More news on this day
A new generation of metro trains built by China’s CRRC is set to enter service in Tbilisi later this decade, signaling the beginning of a broader urban transport transformation in Georgia’s capital backed by international financing and long-term investment plans.
Get the latest news straight to your inbox!
New CRRC Trainsets Mark a Turning Point for Tbilisi Metro
Publicly available information indicates that Tbilisi has selected a consortium led by local firm GT Group, working with Chinese rolling stock manufacturer CRRC, to supply a major fleet renewal for the city’s metro network. Coverage in specialist rail publications and open tender documents describe a contract to deliver more than one hundred metro cars over several years, enough to replace a large share of the system’s aging Soviet-era rolling stock and expand capacity on both existing lines.
Reports on the development of the Tbilisi Metro state that the order will translate into several dozen new trainsets, configured in four and five car formations, entering service between the mid and late 2020s. The first units are expected to be introduced shortly after 2027 once manufacturing, delivery, testing, and commissioning are completed. Recent online discussion within the rail community suggests that initial trainsets are already in advanced stages of production, with deployment dependent on infrastructure adaptations and regulatory approvals.
According to publicly accessible project documentation, the new trains are being acquired as part of a wider modernization program that also involves depot rehabilitation, tunnel upgrades, and power and signaling improvements. That broader package is supported by financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which has approved funding specifically earmarked for the procurement of nearly one hundred new metro cars for Tbilisi, as well as technical assistance to supervise manufacturing and commissioning.
The arrival of CRRC-built trains will follow an earlier phase of rolling stock renewal completed in 2023, when Tbilisi purchased a batch of new cars from Russian manufacturer Metrowagonmash with support from European development finance. Together, the two investment cycles are expected to progressively retire much of the metro’s oldest fleet, which has been in service for decades and has required frequent refurbishment to remain operational.
International Financing Anchors Georgia’s Urban Transport Overhaul
The metro fleet renewal is one element of a larger, multi-year effort to reshape how residents and visitors move around Tbilisi and other Georgian cities. Over the past decade, Georgia has turned increasingly to multilateral lenders to upgrade urban infrastructure, with transport a central focus. The Asian Development Bank’s Sustainable Urban Transport Investment Program and subsequent Livable Cities Investment Program have helped prepare and finance projects ranging from metro station rehabilitation to suburban rail studies and road bypass construction.
In parallel, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has approved the Tbilisi Metro Modernization Project, a package that combines financing for new rolling stock with investments in depots, tunnels, and systems, as well as consulting services for project supervision. According to information made publicly available by the bank, the metro component alone foresees the purchase of close to one hundred new electric cars, with total costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars spread between AIIB funds and domestic co-financing.
Georgia’s parliament has also examined and endorsed ratification documents related to the AIIB loan, indicating political backing at the national level for long-term metro modernization. The documentation reviewed in legislative committee sessions emphasizes that the majority of Tbilisi’s current trainsets have reached or are approaching the end of their designed operational life, and that replacement is considered essential to sustain reliable service for hundreds of thousands of daily riders.
The reliance on multilateral finance is mirrored in other transport initiatives, including a recently signed ADB loan for a Tbilisi bypass road and technical assistance to study a potential city-region rail network. Taken together, these projects highlight how international institutions have become key partners in Georgia’s strategy to upgrade its urban and interurban transport infrastructure.
Passenger-Focused Design and Accessibility Upgrades
Project documents and public descriptions of the forthcoming Tbilisi metro trains highlight a focus on passenger comfort, accessibility, and energy efficiency. According to information released in connection with the AIIB-supported modernization program, the new cars are expected to feature wider doorways, open gangways between cars, modern passenger information systems, and improved ventilation and lighting, in line with contemporary metro standards in other cities.
Accessibility improvements are a prominent element of the specifications. The new trains are described as designed to accommodate passengers with reduced mobility, including wheelchair users, older riders, and travelers with luggage, through level boarding where possible, dedicated spaces inside the cars, and clearer interior layouts. These changes are intended to complement ongoing and planned upgrades to stations, where feasibility studies supported by development banks are examining options for improved vertical access and platform safety.
The new rolling stock also aims to reduce operating and maintenance costs compared with the legacy fleet. Industry coverage of similar CRRC metro products points to the use of more energy-efficient traction equipment, regenerative braking, and modular components that can simplify repairs and overhauls. For Tbilisi, such efficiencies are expected to help stabilize operating budgets while enabling more frequent service as demand grows.
Modern interiors and smoother ride quality may also play a role in shifting travel behavior. Local media reports and commentary suggest that Tbilisi’s authorities view the metro as the backbone of a more sustainable urban mobility system, and expect that higher-quality trains and stations will make the network more attractive for daily commuting, especially as road congestion intensifies.
Part of a Broader Shift to Rail-Based Urban Mobility
Beyond the metro, Georgia is exploring a broader transition toward rail-based solutions for urban and regional mobility. Under the ADB-supported Livable Cities Investment Program, an international tender has been launched for a feasibility study into a suburban railway, sometimes described as a city train system, linking Tbilisi with nearby cities such as Rustavi and Mtskheta. Public information on the tender indicates that the study will assess options for upgrading existing rail corridors and, where necessary, adding new sections to form a frequent, passenger-focused service.
In parallel, separate contracts supported by development partners are addressing station modernization within the metro system, with consulting firms tasked to prepare detailed designs for improved access, safety, and passenger amenities. These steps align with broader European and regional trends that prioritize high-capacity, electrified rail solutions as a response to congestion, air pollution, and climate commitments.
Road projects remain part of the picture, notably with the Tbilisi bypass road intended to divert through-traffic away from central districts and ease pressure on the existing street network. However, development bank communications and local policy documents increasingly present such investments as complementary to, rather than a substitute for, expanding public transport.
As new CRRC-built trainsets begin to arrive and studies for suburban rail and station upgrades advance, observers see Tbilisi moving toward a more integrated, multimodal transport system. The metro modernization and associated projects are widely interpreted as early steps in an extended transformation that could reshape how residents navigate the Georgian capital over the coming decade.
Timelines, Challenges, and Expectations
Despite the momentum behind the Tbilisi metro modernization, publicly available information suggests that delivery and commissioning will be spread over several years. Statements referenced in local economic media and parliamentary hearings indicate that the first batches of new metro cars are expected around 2027, with full delivery extending further into the decade as manufacturing slots, shipping, testing, and staff training are sequenced.
This phased approach reflects both technical and financial realities. Upgrading depots and tunnels to accommodate the new trains must take place alongside everyday operations, limiting the extent of simultaneous works. For this reason, project design documents attached to the AIIB loan highlight the role of supervision consultants, who are tasked with overseeing quality control and ensuring that rolling stock performance matches the agreed specifications.
There are also broader contextual factors. International experience with large rolling stock contracts, including several other CRRC projects, shows that ambitious timelines can face headwinds related to supply chains, component certification, or changes in regulatory requirements. Observers following the Tbilisi case note that the city’s previous rolling stock renewal programs took several years from tender to full operation.
Even with these challenges, expectations remain high that the new metro trains will significantly improve daily travel for Tbilisi residents. As Georgia deepens cooperation with multilateral lenders and explores additional rail initiatives, the CRRC-built trainsets now under preparation are emerging as visible symbols of a wider shift in how the country plans, finances, and delivers urban transport.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – Georgia: Tbilisi Metro Modernization Project