Railways - The Times Of Central Asia

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Railways

Turkmenistan and Iran to Build Dual-Gauge Rail Lines at Sarakhs Border Crossing

Turkmenistan and Iran have agreed to construct two new railway lines at the Sarakhs border crossing to enhance freight transport between the two countries, Iranian Railways chief Jabbar Ali Zakeri announced following talks with Turkmenistan’s Minister of Railways, Mammet Akmammedov. The agreement was reached during bilateral meetings in Turkmenbashi, held on the sidelines of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development reported on August 12, according to Biznes Turkmenistan. Zakeri stated that the project will include the construction of one standard-gauge and one broad-gauge line connecting the Sarakhs stations on both sides of the border. He emphasized the significance of expanding rail infrastructure to improve regional connectivity and noted that technical discussions between the two countries’ rail administrations would follow shortly. The Sarakhs crossing is a critical transit hub linking Iran to Central Asia and forms part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, aimed at facilitating trade between Asia and Europe. This initiative aligns with Turkmenistan’s broader strategy to diversify its export routes. Despite possessing the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves, the country has long struggled to access stable foreign markets. In October 2024, Ashgabat signed a landmark deal to supply 10 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Iraq, its first major export agreement in nearly two decades. While Turkmenistan maintains two gas pipelines to Iran with a combined capacity of 20 billion cubic meters, exports have been minimal since 2017 due to ongoing payment disputes.

Middle Corridor

KTZ Secures $540 Million Loan to Upgrade Trans-Kazakhstan Railway Corridor

Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway operator, has secured a syndicated loan of up to 480 million Swiss francs (approximately $540 million) for a three-year term. Arranged through Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Deutsche Bank, the financing will support key infrastructure projects along the Trans-Kazakhstan Railway Corridor. According to KTZ, the loan will fund construction of the Moiynty-Kyzylzhar section, upgrades to congested segments of the national rail network, and the refinancing of existing debt. The Trans-Kazakhstan Railway Corridor is central to Kazakhstan’s strategy to solidify its role as a major overland transit hub connecting China and Europe. Infrastructure improvements are expected to reduce delivery times, lower logistics costs, create jobs, and diversify international trade routes, enhancing both the resilience of Kazakhstan’s economy and the competitiveness of its transport sector. Currently, more than 80% of overland freight from China to Europe passes through Kazakhstan via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. This route circumvents Russia and connects China to Europe through Central Asia and the Caspian Sea. In 2024, freight volumes along the TITR surged by 60%, reaching 4.5 million tons. Kazakhstan aims to more than double that volume to 10 million tons by 2030, as part of its broader ambition to expand its footprint in global supply chains.

Railways

Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan Sign Deal to Study TransAfghan Railway

Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have taken a significant step toward realizing the long-planned TransAfghan railway. According to Uzbekistan Railways, the three countries signed an intergovernmental agreement on July 17 in Kabul to launch a technical and economic feasibility study for the proposed “Termez-Naibabad-Maidan Shar-Logar-Kharlachi” route. The deal was finalized at a trilateral summit attended by Uzbekistan’s Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov, Pakistan’s Railways Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, and Afghanistan’s acting Public Works Minister Mohammad Esa Thani. The route itself was agreed upon in July 2023 in Islamabad by representatives of all three nations. A project office established under the International Transport Corridors Development Strategy, launched in May 2023 in Tashkent with branches in Kabul and Islamabad, will oversee the study. Originally proposed in 2018, the TransAfghan railway is envisioned to link Termez in Uzbekistan with Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul in Afghanistan, before extending to Peshawar in Pakistan. The line would run over 700 kilometers through Afghanistan, creating a direct land corridor between Central Asia and the Arabian Sea. Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov reiterated the project’s importance during a July 17 meeting with Afghanistan’s acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Saidov noted that trade between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan has nearly tripled over the past year, emphasizing that deeper ties among Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan could benefit the broader region. Haqqani, in turn, praised Uzbekistan’s “goodwill, constructive cooperation, and spirit of brotherhood,” describing the railway as a strategically vital project that could spur economic growth across Central Asia. The initiative has drawn support from Russia, Iran, and several international financial institutions. The railway is expected to reduce transit times for Central Asian exports to Pakistani ports from several weeks to just a few days. While the project's initial cost was estimated at $4.8 billion, later projections have placed it at $7 billion, according to Tolo News. The forthcoming feasibility study is a critical next step. It will evaluate engineering challenges, projected costs, trade flow potential, and security conditions along the proposed route. If the study confirms the project's viability, the three governments can proceed with securing funding and establishing a construction timeline. Regional analysts say the railway could transform trade and logistics across Central Asia. It would offer landlocked countries, including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, direct access to seaports in Karachi and Gwadar, opening new markets in South Asia and beyond. For now, officials in Tashkent, Islamabad, and Kabul are concentrating on completing the study. With strong political backing and expanding trade links, they believe the TransAfghan railway stands a strong chance of becoming a central artery in the region’s future transport infrastructure.

