Tbilisi Metro

The Tbilisi Metro ( ka, თბილისის მეტროპოლიტენი) is a rapid transit system in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Opened on 11 January 1966, it was the fourth metro system in the former Soviet Union. Like other ex-Soviet metros, most of the stations are very deep and vividly decorated.

At present the system consists of two lines, in total length, serving 23 stations. In 2017, the Metro transported 113.827 million passengers. The Metro is operated by the Tbilisi Transport Company, which began operation the same year as the Tbilisi Metro, in 1966.

History

Tbilisi (officially known as Tiflis until 1936), the capital of Georgia, was considered historically to be one of the most important cities of the Soviet Union, particularly because of its political position as being the most significant city in the Caucasus and the capital of the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic which lasted until 1936. The city grew quite rapidly during the 19th and 20th centuries, and apart from being a cultural and political centre, it was an important transport hub in Transcaucasia and an industrial centre as well.
Features of the historically established development of Tbilisi, stretching for more than 25 km along the Mtkvari river, densely built-up city centre, and narrow steep streets in some parts of the city, impede the development of land transport. All this contributed to the need for a rapid transit Metro system. Especially considering its geographic characteristic - Tbilisi is considerably long, which undoubtedly would simplify the coverage of most parts of the city by the underground.

Construction began in 1952. Tbilisi was one of the only cities of the former USSR where the construction of the Metro system started before the resident population exceeded one million. A population of over one million was one of the main criteria for building a metro system in Soviet cities.

On 11 January 1966, the Tbilisi Metro was opened: it was the first and only Metro system in Georgia and the fourth one in the former Soviet Union (after Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Kyiv) when the first six stations were opened. Since then, the system has steadily grown to a two-line, 23-station network.

During the 1990s, most of the Soviet-era station names were changed, although financial difficulties after the breakup of the Soviet Union hit the Metro particularly hard in its infrastructure, operations, and extensions. In the early-mid 1990s, the Tbilisi metro was usually not working due to the lack of electricity. Until recently, the Metro had been underfunded and operated in severe difficulties due to poor electrical supply. It had also become infamous for widespread petty crime, like pickpocketing and mugging. In addition, there have been several incidents at metro stations in recent years. On 9 October 1997, a former policeman blew himself up at Didube station. On 14 February 2000, a teenager threw a homemade hand grenade into a metro station, injuring several people. In March 2004, several people were poisoned by an unidentified gas while using the Metro. However, crime has reduced as a result of security and administration reforms in the system from 2004 to 2005. Other services have also significantly improved.

The Tbilisi Metro system is undergoing a major rehabilitation effort, including the reconstruction of the stations as well as the modernization of trains and other facilities. The city's 2006 budget allocated 16 million lari for this project. Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili promised to make the Metro a most prestigious public transport system, and charged the Director General of Tbilisi Metro, Zurab Kikalishvili, in late 2005, to bring the metro up to European standards by 2007. In 2005 began the renovation process of subway trains. As part of the modernization, the soviet-era rolling stock was overhauled, old parts were replaced with new ones, the interior of the car was changed and the exterior was given a different look. Additionally, the driver cab was equipped with a modern control panel.
In subsequent years, however, the upgrade process slowed significantly, and as of July 2010, the Tbilisi metro rail was still far from its target standard. Some renovated metro stations had to be repaired again soon due to deficient planning and poor quality of the renovation. The renovation process of the system continues unfortunately slowly and there are several stations under renovation. Tbilisi city hall plans to purchase 10 4-car trains for Tbilisi Metro, which will meet European standards.  

The extension of the Saburtalo Line to State University station began in 1985. In 1993 the construction was stopped and it went into conservation mode. In January 2012 construction was scheduled to start on a frozen extension of the Saburtalo Line from the Vazha-Pshavela station to the Sakhelmtsipo Universiteti (State University) station, of which 80% of the work was completed during the Soviet era. But it was only restarted in July 2015 with financial help from the Asian Development Bank and the station was finally opened to the public on 16 October 2017. The new State University station meets modern standards and is equipped with new technologies. Additionally, the Delisi-Vazha-Pshavela tunnel was also opened.

In 2019, the complete rehabilitation of power lines and ventilation systems in the metro began. With the replacement of the 450-kilometre power cable, 32 new European-standard fans will be installed. The Asian Development Bank has allocated $ 15 million for this project.

The government of Tbilisi, through partial funding from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, will spend more than 75 million Euros on purchasing 40, new, modern metro cars or 10 train sets, bringing the system's outdated rolling stock up to date. Moreover, the depot and the connecting tunnel will be rehabilitated as a part of the project to support the new trains. This is the first major rolling stock update for the network since it began operation more than 50 years ago.

Network

; Current lines

Timeline

Operation

, the system consists of two lines, serving 23 stations, operating on of the route and of the track. Of the 23 stations, 21 stations are below ground and two are surface level. Of the subterranean stations, 17 are deep level and 4 are shallows. The former comprises 6 pylon stations, 5 columns and 6 single vaults (built to the Leningrad Technology). The shallow stations consist of three pillar trepans and one single vault (Kharkiv

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