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New Train Connects Astana and Borovoye Resort in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s national railways company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has announced the launch of a new electric train connecting the capital, Astana, and Borovoye, one of the country’s most popular year-round resorts. Borovoye is the widespread and commonly used Russian name of the Burabay National Park, located just 250 kilometers north of Astana. The new train will take passengers from Astana to Borovoye in just 2 hours and 26 minutes, without any stops. The train, consisting of six modern domestically manufactured carriages for a total of 574 passengers, will run five days a week. It is equipped with USB sockets, Wi-Fi, and bicycle racks. For passengers with disabilities, it has lifts and places for wheelchairs. Nurtas Karipbayev, Chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, commented: "The launch of a new tourist train is an important step in the development of domestic tourism and the creation of new opportunities for travel in Kazakhstan. We are confident that this train will become a favorite way for residents and guests of our country to get to one of its most beautiful resorts". According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, over the first nine months of 2024, the number of domestic tourists traveling inside Kazakhstan increased by 562,000 and reached 6 million. The number of foreign visitors was 11.5 million, almost twice as much as in the same period in 2023.

Customs Digitalization Middle Corridor TITR Tez customs Digital Trade Corridor International transport railroads Multimodal Transport Corrdior

Kazakhstan and China Digitalize Customs Procedures on Middle Corridor

Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), Kazakhstan's national railway company, has announced the digitalization of customs declaration procedures for transit cargo along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, at the border between Kazakhstan and China. In collaboration with Global DTC, KTZ Express - a subsidiary of KTZ - has launched the Tez Customs digital platform. This system transitions customs operations to a paperless format, reducing processing time to just 30 minutes after a train's arrival at the border station. The platform enables preliminary preparation of documents, automatic registration, and issuance of transit declarations. These capabilities optimize logistics processes, enhance transparency at all stages of customs clearance, and significantly reduce the time required for customs operations. Since May 2024, Tez Customs has fully automated customs clearance processes for transit cargo along the China–Central Asia route via Kazakhstan, specifically along the Altynkol-Saryagash section. In October 2024, its scope was expanded to include cargo transported along the Middle Corridor. To date, Tez Customs has processed over 54,000 transit declarations on the China to Central Asia route and more than 5,000 declarations on the TITR. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route serves as a critical link between China and Europe, passing through Kazakhstan and the Caucasus. More than 80% of all land cargo transported from China to Europe travels through Kazakhstan, according to Kazakh statistics. During the first nine months of 2024, the volume of cargo transported along the Middle Corridor increased by 23% compared to the entirety of the previous year, reaching 3.4 million tons. Projections suggest that by 2030, this figure will rise to 10 million tons annually. The digitalization of customs procedures via Tez Customs represents a significant advancement in the efficiency and transparency of transit operations on the TITR. This innovation reinforces Kazakhstan’s position as a vital transit hub for trade between China, Central Asia, and Europe, while also supporting the continued growth of cargo volumes along the Middle Corridor.

Transport China Economic Growth Infrastructure Development TITR International transport railroads Multimodal Transport Corrdior

China to Transport Lithium-Ion Batteries Along TITR via Kazakhstan

This month marks a significant milestone in Kazakhstan-China transport cooperation with the test shipment of lithium-ion batteries from China via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). This major trade corridor links China to Europe through Kazakhstan and the Caucasus. The decision was announced following a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev and China’s Transport Minister Liu Wei in Beijing on December 5. Strengthening TITR Cooperation The two ministers agreed on initiatives to further develop the TITR, including the creation of a permanent working group to facilitate the seamless flow of goods. They also highlighted advancements in the digitization of transport operations. Truckers can now receive permit forms within an hour through a newly implemented digital platform, streamlining international road transportation. The TITR is seeing rapidly growing freight traffic. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, road freight volumes with China have more than doubled annually. Before 2023, Kazakh truckers made approximately 50,000 trips per year. In 2024, this figure is projected to reach 230,000 trips. Expanding Multimodal Transport The meeting also explored the potential for developing cargo transportation via transboundary rivers between the two nations. Both ministers noted a surge in rail and road freight volumes, as well as transit transportation through the Middle Corridor (another name for the TITR). From January to October 2024, rail freight between Kazakhstan and China increased by 13%, reaching 26.6 million tons. Road freight volumes soared by 60% in the third quarter alone, amounting to 1.9 million tons. Meanwhile, cargo transportation from China to Europe via the TITR has experienced explosive growth. In 2024, the volume surpassed 27,000 twenty-foot containers, a 25-fold increase compared to the same period in 2023.

