Design work on a Vanadzor-Fioletovo railway is to start in Armenia. Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk Vardanyan said that the work will be carried out in cooperation with the Russian Railways Company, manager of the South Caucasus Railways under a concession agreement.

The side will equally share the investments. Armenia will invest U.S. $49 million from its anti-crisis fund.

Construction of the new railway section is among the 2011 priorities. The 32-kilometer-long section is to connect the Ijevan-Hrazdan-Yerevan section with the Tbilisi-Gyumri-Masis section, which will reduce the transportation time. The new section will reduce the distance between Yerevan and Airum.