South Caucasus Railway
South Caucasus Railway (, ) is a rail operator in Armenia, owned by Russian Railways. Main information. On 13 February 2008, the Government of Armenia signed an agreement to transfer 100% of the state-owned Armenian Railways to Russian Railways. According to the agreement, the concession period is 30 years, with a possible extension for another 10 years by mutual agreement of the parties. In accordance with the terms of the tender, existing railway employees (4,300 people), except those of retirement age, were transferred to the staff of South Caucasus Railway on salary increases of up to 20%. Routes . South Caucasus Railway currently operates the following services: 1. Armenia - Georgia express/sleeper service: Yerevan to Tbilisi / Batumi via Gyumri and Vanadzor 2. Yerevan to Araks (Myasnikan) / Gyumri - 3 services a day plus 1 additional short journey to Araks (an onward branch from Gyumri to Artik, Pemzashen and Maralik has not run a passenger service since 2013, whilst a freight only line also branches from Armavir [the station prior to Araks] to the Metsamor power plant) 3. Yerevan to Ararat & Yeraskh - 1 service a day 4. Summer-only service from Yerevan (Almast station) to Hrazdan, Sevan and Shorzha The latter  route is used year round by freight trains, running beyond Shorzha to transport gold ore from Sotk mine just beyond Vardenis back via the Yerevan western bypass freight railway line to the refinery in Ararat (as well as by trains serving the Hrazdan Cement plant located 5km up the Dilijan branch). A link also exists to the Yerevan Metro at Charbakh Depot via the Karmir Blur siding. International links. Except with Georgia, all international railway links between Armenia and its neighbors have been closed since 1993.