The agreement, made on 1 July 2016, would connect China with Europe via Central Asia and Georgia, opening up a new route for customers looking for overland transportation.

DB and Georgia Railways will also look to expand rail freight traffic between Europe and Iran, via Georgia. The long-term aim would then be to extend the link to India.

The MoU will also see DB leverage its engineering division to support the development and modernisation of Georgia’s domestic railway system, including upgrading its rolling stock fleet.

Head of international business at DB and chief executive of DB engineering and consulting said: “We are pleased to participate in the implementation of the Silk Road initiative and thus to promote rail transport across borders. This gives us access to a large growth market in Asia.”

“We are proud that DB has the chance to contribute to the renaissance and modernisation of the ancient communication routes between the continents. With a rail history reaching back to 1871, Georgia has a key role to play in this undertaking,” said Ronald Pofalla, member of the management board for economic, legal, and regulatory affairs at DB.

This MoU follows the agreement signed between DB and Chinese national operator China Railways in March 2016 on expanding rail connections between Europe and China. Following this, DB wanted to make the most of the opportunity afforded by China’s Silk Road initiative “One Belt – One Road”, a project set to boost a series of infrastructural undertakings covering 65 countries.