Turkmenistan Launches Railroad Route Between Iran and China via Kazakhstan

Turkmenistan has launched a test container train on the China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran route. The project, which provides a fast transportation corridor between East and West, is the result of negotiations between representatives of the railway departments of China, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. Thanks to the new route, cargo delivery between China and Iran will be reduced to 15 days. The parties have agreed on a full schedule of container trains and preferential tariff rates, and set up an expert group to develop a fixed schedule. During the test run, a train with 45 forty-foot containers loaded with auto parts departed from Xi'an, China, and traveled the route Xi'an, China - Altynkol, Kazakhstan - Bolashak, Kazakhstan - Etrek, Turkmenistan - Tehran, Iran. In the opposite direction, a train with 50 containers of gypsum powder traveled on the route Kum (Iran)—Etrek (Turkmenistan)—Bolashak (Kazakhstan)—Altynkol (Kazakhstan)—Yiwu (China). Containers are reloaded from broad gauge to narrow gauge and back again at the Etrek railway terminal, allowing efficient cargo transportation between countries with different railway gauges.

Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan-China Rail Transport Route Resumes Operation

KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railways company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and China Railway Container Transport Co. Ltd. have resumed the operation of  container trains on the Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan-China route. As reported by KTZ’s press service, representatives of Iran, China, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan attended a ceremony on July 21 at Iran's Aprin station to mark the departure of a container train to China. The train, consisting of 50 forty-foot containers, will arrive in China within 12 days. This shipment marks the restoration of the transport corridor, strengthening trade relations between participating countries.