Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY), a company of AZCON Holding, visited CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. during his official trip to China, where he held discussions with the company’s head, Wang Xiaolin.
Discussions Highlight Railway Modernization
The talks centered on the advancement of railway passenger transportation in Azerbaijan and plans to expand the country’s modern rolling stock fleet.
During the meeting, Rustamov reaffirmed ADY’s interest in strengthening cooperation with CRRC Zhuzhou, which is recognized as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of rolling stock. He emphasized that railway modernization remains a key priority for Azerbaijan as it seeks to deliver passenger services that are more comfortable, safe, reliable and sustainable.
Rustamov said, “One of ADY’s goals is to build a modern rolling stock fleet that addresses flexibly to growing passenger demand. Negotiations on the purchase of new passenger trains are of great importance in terms of improving service quality on both suburban and intercity routes.”
The parties reviewed opportunities related to the acquisition of 4 new passenger trains for intercity railway operations in Azerbaijan. They also inspected trains showcased by CRRC Zhuzhou and exchanged views on a range of issues, including technical specifications, energy efficiency, AI-powered safety systems, operational durability, spare parts supply, maintenance requirements and training opportunities.
Discussions additionally covered the purchase of 20 passenger trains under the “2025–2030 State Program for improving transport infrastructure in Baku and its surrounding areas” approved by the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan. During these talks, proposals submitted by the Chinese side were assessed, while technical, commercial and implementation aspects of the project were examined.
Meetings with CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Address Future Cooperation
As part of the visit, the ADY delegation also toured CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co. and met with the company’s head, Yan Qi. During the discussions, Rustamov highlighted ADY’s interest in benefiting from the extensive expertise of CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co., Ltd. in manufacturing passenger carriages, electric trains and other rolling stock products.
The delegation reviewed the company’s technological capabilities and discussed how these could support future initiatives aimed at modernizing ADY’s passenger transportation fleet. The meeting focused on technical and commercial matters linked to the potential purchase of 4 new passenger trains and 50 passenger carriages. Both sides exchanged views regarding train and carriage specifications, safety systems, passenger comfort features, maintenance capabilities, spare parts availability, staff training programmes and technology transfer opportunities.
