Tbilisi moves forward with new tram line project, says Mayor Kakha Kaladze

Kakha Kaladze, Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Monday that the capital city had officially signed a contract for the design and construction of a new tram line, describing the project as the beginning of a new chapter in Tbilisi’s transport history.

“Today, we are not simply signing a contract; we are launching a project that should write a new page in Tbilisi’s transport history”, Kaladze said at the signing ceremony.

The agreement was signed at Tbilisi City Hall by Giorgi Sharkov, General Director of the Tbilisi Transport Company, and Halit Emre Yilmaz on behalf of the EYE joint venture, comprising Emre Ray, Yüksel and Erk.

The ceremony was attended by Kaladze, Tbilisi City Council Chairman Zurab Abashidze, Deputy Mayor Giorgi Tkemaladze, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Georgia Mustafa Türker Arı and other invited guests.

Speaking at the event, Kaladze thanked the Georgian Dream political team and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze for their support for the tram project.

He said the signing marked the transition from a long-discussed idea to a concrete infrastructure project, stressing that projects of this scale require careful planning, financial resources, professional expertise and political will.

“Today is truly a special day. I remember the reaction when I first announced the construction of a tram line. There was great excitement, but also a very natural question: When will this idea become reality? Today, we are answering that question and moving from an idea to concrete action”, he said.

According to Kaladze, bringing trams back to Tbilisi carries significant symbolic value, but the goal is not simply to restore a mode of transport associated with the city’s past.

“We are bringing the tram back in order to create a transport system for the Tbilisi of the future”, he said.

Kaladze said the city’s transport policy, pursued since 2017, aims to make travel faster, more comfortable, safer and more accessible for pedestrians, public transport users, people using environmentally friendly modes of transport and motorists.

“Our goal is for people to choose public transport not because they have no other option, but because it is comfortable and reliable. The tram will become another critically important part of this system”, he added.

The project will be implemented in three stages: preparation of the conceptual design, development of the detailed design and construction works.

The three stages are expected to take a combined 36 months. Taking into account all related procedures, the project is planned to be completed within the next four years.

Kaladze acknowledged that a single tram line would not resolve all of Tbilisi’s transport challenges, but said it could serve as the starting point for a wider modern tram network.

“Major changes always begin with a first step. We want this line to become the beginning of the development of a modern tram network and a new stage in Tbilisi’s transport system”, he said.

He also acknowledged that a project of this scale would inevitably cause some temporary disruption, pledging that the city authorities would keep residents informed about construction works and changes to traffic flows throughout the process.

The tram line will begin near the area connecting the 3rd and 4th microdistricts of Didi Dighomi and run through David Aghmashenebeli Alley and the Digomi Massif before reaching the area around Didube metro station.

The line is intended to connect Didi Dighomi to the metro network, providing faster access to central Tbilisi. The planned route is approximately 7.5 kilometers long and will include 11 stops. The project also includes a tram depot designed to service 11 tram units.

The contract signed with the EYE joint venture is valued at ₾287.65 million ($110.1 million). The consortium won the tender after submitting the lowest bid for the design and construction works.