Tbilisi Central Railway Station (Tbilisi) | shopping mall, head house (train station)

 shopping mall, head house (train station)

The old building of the central station has been constructed in 1872. Later, presumably in 1950th years, it has been taken down and replaced by a building of "Stalin" architecture ([1]).

In 1982 the decision on construction of new central passenger station in Tbilisi, and an old building was accepted ([2]) has been prepared for a pulling down. But the building base has appeared so strong and strong that station has been decided not to take down, and to blow up. After building blasting building of a new building of passenger station which and hasn't been finished up to the end has begun. In 1991 the building was almost ready, but disintegration of the USSR and the economic crisis subsequent to it have prevented to finish painting and decorating. After the termination of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict the Georgian refugees have lodged in a station building from Abkhazia which lived there up to 2008 when the mayoralty of Tbilisi has made the decision to finish painting and decorating of a building of station and to put in order platforms, and the alternative habitation has been given refugees. Furnish of a new cash hall in a station building is now complete, there is a reconstruction of other premises of station to parts from which perspective shopping-moll «Tbilisi-Central» will take place. After introduction in operation of a roundabout trunk-railway bypassing the center of Tbilisi in 2011-2012 all building of station will be allocated under shopping-moll. At present there is no concrete decision on where the future passenger station of a city will settle down.

There are two basic variants of development:

1. On a market place in Tbilisi area Didube the passenger station Tbilisi-western which will accept the passenger trains going from Batumi, by Ozurgeti, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Poti, the Shaft will be constructed, with Borzhomi and Burn. For service of the passenger trains arriving from East areas of Georgia, the Navtlugsky station in area Samgori will be reconstructed. After reconstruction it can receive the name of Tbilisi-east and becomes terminal station for the trains following in Tbilisi from Gardabani, Telavi and Ahalkalaki, and also the airport of Tbilisi. Cargo trains going transit through Tbilisi, will bypass a city on an under construction highway which is laid near the Tbilisi sea.

2. All railway infrastructure in line of Tbilisi will be liquidated. Along with a roundabout highway near coast of the Tbilisi sea the carload depot uniting in both passenger, and cargo rolling stocks will be constructed. Also the new uniform passenger station answering both for western, and for east direction will be constructed.

At present it is not known, what variant will choose a management of the Georgian railway and the Ministry of Economics of Georgia.