Ganja

Ganja is one of the oldest cities in the Caucasus, and has long been one of the most important in Azerbaijan. Having been subjected to a seemingly endless stream of invading armies, its name has changed repeatedly over the years and is very interesting architecturally. The historical name, Ganja, was restored once again upon Azerbaijan's independence in 1991. With a population of 330,744 (2016), it is the country's second-largest city.

Most proudly the city was home to Azerbaijan’s national bard Nizami Gəncəvi (1141–1209).

Ganja Regional Tourism Information Center, Hasan Əliyev küç 31, ☏ +994 22 266 23 84. 09:00 to 18:00. Provides free city maps and travel agency services. The staff speak limited English.

By plane:

1 Gəncə Beynəlxalq Hava Limanı (KVD IATA Ganja International Airport), 8 km northwest of the city centre. A taxi costs around 7 manat. (updated Nov 2019)

The airport is open from 08:00 to 17:00.

By train:

2 Gəncə Dəmiryol Stansiyası / Ganja Railway Station (Gəncə Dəmiryol Vağzalı), Zülfü Hacıyev küç (The station is located 4 km north of the city center and can be reached by buses 1, 4 or 12.), ☏ +994 50 370 33 79. This station provides national and international rail connections to the city. (updated Nov 2019)

Ganja sits on one of the Azerbaijani primary rail lines running east–west through the country. This line now forms part of the Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway, which directly connects Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. This railway connects Ganja with Baku as well as with Tbilisi in Georgia, from where passenger trains may in the future eventually connect to Akhalkalaki, and Kars in Turkey.

Check the complete timetable online:

Astara – 8 manat.

Baku – The daytime ‘express’ (6 manat) departs from Ganja at 15:50 on alternate days arriving in Baku around midnight.The overnight train 37 departs daily from Ganja at 02:56 and arrives in Baku at 08:52. The train has 2nd class kupé (KP) 4-berth sleepers (14.81 manat) and 3rd class platskartny (PL) open-plan sleepers (8.12 manat).The overnight train 38 departs daily from Baku at 20:40 and arrives in Ganja at 02:33, before continuing on to Tbilisi. The train has 2nd class kupé (KP) 4-berth sleepers (14.81 manat) and 3rd class platskartny (PL) open-plan sleepers (8.12 manat).

Tbilisi – Train 37 between Tbilisi and Baku departs from Tbilisi at 20.35 and arrives in Ganja at 02:50. Train 38 between Baku and Tbilisi departs from Ganja at 02:55 and arrives in Tbilisi at 08:55. The trains in both directions have 1st class spalny vagon (SV) 2-bed sleepers (40.67 manat), 2nd class kupé (KP) 4-berth sleepers (23.52 manat) and 3rd class platskartny (PL) open-plan sleepers (16.58 manat).

By bus or marshrutka: