Construction of Rasht–Astara railway in Iran to begin after Novruz holiday – EXCLUSIVE

Construction work on the Rasht–Astara railway is expected to start in 2026 after the Novruz holiday, Jabbar Ali Zakeri, Director General of Iranian Railways, told Report.

He noted that the main issue in the construction of the Rasht–Astara railway is related to land acquisition along the planned route: "Out of 164 kilometers, 95 kilometers have already been acquired. Each week, 3 kilometers of land are being purchased to clear the route for the railway and enable the Russian company to begin construction work."

He added that the territory is planned to be handed over to Russian Railways in 2026 before the Novruz holiday (celebrated in March – ed.): "Currently, Russian Railways is carrying out design work. Russian engineers are conducting studies in this area, including geotechnical surveys. Implementation of the project is planned to begin after the Novruz holiday."