China is one of Kazakhstan’s key partners, particularly in the development of its transit potential, with Kazakhstan serving as a strategic gateway for goods moving from China to the Eurasian Economic Union, Central Asia, and the European Union. Today, more than 80% of freight transported by rail between China and Europe transits through Kazakhstan.
Railway Connections
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the connection between the railways of Kazakhstan and China when the Dostyk-Alashankou crossing became the first international transportation route established in the era of Kazakh independence. For many years, it remained the sole railway connection, until in 2012, a second international border crossing, Altynkol-Khorgos, was opened.
Today, freight traffic through these two crossings continues to show consistent and significant growth. Last year, rail freight between the two countries exceeded 32 million tons, which is a historic high. In the first four months of 2025 alone, rail freight volume reached 11.4 million tons, a 13.3% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. According to Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the projected volume between the two countries for 2025 has been preliminarily agreed on at more than 33 million tons.
To further increase capacity, Kazakhstan is building a second track on the Dostyk-Moyynty railway segment and constructing a bypass line around Almaty station. Both projects are scheduled for completion this year, which will boost throughput and significantly reduce delivery times for goods moving between Asia and Europe. Additionally, Kazakhstan is currently building the Bakhty-Ayagoz line, which will include the opening of a third border crossing, Bakhty-Chuguchak, which is expected to expand rail capacity with China by an additional 25 million tons.
Maritime Development
Kazakhstan’s maritime infrastructure on the Caspian Sea is a major focus of development and foreign investment. A key initiative currently underway is the creation of a container hub at the port of Aktau, being developed as a joint venture with the Chinese port of Lianyungang.
Construction and installation work is actively in progress. According to the project plan, by the end of this year, the hub will feature a specialized cargo loading complex, a container terminal, and new cargo handling equipment. Once completed, the project is expected to increase container processing capacity from 140,000 TEU to 240,000 TEU, significantly enhancing Kazakhstan’s maritime logistics capabilities.
Road Transport
In addition to rail and sea, road transport is also a key pillar of Kazakhstan-China transportation cooperation. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, 2.8 million tons of cargo were moved by road for export/import purposes in 2024, a 41% increase from the previous year, whilst transit cargo volumes reached 3.6 million tons, marking a 68% year-on-year rise. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, road cargo volumes jumped by 83%, reaching 822,000 tons.
A major driver of this growth is the continued development and operation of the Western Europe–Western China highway corridor. Kazakhstan is also considering the opening of two new border checkpoints to strengthen connectivity between the regions of East Kazakhstan and Almaty with neighboring Chinese provinces: Terekty (East Kazakhstan) – Aketubieke (China), and Narynkol (Almaty region) – Muzha’erte (China). These proposed checkpoints are expected to significantly increase both freight and passenger traffic and enhance cross-border tourism. This proposal is currently under consideration by the Chinese authorities.
Air Transport
Thanks to a series of bilateral negotiations between Kazakhstan and China, the legal framework for operating regular flights between the two countries has been significantly expanded. Kazakhstan and China currently operate flights under the Open Skies regime, which allows for a broader range of routes.
At present, there are 56 passenger flights a week operating between the two countries across 10 routes. By the end of the year, that number is expected to jump to 124 weekly flights. Additionally, airlines have been granted permission to operate up to 42 flights a week under the “fifth freedom of the air” provision of the open skies agreement, which allows planes to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries on a flight originating or ending in its home country.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, there are currently two air corridors between Kazakhstan and China used for international flights from Europe to China, South Korea, and other Southeast Asian nations. These corridors handle up to 215 flights a day, placing a significant burden on air traffic management systems. In this regard, Kazakhstan is actively exploring the possibility of opening a third international air corridor. This move, according to industry officials, would help distribute air traffic more evenly, improve the quality of navigation services, reduce flight times, and lower carbon dioxide emissions. It would also enhance the overall attractiveness and strategic value of airspace over both Kazakhstan and China.
Trans-Caspian International Transport Route
The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route holds huge strategic importance for the region. In 2024, cargo volume along this corridor reached 4.5 million tons, an increase of 62% compared to the previous year. From January to March 2025, the route handled 1.1 million tons of cargo, marking a 6.3% increase over the same period in 2024. By 2030, Kazakhstan aims to increase the annual volume to 10 million tons as China becomes more actively involved in the development of this corridor.
To further enhance regional connectivity and diversify its export channels, Kazakhstan is also pursuing the development of a transport corridor along the Kazakhstan-China-Mongolia route, which would open new export opportunities to the Mongolian market. The Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan has already proposed a joint exploration of this route to the Chinese side, including improvements to infrastructure, simplification of administrative procedures, and the creation of favorable tariff conditions.
Strategic Logistics Hubs
Global demand for Chinese goods, from clothing to high-tech equipment and automobiles, is on the rise. This surge creates tremendous potential for developing logistics infrastructure aimed at efficiently distributing goods to markets in Central Asia, Russia, the Caucasus, and onward to Europe. Kazakhstan is therefore actively engaging Chinese partners in establishing joint logistics hubs and bonded warehouses both within the country and abroad.
The first such Kazakhstan-China joint project was launched in 2014 with the construction of a terminal at the Port of Lianyungang. In 2017, the largest dry port in Central Asia, Khorgos-Eastern Gate, was launched. In partnership with Xian Free Trade Port, Kazakhstan’s national railway company, KTZ, built a terminal in Xi’an in February 2024. The company also plans to construct similar joint terminals in the Port of Alat in Azerbaijan, at Selyatino station in the Moscow region, Svietloch in the Grodno region of Belarus, and Budapest. In Kazakhstan, meanwhile, work has already begun on a joint logistics center in Almaty.
Unlocking River Logistics Potential
River transportation between Kazakhstan and China also holds significant promise for expanding regional logistics. One such initiative involves developing a shipping route along the transboundary Ili River, stretching from the city of Konaev in Kazakhstan to Yining in China. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, current navigation in the Ili River basin is limited to the 90-kilometer Kapshagay Reservoir. There is no existing river traffic on the Ili from the Chinese border to the reservoir.
Opening a route near Konaev would involve establishing a logistics hub capable of aggregating and distributing cargo flows throughout the region, including to other Central Asian nations. To support this, 100 hectares of land have been allocated for the construction of a river port and transport hub. The project is envisioned as a joint effort between Kazakh and Chinese businesses. On the Kazakh side, the project investor is Ili River Port LLP. The first Chinese partner has also been identified as the Horgos Xinjiu International Trade Co., Ltd.
Another promising project is the creation of a multimodal transit corridor connecting Russia, Kazakhstan, and China via the transboundary Irtysh River. The proposed route, championed by Kazakhstan’s transport authorities, would use river transport from Omsk, Russia, to the village of Tügel in the East Kazakhstan Region. From there, the cargo would continue either via the planned Tugyl-Maikapshagai railway or by road.
Implementing this corridor would provide a direct link to the Northern Sea Route through the Ob-Irtysh basin and serve as a vital connector to the revival of the ancient Silk Road. By integrating these routes into the global transport system, Kazakhstan is seeking to boost its strategic importance in Eurasian logistics. This topic is scheduled to be discussed at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Transport Ministers’ Meeting in China this July.
