istanbul the corridor reaches the Marmaray sub sea tunnel under the Bosphorus, which carries freight between the Asian and European sides of Turkey. Beyond the tunnel, rail continues toward the European network through the Kapikule border, completing the east west land bridge for container traffic between Asia and Europe.
Why the train changes gauge at Akhalkalaki
Azerbaijan and the older Georgian lines were built to the 1520 mm broad gauge used across the former Soviet rail network. Turkey, and the new section of the BTK line built on the Georgian and Turkish side, use the 1435 mm standard gauge that is common in Europe. The two systems cannot run the same wagons without an interface.
Akhalkalaki is that interface. Containers and goods are transferred between broad gauge and standard gauge wagons at the transshipment terminal, and rolling stock fitted with adjustable wheelsets can pass through a gauge change facility. For a shipper the practical effect is a short handling stop, so the route works best when cartons are packed for a clean container transfer.
Modernization and current capacity
After several years of underused capacity, the Georgian section of the line was rebuilt and the corridor was relaunched. The table below sets out the headline operational figures. Project literature quotes higher long term targets, which are planning figures to confirm with the operators before booking.
| Total route length | 826 km from Baku through Tbilisi and Akhalkalaki to Kars |
|---|---|
| Line opened | 30 October 2017 |
| Georgian section upgrade | Completed in 2024, allowing the corridor to operate at higher capacity |
| Annual freight capacity | Raised from about 1 million tonnes to about 5 million tonnes |
| Modernized line commissioning | Officially commissioned at the Akhalkalaki Railway and Logistics Complex in 2026 |
| Gauge systems | 1520 mm broad gauge in Azerbaijan and the existing Georgia line, 1435 mm standard gauge on the new section and in Turkey |
| Long term target | Project literature cites targets of up to 15 to 17 million tonnes a year, a planning figure to confirm with the operators |
The Caspian leg and the Middle Corridor
The BTK line is one segment of the Middle Corridor, also called the Trans Caspian International Transport Route. Cargo moving from China and Central Asia crosses the Caspian by rail ferry or feeder ship to Baku, joins the BTK line through Georgia and Turkey, and then continues toward Europe. The route gained importance after 2022, when the northern corridor through Russia became unreliable for many shippers.
Because the corridor combines rail, sea, and road legs, transit times depend on ferry availability, border processing, and rolling stock at each interchange. The World Bank has projected that trade along Middle Corridor routes could grow substantially through 2030, and capacity investments at the Caspian ports and at Akhalkalaki are aimed at handling that demand. Treat any published transit figure as a planning estimate and confirm the live schedule with the operator or forwarder.
The Black Sea ports of Poti and Batumi in Georgia provide an alternative sea leg to Romania and Bulgaria, so buyers can combine an ocean movement from Asia with a rail or road leg toward the BTK corridor depending on cost and urgency.
Key interfaces on the corridor
- Aktau and Kuryk, Kazakhstan Caspian ports that feed rail ferry and feeder cargo toward Baku.
- Alat, Azerbaijan The Caspian gateway where sea cargo meets the rail corridor.
- Poti and Batumi, Georgia Black Sea container ports linking the Caucasus with Romania and Bulgaria.
- Marmaray, Turkey The sub sea tunnel at Istanbul that joins the Asian and European rail networks.
Clearing goods across three customs territories
A single BTK movement can cross Azerbaijani, Georgian, and Turkish customs. Each authority has its own tariff and documentation, and the transit documents that travel with the cargo must match the goods exactly. The notes below are a starting point, not a ruling.
State Customs Committee
Imports are controlled by the State Customs Committee. Azerbaijan is not in the European Union, so EU preferences do not apply to an entry at Baku.
- Clothing and textiles generally attract a duty of about 15 percent
- Value added tax of 18 percent applies to the CIF value plus duty
- Confirm the tariff line and any exemptions with a broker
Revenue Service
Georgia applies its own tariff and value added tax. Its trade arrangement with the European Union matters for goods entered into free circulation in Georgia.
- Customs is administered by the Georgian Revenue Service
- Transit cargo is handled under a transit declaration
- Georgia is also the interface for the gauge change at Akhalkalaki
Ministry of Trade
Turkey classifies goods under the GTİP tariff nomenclature and applies value added tax. It has a customs union with the European Union for industrial goods.
