Batumi welcomes $8m railway station

A seaside town on the Black Sea coast of Georgia will soon be serviced by a new railway station.

An $8 million USD, three-store complex is going to be built on a 23 000 sqm land plot in Batumi. The new facility will include a bus terminal and retail area.

The modern standard railway station hall will be on the ground floor and the upper floors will be occupied by shops, banks and ATM's.

The new bus terminal is expected to operate intercity and international routes.

During a visit to the site, head of the Adjara Autonomous Republic Government Archil Khabadze said the new facility would serve about 500 buses in a 24 hour period.

He said the buses would connect Batumi with the rest of Georgia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"It will be a small transportation city which offers passengers all kinds of shopping and services on the spot,” Khabadze said.

Inside the facility, visitors will be able to travel throughout the complex using electric escalators.

The first phase of the project is expected to be ready by June 2014 before the tourist season begins.