AZE.US
The newly restored Baku-Tbilisi train route is already facing public frustration, as passengers complain that tickets disappear online within minutes after sales open.
According to a social media post widely discussed in Azerbaijan, tickets for the next 30th day go on sale every night at 00:30. However, users say they are often sold out within 15 to 20 minutes.
One passenger described a failed attempt to buy two tickets shortly after midnight. According to the post, the online system opened at around 00:34, several minutes later than expected. The user entered personal details for two passengers, completed the payment process and received a message saying the transaction had been successful.
But moments later, the money was returned.
The passenger questioned why the system accepts payment if the selected seats are no longer available.
“If someone bought the seats one second earlier, why does the system take the money? Is there no sequence in the process?” the author wrote.
The complaint was addressed to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, with the passenger saying the issue involves both transport and digital infrastructure.
“In the 21st century, what is this called?” the post said.
The author also raised concerns about tour companies advertising rail trips to Georgia.
The passenger questioned how travel agencies can offer train tours for groups of 20 to 30 people when ordinary citizens struggle to buy even two or three tickets a month in advance.
The post suggested that the situation should be examined by the National Cyber Security Center and law enforcement agencies to determine whether tickets intended for ordinary passengers are being accessed by resellers or other intermediaries.
Another concern relates to timing. Although sales are expected to open at 00:30, the user claimed the system becomes available three or four minutes late. In online ticketing, the author said, even a few minutes can make a major difference.
The passenger added that the trip was not for tourism or leisure, but to attend the mourning ceremony of a close relative.
“We are not going to a wedding. We are trying to get to the funeral gathering of a loved one,” the post said.
AZE.US