- Goods are classified to the GTİP tariff code
- Value added tax, known as KDV, is charged on entry
- Border formalities are handled near the Georgian border at Kartsakhi
Transit documents. Railway consignments typically move under the SMGS consignment note on the broad gauge network and the CIM consignment note on the standard gauge network, with the common CIM/SMGS consignment note used for through movements. Road legs may travel under a TIR carnet. Duties, taxes, and permits change, so always confirm the current requirements with a licensed customs broker or the competent authority before shipment.
How PHShirt shipments reach the BTK corridor
PHShirt manufactures blank shirts and custom OEM and ODM garments in the Philippines and ships to buyers in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and the wider region served by the corridor. The BTK line is one of the ways that volume reaches its destination.
By sea, containers load at Manila, Cebu, or Davao and discharge at a Black Sea port in Georgia, usually Poti or Batumi. From the discharge port, rail moves the cargo east through Tbilisi toward Baku, or the goods are railed and trucked for distribution around Georgia and into eastern Turkey. By air, urgent orders fly into Heydar Aliyev International Airport at Baku or into Tbilisi and then join road or rail for the final leg.
Export consolidation runs from Mindanao as well as Luzon. Davao International Container Terminal handles deepwater export containers at Panabo City in Davao del Norte, and production and consolidation can run from the Hijo Industrial Estate and Special Economic Zone in Tagum City, beside the Hijo International Port with its 13 meter draft and two berths.
The corridor matters most to buyers who want a through rail option between the Caspian, the South Caucasus, and Europe that does not depend on the northern route through Russia. We prepare commercial documentation for the agreed Incoterm and coordinate the freight legs with the buyer's nominated forwarder.
Order and shipping terms
- Minimum order: 50 pieces per design for custom production. Blank stock minimums depend on brand, color, and size mix.
- Production time: normally 3 to 6 weeks after sample, artwork, and payment approval. Shipping time is additional.
- Documents: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where required, and the agreed Incoterm.
- Labelling: buyer approved size, care, and brand labels, hangtags, folding, polybags, and carton marks, subject to destination rules.
- Incoterms: common terms such as EXW, FCA, FOB, CFR, or CIF can be discussed depending on the route and forwarder arrangement.
Baku Tbilisi Kars questions
What is the Baku Tbilisi Kars railway?
The Baku Tbilisi Kars railway, or BTK, is an 826 km international rail line that runs from Baku on the Azerbaijani Caspian coast, through Tbilisi in Georgia, to Kars in eastern Turkey. It opened on 30 October 2017 and forms a central land link of the Middle Corridor between Asia and Europe.
Why does the train change gauge at Akhalkalaki?
Azerbaijan and the existing Georgian lines use the 1520 mm broad gauge, while the new Georgian section and the Turkish network use the 1435 mm standard gauge used in Europe. Akhalkalaki is the interchange, where freight is transferred between the two systems and rolling stock with adjustable wheelsets can pass through a gauge change facility.
What is the current freight capacity of the BTK line?
After the Georgian section upgrade completed in 2024, the annual freight capacity rose from about 1 million tonnes to about 5 million tonnes, and the modernized line was commissioned at the Akhalkalaki complex in 2026. Project literature cites higher long term targets of up to 15 to 17 million tonnes a year, which are planning figures to confirm with the operators.
How does apparel from the Philippines reach the BTK corridor?
Containers usually load at Davao International Container Terminal, Manila, or Cebu and discharge at a Black Sea port in Georgia such as Poti or Batumi, then move by rail through Tbilisi toward Baku or into Turkey. Urgent orders can fly into Heydar Aliyev International Airport at Baku or into Tbilisi and continue by road or rail. PHShirt prepares commercial documentation for the agreed Incoterm and coordinates the freight legs with the buyer's forwarder.
Which transit documents apply on the corridor?
Rail consignments typically move under the SMGS consignment note on the broad gauge network and the CIM consignment note on the standard gauge network, with the common CIM/SMGS consignment note used for through movements. Road legs may travel under a TIR carnet. Duties, taxes, and permits change, so confirm the current requirements with a licensed customs broker before shipment.
Is there a passenger service on the BTK line?
The corridor is best known for freight, and its capacity planning centers on container and bulk cargo. Passenger services have been discussed and developed over time, but any timetable, ticketing, and route detail should be confirmed with the operating railways before it is relied upon for travel planning.
Plan apparel freight on the corridor
Send your garment specification, quantity, and destination, and our team will help line up the freight legs and the documentation for the corridor.
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Route lengths, capacity figures, commissioning dates, and customs notes are drawn from published operator and trade sources and can change. Confirm live schedules, tariffs, and border requirements with the railway operators, port authorities, and a licensed customs broker before booking.