China Xinjiang Trade Pakistan Khorgos Uyghur Belt and Road Initiative Economic Cooperation Foreign Cooperation railroads

Amid Sanctions, China’s Xinjiang Strengthens Ties with Central Asia

China’s Xinjiang region is deepening its engagement with Pakistan and Central Asia as part of efforts to counter Western sanctions and bolster its role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). On November 26, officials from Xinjiang met with their counterparts from Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu region for the first meeting under a new cross-border coordination mechanism. The discussions focused on cross-border tourism, infrastructure, market regulation, quarantine measures, and joint crime prevention. The meeting culminated in the signing of a memorandum on cross-border tourism. The discussions took place near the port of Khorgos, a critical hub for the China Railway Express, which connects China with Europe. Khorgos is home to China’s first cross-border cooperation center, where residents of neighboring countries can engage in business and shop visa-free. The center allows duty-free purchases of up to 8,000 yuan ($1,104) per day. Xinjiang Governor Erkin Tunyoz stressed the importance of strengthening ties with Zhetysu in areas such as trade, tourism, security, and agriculture. This cooperation is becoming increasingly crucial for Beijing as Xinjiang grapples with sanctions from the United States and other Western countries over alleged human rights abuses—a claim that China denies. Sanctions include the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which prohibits imports from Xinjiang suspected of being produced using forced labor. Similar measures have been implemented by Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. In addition to its collaboration with Kazakhstan, China has established a dialogue mechanism with the five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Since 2020, foreign ministers from these nations have met annually to discuss logistics, trade, investment, agriculture, mining, and security. Li Lifan, a Central Asia scholar at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, described Xinjiang as a “bridgehead” for the BRI. He highlighted the region’s rich natural resources and its role as a base for major industries, including automobile manufacturing. In 2023, trade between Xinjiang and Central Asian countries surged by 50%, reaching 283 billion yuan ($39 billion). Despite these successes, Li cautioned about future challenges. He noted uncertainties surrounding potential Western secondary sanctions, geopolitical tensions, and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Additionally, U.S.-China relations remain fraught, with further unpredictability anticipated under the leadership of Donald Trump. “Full economic development may only be achievable once global tensions ease,” he said.

Russia Transport Transport and Logistics International transport International Relations multimodal transport corridor railroads

Kazakhstan and Russia Strengthen Cooperation on North-South Transport Corridor

Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the country’s national railway company, and Russian Railways have signed a landmark agreement aimed at modernizing railway infrastructure at nine border stations, increasing capacity, and developing a unified digital system for transportation and cross-border operations. The agreement was signed on November 27 during Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to Kazakhstan. Enhancing Key Trade Corridors This cooperation seeks to boost the efficiency of trans-Eurasian transport corridors, with a particular focus on increasing cargo volumes along the East-West and North-South routes. The North-South corridor, connecting Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran, has an annual capacity of 10 million tons of cargo. So far, 1.8 million tons have been transported along this route in 2024, and plans are underway to double its capacity to 20 million tons annually. On November 26, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, emphasized the strategic importance of the North-South corridor. In July, Kazakhstan agreed on a roadmap with Iran, Turkmenistan, and Russia for the synchronized development of this corridor. To attract cargo flow, Kazakhstan has introduced special transit tariff discounts of 50%. New Agreements and Digital Connectivity During Putin’s visit, another significant agreement was signed between KTZ, Xi'an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation Co., Ltd. (China), and JSC Slavtrans-Service (Russia). The deal focuses on constructing the CRK Terminal, a transport and logistics hub at the Selyatino railway station in the Moscow region. Additionally, the three parties agreed to jointly use the Unified Digital Platform along the Xi'an (China) - Dostyk/Altynkol (Kazakhstan) - Selyatino (Russia) route. The CRK Terminal and Digital Platform are expected to enhance cargo transportation efficiency and e-commerce between China, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Boosting Regional Logistics Kazakhstan Temir Zholy also signed a memorandum with the Russian transport and logistics group FinInvest LLC to construct a multimodal transport and logistics center in Astana. This center aims to increase the transit of Russian goods through Kazakhstan, further solidifying the country’s position as a regional logistics hub.

Trans-Caspian Corridor Middle Corridor TITR International transport multimodal transportation railroads Trans-Caspian International Transport Route Multimodal Transport Corrdior

Dredging Project in Kazakhstan’s Kuryk Port Completed

Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s national railway company, has announced the early completion of dredging works at the Caspian Sea port of Kuryk. The project was completed by its general contractor, Jan De Nul Kazakhstan LLP, in just four months. The dredging operation involved removing over 990,000 cubic meters of soil from the port’s seabed using the Vesalius, the most powerful dredger in the Caspian Sea. As a result, the water depth in the port’s operational area and approach channel has been increased to 7–8 meters. This enhancement allows for an increased draft of vessels entering the port, enabling them to achieve full loading capacity. The project significantly boosts the port's terminal capacity, further strengthening its role as a vital transit hub on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. This strategic route connects China and Europe via Central Asia and the Caucasus. The Kuryk port currently handles up to 6 million tons of cargo annually, including 4.1 million tons through its railway terminal and 1.9 million tons via its automobile terminal.