Railway Development - The Times Of Central Asia

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Interview: Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan Looks to Kazakhstan

ASTANA - War-torn Afghanistan, now led by the Taliban, is in desperate need of funding. The radical group is seizing every opportunity to secure not only financial support but also major infrastructure projects that could help rebuild the country. In late May, a delegation of Taliban representatives, led by Haji Nooruddin Azizi, the Minister of Trade and Industry, visited Kazakhstan to attend the Astana International Forum (AIF). During the summit, they spoke with The Times of Central Asia, discussing their ambitions and plans. It was their first participation in the prominent forum, made possible by Kazakhstan’s 2024 decision to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations. Since then, Kazakhstani political and business leaders have traveled to Kabul on several occasions aiming to establish closer relations with the Islamic Emirate. [caption id="attachment_32607" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Image: TCA, Nikola Mikovic[/caption] Most recently, during a meeting with Azizi, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need to strengthen political ties with Afghanistan. The economy, however, seems to play an equally important role in this relationship, with Astana aiming to increase its bilateral trade volume with Afghanistan to $3 billion in the coming years. Kazakhstan is also eyeing investing $500 million in the construction of the 115-kilometer (71 miles) Turgundi–Herat railway line, a section of the rail corridor linking Turgundi in the north of Afghanistan and Spin Boldak on the country’s border with Pakistan. The route effectively connects Central and South Asia via Afghanistan. Neighboring Turkmenistan is also interested in participating in this project, as the railway aims to connect Central Asia to Pakistan’s Karachi and Gwadar ports, providing Turkmenistan and its neighbors access to vast South Asian markets. The Turgundi–Herat–Kandahar–Spin Boldak railway line is considered a key segment of the broader Trans-Afghan Railway project, which even Russia has expressed an interest in joining. “It is still too early to discuss who will build the railway, although it is clear that Afghan companies are unlikely to be able to undertake the project,” Mirwais Ghafouri, Senior Advisor of the Afghanistan Railway Authority, told The Times of Central Asia in an interview. In his view, given that Afghanistan is a mountainous country, the entire project will cost at least $2–3 billion. The problem for Kabul is that – due to various sanctions and the fact that most countries still do not officially recognize the Taliban-led government – it cannot count on significant support from international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. “But we expect Kazakhstan to invest in this project, as well as in our economy in general. The shortest route connecting Central Asia and South Asia is through Afghanistan. Once the railway is complete, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian nations will be able to use it to export their agricultural products to huge markets such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh”, Ghafouri stressed, pointing out that Kabul and Astana are currently working on a project feasibility study. The Taliban appear to be aiming to revive nearly all previously announced projects...

Railway Development trans-Afghan railway Taliban

Uzbekistan and Russia Advance Trans-Afghan Railway Project to Pakistan

Uzbekistan and Russia have taken a significant step toward the practical implementation of the long-envisioned Trans-Afghan railway project, which aims to connect Central Asia to Pakistan via Afghanistan. The transport ministries of both countries, along with Russian Railways and the Uzbek national railway company, Uzbekistan Temir Yollari, have signed documents formalizing the start of the project’s development phase. According to Russia’s Ministry of Transport, the two countries will jointly develop a feasibility study in 2025, assessing freight traffic forecasts and economic viability. Two potential routes have been proposed: Route 1: Mazar-e-Sharif - Herat - Dilaram - Kandahar (Afghanistan) - Chaman (Pakistan) Route 2: Termez (Uzbekistan) - Naibabad (Afghanistan) - Logar (Afghanistan) - Harlachi (Pakistan) Further discussions involving Pakistan Railways and an Afghan delegation are scheduled for the Russia-Islamic World Forum in the Russian city of Kazan on May 15-16. Uzbekistan, which already maintains a direct rail connection to Afghanistan, continues to position itself as a logistics hub for trade between Russia, Central Asia, South Asia, and beyond. In January 2025, Tashkent extended its contract with the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan to operate and maintain the Hairaton to Mazar-e-Sharif railway -- a vital segment of the broader China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan corridor. The corridor’s significance is expected to grow upon completion of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway. Currently, Central Asia’s rail links to China are limited to routes transiting Kazakhstan. In a major development on April 17, Russia’s Supreme Court lifted its 2003 ban on the Taliban, having until then designated the group a terrorist organization. The decision, formally allowing Russian state institutions to engage with the Taliban, opens the door to deeper trade and infrastructure cooperation. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk stated that this policy shift will facilitate the promotion of Russian exports and the realization of Afghanistan’s transport and logistics potential. Uzbekistan has pursued a consistent policy of engagement with Afghanistan, emphasizing economic cooperation over isolation. In October 2024, Abdul Ghafar Terawi began his tenure as the head of the Taliban-led Afghan diplomatic mission in Tashkent. Speaking at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2024, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to regional stability. “Afghanistan is an integral part of Central Asia,” Saidov told the Assembly. “Addressing the Afghan issue is essential for ensuring sustainable development across the region”. He praised Uzbekistan’s role in implementing the Trans-Afghan railway, which he said would offer landlocked Central Asian economies access to international ports. “This will positively impact the economic development of the entire region,” Saidov noted.

