In the early twentieth century, Baku was becoming more beautiful, growing and developing day by day. New industrial facilities, plants and factories were being built and commissioned. More and more people were flowing to the city, resulting in the limited capacity of the surface transport. Therefore, a decision was made to build a metro in Baku.
In 1949, the office of “Bashtunelmetrotikinti” was established in Baku, which assumed the role of a general contractor for the construction of Baku metro. In 1951, a branch office of Moscow Design Research Institute of "Metrodovletneqliyyatlayihe" under the name of "Bakumetrolayihe" was established to accelerate the project activities. So, the builders worked in three shifts under hard working conditions and at nights, yet with great enthusiasm in order to catch up with the work. Established in 1966 and providing six services - movement, train, lines and tunnel facilities, plumbing and electromechanics, signaling and communications, and logistics services, the Baku Metro Office was the first metro in the Middle East and the fifth in the post-Soviet.
On November 6, 1967, a 9.2-km long underground line, including 5 stations - "Baki Soveti" (now "Icheri Sheher"), "Sahil", "28 Aprel" (today - "28 May"), "Ganjlik" and "Nariman Narimanov- was commissioned. On February 22, 1968, three months after the regular movement across these three deep-level stations was in place, the first train was launched on “28 May-Khatai” line. So, “28 May” station became a passageway to “Nariman Narimanov” and “Khatai” stations, as well as for passengers travelling in the opposite direction. In the second and third stages of the construction of the metro, works were carried on as scheduled. The second shift was in charge of the 2.26-km area from "28 May" station to "Nizami" station, while the third shift of the 6.3-km area from "Nariman Narimanov" station to "Neftchilar" station.
However, the main challenges that emerged in the construction of the second area necessitated the construction of the third area, resulting in a decision to build and commission the third line.
On April 22, 1970, the length of the line was extended by another 1.5 km, with the commissioning of “Ulduz” station in one industrial district of Baku after “Nariman Narimanov” station.
The builders were laying the underground line towards the "8th kilometer" settlement, a large residential area in the city. On November 6, 1972, the 5.3-kilometer metro line reached to the center of the settlement. On the same day, “Mashadi Azizbeyov” (now – “Koroglu”), “Avrora” (now - "Gara Garayev ") and "Neftchilar" stations received their first passengers. ¬-The residential area, which had a population of 120 thousand, was connected to the city center. Metro was withdrawn from the disposal of the Executive Committee of Baku Council of People's Deputies in 1975 and transferred to the management of the USSR Ministry of Roads. In 1976, the second shift was still carrying out works in the “28 May-Nizami” area. Nizami station of this line, which runs 2.26 km in length, opened its doors to passengers on December 31ş “Elmlar Akademiyasi”, “Inshaatchilar”, “XI Gizil Ordu meydani” (the present day – “20 Yanvar”) and “Memar Ajami” stations of the 6,5-km long “Nizami-Memar Ajami” area, which is the extension of this line, were commissioned on December 30, 1985.
Afterwards, the construction work of the third shift on the East site was accelerated and on April 28, 1989, "Khalglar Dostlugu" and Ahmadli stations were launched, which extended the total length of the metro lines by another 3.3 km.
The last station "Hazi Aslanov" was put into operation on December 10, 2002. Prior to this, in 1993, “Jafar Jabbarli” passageway was put into operation as part of the project on the reconstruction of “28 May” station. The year 2006, which was a turning point in the country's economic development during independence, resulted in positive changes in the construction of new metro lines and resumed the construction work in the northern area, which had been left unfinished. On October 9, 2008, “Nasimi” station joined the underground passenger conveyor.
A year later, on December 30, 2009, the second exits of “Azadlig prospekti” station and “28 May” station were launched. On June 29, 2011, the next 23rd station, “Darnagul”, which is in the 7th micro district of Baku, joined the transportation network, thus increasing the length of the city’s underground lines up to 34.63 km.
Given the vital importance of the underground system for the city’s population in terms of mass transportation of passengers and the need to integrate such major areas as construction and passenger transportation in the metro into a single entity, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed Decree No. 289 8 , resulting in the establishment of the state-owned “Baku Metro” Closed Joint Stock Company through the reorganization of Baku Metro and “Azertunelmetrotikinti” Joint-Stock Company.
The main tasks of the “Baku Metro” Closed Joint Stock Company were to reorganize the metro system in line with modern requirements, upgrade it to international standards, ensure free and safe movement of passengers, and improve passenger transportation services. Significant repairs and reconstruction were launched to accomplish these tasks.
On December 28, 2015, attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the inauguration of the second exit of “Elmlar Akademiyasi” station took place. On April 19, 2016, "Avtovagzal" and "Memar Ajami" stations of the Purple Line, which is the first priority of the prospective plan of Baku Metro, were put into use for passengers, thus increasing the total length of the metro lines up to 36.6 km, the number of lines to three 3 and stations to 25.
On May 29, 2021, the inauguration of the “8 Noyabr” station took place, attended by President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Subsequently, on December 23, 2022, “Khocasan” station and the “Khocasan” electric depot were inaugurated, expanding the metro lines to 40.7 kilometers with 27 stations across 3 lines. Ongoing construction in the Baku metropolitan area aligns with the conceptual development program, aiming for a total underground road length of 119.1 km and 76 stations, as outlined in the State Program.
