Transport

The development of transport infrastructure in Nakhchivan AR is prioritized in recent times. Separation of the autonomous republic from the main land of Azerbaijan for more than 18 years caused a lot of serious problems in the republic. Against the background of the high socio-economic activity, shipping of excess goods produced by the reconstructed and restored economic entities to other regions, the limitation in the daily passenger service to other cities and regions of the country are of those problems. However, the indirect government subsidies to meet some expenses of internal produce, concessions, and minimization of passenger transport tariffs in order to maximally diminish the negative effect of the mentioned difficulties on the autonomous republic’s population, pave the way for mitigating the negative effect of transport blockade for the people of Nakhchivan to a certain extent.
Nakhchivan International Airport put into operation in 2004, was built up to the latest standards.  At present flights to Baku and Ganja cities of Azerbaijan is carried out in this airport.  Also, the international passenger transport services are provided by the flights Nakhchivan-Moscow, Baku-Nakhchivan-Istanbul and opposite directions.
Ministry of Trnasport of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic was established in 2007. Commissioning of Sadarak, Julfa, Shahtakhti checkpoint facilities, the new bridges in Sadarak, Julfa, Shahtakhti chekpoints, and the opening of “Baku-Nakhchivan-Baku” regular bus routes was an important stage in the development of transport links.
Highways of 163.9 kilometers were built or repaired, 21 bridges were built and 12 bridges were repaired and commissioned in the autonomous republic in 2013.
New modern machinery was brought to the Nakhchivan International Airport in order to improve the level of service provided to population. During that period the harmonious operation of railway transport was ensured.  
During the past year freight traffic in transport sector was increased 9.5 per cent; passenger transportation was increased 8.9 per cent compared to 2012. In total 49 million 578 thousand manat profit was made out of cargo and passenger transportation which was 8.5 per cent more than it was in 2012.
Arrangement works on transport was conducted and the Ministry of Transport of the Nakhchivan AR was established in 2007. Passing through Iranian territory the opening of regular Baku-Nakhchivan-Baku bus route not only mitigated the existing problems but also positively affected the automobile transport. Concomitantly, new buses were put into operation in order to ensure comfort in internal passenger transportation and to raise service level. The follow-up works are done to modernize the passenger stations.
At present, constant works are being done in the autonomous republic for the development of transport sector regarding the security of transport system, the development of highways and road infrastructure, including global transit roads built on the basis of existing roads, carrying out comfort and security measures for traffic of vehicles, increasing the level of railway infrastructure up to the modern requirements for maximum use of internal transportation, and the use of more efficient types of transport for modernization of city transport system from a perspective of ecological cleanness and effective transportation.