Kazakhstan: The Key Link Connecting China and Europe
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...
