Бакинский метрополитен: история и развитие

Rapid transit system in Baku, Azerbaijan

During the final decades of the Russian Empire the port city of Baku became a large metropolis due to the discovery of oil in the Caspian Sea. By the 1930s, it was the capital of the Azerbaijani SSR and the largest city in Soviet Transcaucasia. The first plans for a rapid transit system date to the 1930s, with the adoption of a new general plan for city development. After World War II, the population passed the one million mark, a requirement of Soviet law for construction of a metro system. In 1947, the Soviet Cabinet of Ministers issued a decree authorizing its construction, which began in 1951. On November 6, 1967, Baku Metro became the Soviet Union's fifth rapid transit system when the first 6.5 kilometers of track and a depot were inaugurated, in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the October Revolution. Due to the city's unique landscape, Baku Metro did not have the typical Soviet "triangle" layout of development, and instead had two elliptical lines which crossed each other in the center of the city at the Baku railway station. Thus, one line would begin at the southwestern end of the city, and cross on a northeastern axis to follow the residential districts on the northern edge of the city and then snake along to the southeastern and ultimately southern end. This was inaugurated in three stages: Ulduz (1970) and Neftçilər (1972), followed by Ahmedli (1989) and finally Hazi Aslanov (2002), completing the first line. Additionally, in 1970 a branch was opened to a station built in a depot, Bakmil. The second line was to parallel the Caspian coast from Hazi Aslanov through Baku's industrial districts, meeting the first line again at the Baku Railway Terminal, and then continuing westwards before turning north to join Baku's northwestern districts. To accelerate construction, a branch was opened from May 28 station to Khatai in 1968, and in 1976 in the opposite direction towards Nizami. The second and first line used the same station (May 28). This posed no serious problems initially, as the line was two stations long, but when the second stage opened in 1985, lengthening the line to 8 stations (Memar Ajemi), construction of a transfer was desperately needed. In 1993, the first stage of the transfer station Jafar Jabbarli came in operation, but the end of the Soviet Union, political unrest, the First Nagorno Karabakh War and the financial collapse which followed effectively paralyzed any construction attempts in Baku. Furthermore, during the mid 1990s, three mass casualty incidents took place: on March 19 and July 3, 1994, terrorist attacks killed 27 people and injured another 91, and on October 28 of the following year a fire in a crowded train killed 289 and injured 265 others, the world's deadliest subway disaster. In the late 1990s, construction restarted. The first project was the completion of Hazi Aslanov station, partly sponsored by the European Union. In the mid 2000s, construction of the northern end of the second line, abandoned since 1994, was restarted with Nasimi station opening on October 9, 2008.

LineSegmentDate openedLast extensionLengthStationsRed ↔ 196710 December 200220.1 km13Green ↔ 197629 June 201112.2 km8Green ↔ 196827 October 19932.3 km2PurpleKhojasan ↔ 201623 December 20226.1 km4

Segment Date opened Length – November 6, 19676.5 km – February 22, 19682.3 km – May 5, 19702.1 km – September 25, 1970 (reconstructed in 1978–79)0.5 km – November 7, 19725.3 km – December 31, 19762.2 km – December 31, 19856.5 km – April 28, 19893.3 kmDecember 27, 1993 – December 10, 20021.4 km – October 9, 20082.1 km – December 30, 20091.3 km – June 29, 20111.5 km – April 19, 20162.1 km – May 29, 20211.6 km – KhojasanDecember 23, 20222.4 kmTotal27 stations40.7 km

Work to install free wi fi service at Koroğlu station is now underway. Local mobile service provider Nar Mobile has started to provide 3G coverage at Sahil, Nəsimi, 28 May, Memar Əcəmi, Azadlıq prospekti and Dərnəgül. Service will expand to all stations as well as to tunnels by May.

As of the beginning of 2020, 81 717/714 (including later modifications .5 .5B and .5M) and their modernized version 81 717M/714M, 81 760B/761B/763B "Oka" and 81 765. B/766. B stock trains are operating on the metro. 81 710 («Еж3») and 81 704/81 705/81 706 («Ем, Ема, Емх») stock trains were also operating on the metro until they were retired in 2008. As well as 81 703 («Е») and 81 707 («Еж») which were retired in 2001. All rolling stock on the Baku Metro has been produced by Metrowagonmash jointly with Alstom. Since 2014, the refurbishment of 81 717/714 (and their modifications .5 .5B and .5M) has been underway in Tbilisi's branch of ZREPS. During the refurbishment, the front car is fitted with a new fibreglass cab end similar to those operating on the Prague Metro. Inside the train, it is fitted with new cab instruments as well as new seats, although the interior is kept relatively the same. Aside from the visual changes, the train is also fitted with new electrical equipment. Since the beginning of the programme the design of the front ends has been altered and now features a different headlamp design and the shape has been slightly changed. At the end of 2012, Baku Metro loaned one 81 760/761 "Oka" type train to decide whether they will renew the fleet with a new model of train. On January 21, 2013, the train entered service on the Red Line ("Icheri Sheher" to "Hezi Aslanov"/"Bakmil"). During the trial runs several breakdowns and failures occurred and in July 2013, the train was returned to Moscow. Later, the Baku Metro decided to purchase three five car "Oka" type trains with modified carriages fitted with through passage gangways. But, quickly abandoned the project and switched focus to a redesigned "Oka" type train built by Metrowagonmash and Alstom. The train was classified as 81 760B/761B/763B "Oka" with a modified front end, newer interior equipment and electrical equipment. In April 2015, all three trains were delivered to Baku and began service on the Red line. In February 2018, Baku Metro signed a contract with Metrovagonmash for the supply of two new 81 765 "Moscow" type trains. The first train was manufactured and shipped to Azerbaijan in March 2018 and from April 20, 2018, it began commercial operation. The trains are classified as 81 765. B/766. B and operate with only motor and head cars, no trailers, in order to increase traction. The second train was shipped in the same year. They are painted in a purple livery similar to the colour of the "Oka" type, just without the gray. As of 2020, five more trains have been delivered to the depot in Baku and are awaiting certification to enter into service.

On March 19 and July 3, 1994, bombs killed 27 people and injured 91 others. Three Armenians were later arrested, charged and imprisoned in connection with the incident.

On October 28, 1995, a fire broke out between the Ulduz and Nariman Narimanov stations, killing 289 people and injuring 265 others. The fire was deemed to have been caused by electrical malfunction, but the possibility of sabotage was not excluded. The fire remains the world's deadliest subway disaster.