Railway stations - The Times Of Central Asia

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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.

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Kazakh National Rail Service Eyes Move to Hub Model for Integrated Passenger Transport

Kazakhstan's national rail carrier, Passenger Transportation JSC, plans to revamp the railway's passenger transport division to cut its losses and meet the demand for transportation services. In order to do so, it is developing a project using the so-called hub model. The hub system involves organizing passenger transport around connections of mainline and regional services in transport hubs. Each transport hub will connect not only trains but also other modes of transport, thus realizing a no less important project - intermodal passenger transportation. The hub system aims to ensure rail passenger transport's competitiveness and reduce operating costs, while contributing to environmental goals by encouraging people to choose public transport over private. The hub model for passenger transport is being implemented via a cooperation framework between Passenger Transportation JSC and consultants from Germany's DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH. To better understand how this project will be implemented, The Times of Central Asia spoke with the executive director of the intermodal transportation project at Passenger Transportation JSC, Zhambul Baideldinov, and the director of intermodal transportation of DB Engineering & Consulting, Nikolai Sidorvs. According to Baideldinov, the hub model of passenger transport in Kazakhstan is aimed at creating convenient, rapid transport links between the hubs of Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent, as well as regional transfer points. Such a model aims to develop hubs where passengers can comfortably transfer from one mode of transport to another, including rail and road and, in the future, air transport. “Successful implementation of the project will allow us to solve the problem of seasonal shortages of seats in passenger trains, as well as expand the range of services provided,” explained Baideldinov. According to Sidorvs, the regions and cities that will host the transport hubs were selected on the basis of several key factors. First, the geographical significance and the city's role as a logistics center linking major traffic flows were considered. Second, current passenger traffic volumes and their future growth potential were analyzed. Priority was also given to cities with developed transport infrastructure that would allow for effective integration of different modes of transport. “In the initial stage, the plan calls for creating a hub at the Nurly Zhol railway station in Astana. At subsequent stages, other hubs will be established in the cities of Shymkent, Semey, and Almaty,” explained Sidorvs. The Nurly Zhol complex in the capital is expected to become an example for further projects. Plans also call for modernizing transport infrastructure to create efficient and convenient transfer hubs in different regions of Kazakhstan. In addition to large hubs, such as Nurly Zhol, the establishment of regional hubs is planned. Passenger Transportation JSC is currently setting up programs to develop regional transfer points. Within the framework of these initiatives, the national passenger carrier is also working closely with government agencies and local government leaders, making it possible to combine efforts and attract additional resources. “A pilot project for intermodal transportation has already been implemented by the company. Passengers who purchase travel tickets for a number of...

Uzbekistan Repairs Afghanistan’s Naibabad Railway Station

Uzbekistan Railways JSC reports that the opening ceremony of the restored Naibabad railway station in Afghanistan was held on August 7. The restoration work was carried out by Uzbekistan Railways JSC in cooperation with the Termez regional railway junction and Sogdiana Trans. During the ceremony, the first freight cars arrived at Naibabad. Afghanistan plays an important role in connecting Central and South Asia through road and railway routes passing through its territory. The Naibabad station will be an important center for transporting goods from Russia, Kazakhstan, China, and European countries to Pakistan, India, and other South Asian countries. Particular attention was paid to accelerating the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway construction project along the Mazar-e Sharif-Kabul-Kharlachi route. This project significantly improves regional logistics relations and trade and economic cooperation. Kazakhstani diplomat Aidar Borangaziev said that Uzbekistan and SCO member states benefit from economic projects implemented in Afghanistan. These projects include the trans-Afghan railways, the North-South Transport Corridor, and the Central Asian branches of the New Silk Road – part of the Partnership Network concept of strategic ports and logistics centers being developed within the SCO.

Two City Railway Stations Renovated in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport has announced the completion of major renovation of railway stations in the southern city of Shymkent and the northern city of Pavlodar. Built in the 1960s, Shymkent railway station, used daily by several thousand passengers , had been in need of attention for some 20 years. Following major reconstruction, the building has been furnished with a new and attractive façade, an additional entrance from the city side and another exit from the platform. The number of ticket offices has increased from six to eight and coupled with extensions to the overall area, the station now has the capacity to serve 6 thousand passengers a day. Renovation of Pavlodar’s forty-year-old station, last repaired in 2004-05, was also completed this year. Lighting, ventilation, water supply and heating systems have been replaced, and both the ticket offices and old stained-glass windows, refurbished. New facilities include a storage room and pharmacy as well as elevators and lifts to aid access for travellers with mobility issues. In addition to a communal waiting room, the station boasts a separate room for women as well as a children’s play area. In Kazakhstan, a country the size of Western Europe, railways remain an important and relatively cheap mode of transport for both locals and tourists alike.