Iran opens $238 million express train service near Tehran

President Hassan Rouhani has opened an express electric train service linking Tehran to a city 82 km west of the Iranian capital - part of a state plan to ease up congestion and traffic load in the megacity of eight million.

According to Press TV, the $238 million project linking the city of Hashtgerd to Tehran metro rail was inaugurated Tuesday during a ceremony attended by senior officials who said the line had a capacity to transport 250,000 passengers a day.

The subway system is a key part of Tehran’s transit network on which more than 2.5 million journeys are undertaken every day.

According to officials, Tehran initially planned to build 430 kilometers of metro lines with 256 stations at a cost of $18 billion. But because of sanctions, only 261 kilometers and 175 stations were approved, estimated to cost around $10 billion.

Some of the lines are facing delays due to lack of financing as a result of the sanctions.

The government’s decision last month to hike gasoline prices has channeled more passengers to the underground, according to officials.  

ME