Railway Development Transport Infrastructure railroads Transport and Logistics

Modernization of Kazakh Railway Infrastructure is a Priority

According to the National Infrastructure Plan of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2029, the overall level of wear and tear of the railroad network is about 50%. In addition, the qualitative characteristics of the track do not meet current business demands and are inferior to other countries in terms of its development. In order to improve the quality and guarantee reliable and safe transportation of passengers and cargo by rail, KTZ plans to repair about 11,000 km of railway sections by 2029. According to JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, which operates the country's railway mainline network, 1,430 km of track was repaired as part of last year's summer track works, including 570 km of major railway track overhauls. As Sakеn Rakhmetov, Brach Director of KTZ’s Mainline Network Directorate, told The Times of Central Asia, train speed improvements were achieved on 413 km of track for passenger trains with Talgo cars, 605 km for passenger trains, and 406 km and 507 km for freight and container trains, respectively. In the upcoming season, which will begin in March, 1,480 km of track across the country are planned for repair, including 512 km of major overhauls. "Repair work will be carried out on key railway sections with heavy train traffic. The first projects are planned on the Beineu-Mangystau, Zhambyl-Tyulkubas, Shu-Almaty, and Makat-Aksarayskaya sections," Rakhmetov explained. KTZ has developed a corresponding Program for the Development of Railway Infrastructure Capacity. Several modernization and reconstruction projects are planned, including upgrades to signaling, centralization, and blocking systems. "A limiting factor in the railway infrastructure's throughput capacity is the processing ability of stations, as well as the useful length of receiving and departure tracks. With the introduction of modern locomotive types and the increasing share of container trains, both train weight and composition length have grown, while station infrastructure has remained unchanged. For instance, 59% of stations and passing loops currently cannot accommodate long trains. Therefore, by 2029, the development of approximately 200 stations and junction points is planned. This year alone, work is set to begin on 31 stations," Rakhmetov stated. Notably, to increase the processing capacity of railway stations, a Sorting Systems Development Program was approved in 2024. As part of this program, work will begin this year on modernizing the sorting system at Karaganda-Sortirovochnaya station. Overall, by 2029, Kazakhstan plans to construct 5,000 km of new railway lines and repair 11,000 km of tracks, with 2,800 km already having been renovated over the past two years. Regarding the modernization of station buildings and passenger platforms, efforts to provide high-quality services to the population saw the completion of routine repairs on 36 stations in 2024. Architectural lighting was installed at the Astana-1 and Kurort-Borovoe stations, while heating systems were repaired at 16 stations. In total, between 2024 and 2029, 54 stations across the country will undergo modernization and major renovations at an estimated cost of 100 billion tenge ($204 million).

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Transport Infrastructure Railway Development Economic Impact

First PPP Project to Build Major Railway Launched in Kyrgyzstan

On February 19, a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement was signed in Bishkek for the "Trans-Eurasian Route" railway project, marking Kyrgyzstan’s first PPP initiative in the railway sector. The agreement was signed between the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzstan’s national railway company Kyrgyz Temir Zholu, and the U.S.-based consortium All American Rail Group Global Infrastructure Partner LLC. The project involves constructing a railway across central Kyrgyzstan, traversing mountainous terrain from east to west, and connecting Karakol in the northeastern Issyk-Kul region with Makmal in the southwestern Jalal-Abad region. According to the National Investment Agency, the railway will be a key step in modernizing Kyrgyzstan’s transport infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity and economic development. National Investment Agency Director Talantbek Imanov stated that the project represents an investment of approximately $3 billion, expected to create new jobs, improve the national transport network, and generate long-term economic benefits. Additionally, the railway will enhance Kyrgyzstan’s connectivity with neighboring countries, particularly through its link to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which will pass through Makmal. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway project, officially launched in December 2024, aims to serve as a major East-West trade route. Construction of the CKU railway is already underway. The 523-kilometer CKU railway will connect Kashgar (China), Torugart, Makmal, Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan), and Andijan (Uzbekistan). Once completed, it is expected to transport up to 15 million tons of cargo annually, facilitating trade between China, Central Asia, the Middle East — including Turkey — and the European Union.