Railways

Kazakhstan to Build Strategic Railway Bridge Across Syr Darya River

Kazakhstan will construct a 500-meter railway bridge over the Syr Darya River as part of a strategic infrastructure initiative to bolster transport links with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway company, has announced. Preparatory works are already underway, with construction progressing on a 152-kilometer segment of the new Darbaza-Maktaaral railway line, stretching from Erdaut station to the Syr Darya floodplain. The full project will include 35 bridges in total. The Darbaza-Maktaaral line is seen as vital for strengthening Kazakhstan’s transport and transit infrastructure. It is expected to ease pressure on the congested Saryagash-Tashkent rail corridor and the heavily utilized Saryagash border station, enabling a significant increase in freight traffic to Uzbekistan and beyond-to Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. Once operational, the railway is projected to carry over 20 million tons of cargo annually. In addition to its international significance, the project is poised to stimulate economic development in southern Kazakhstan. By directly linking the Maktaaral and Zhetysai districts to the national rail network, it will eliminate the need to transit through Uzbek territory, streamlining domestic logistics and enhancing regional accessibility. Completion of the Darbaza-Maktaaral railway is scheduled for 2026.

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway

Tajikistan Seeks to Join China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Project

Tajikistan has officially expressed interest in joining the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway construction project, an ambitious regional transport initiative designed to enhance connectivity across Central and South Asia. The proposal was raised during a meeting between Tajik Minister of Transport Azim Ibrahim and Chinese Minister of Transport Liu Wei on July 2 in Tianjin, on the sidelines of the 12th Meeting of Transport Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States. According to the Tajik Ministry of Transport, the two sides discussed potential Chinese support for Tajikistan’s accession to the CKU railway project, as well as participation in the development of a broader multimodal corridor linking China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, and Europe. The CKU railway, a strategically vital infrastructure project, spans 523 kilometers. Construction officially began on December 27, 2024, in Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan. Once completed, the route will connect Kashgar in China with Torugart, Makmal, and Jalal-Abad in Kyrgyzstan, and Andijan in Uzbekistan. The railway is projected to handle up to 15 million tons of cargo annually. Currently, neither Kyrgyzstan nor Uzbekistan has a direct rail link with China, the only such connection in Central Asia runs through Kazakhstan. At the SCO ministerial meeting, Minister Ibrahim noted that the SCO region already functions as a strategic bridge between East and West, North and South. He also outlined key emerging challenges, including the need to strengthen transport chain resilience, accelerate digitalization, reduce carbon emissions, and promote green logistics solutions. To that end, Ibrahim proposed the establishment of a Unified SCO Digital Platform for managing multimodal transportation. This platform would harmonize customs, border, and transport procedures, enable real-time cargo tracking, streamline documentation, and enhance operational transparency. The minister further emphasized the need to advance and integrate several major international corridors: China - Kyrgyzstan - Tajikistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - Indian Ocean China - Tajikistan - Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran - Turkey - Europe Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) He also underscored the importance of attracting international partners to help restore and expand transport infrastructure through Afghanistan, describing it as key to unlocking new regional trade routes.

Logistics

Kazakhstan Faces Potential Logistics Disruptions Amid Iran-Israel Conflict

Kazakhstan’s Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin, has warned that the only significant risk to the national economy stemming from the conflict between Iran and Israel is a potential disruption to southern logistics routes. “We are closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and hope for a peaceful resolution. In terms of losses, we primarily export food to Iran, and we do not expect these events to affect that trade. The population there still needs to be fed. Our main concern is logistics. The only railway line heading south runs through Iran,” Zhumangarin told reporters on the sidelines of a Senate meeting. The route in question is the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran segment of the North-South International Transport Corridor (Zhanaozen-Gyzylgaya-Bereket-Etrek-Gorgan), constructed between 2009 and 2014. The corridor reduces the distance from China to Iran by 500 kilometers when passing through Kazakhstan. However, Zhumangarin noted that Kazakhstan currently transports only a small volume of goods via this route, citing the poor condition of Iran’s railways. Iran’s railway infrastructure adheres to European standards with a track gauge of 1,435 mm, while Kazakhstan’s railcars are designed for a 1,520 mm gauge. Despite this technical discrepancy, Astana had been seeking to expand freight operations along this corridor. In February 2025, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Tehran, Ontalap Onalbayev, met with Jabbar Ali Zakaria, head of the Iranian Railway Organization, to discuss plans to increase annual transit freight from 275,000 tons (2024) to 5 million tons. Following the escalation of the Iranian-Israeli conflict, Kazakhstan is now compelled to evaluate alternative logistics routes, Zhumangarin noted. “We have contingency options; we can route shipments through Georgia or use Chinese ports. This adds complexity to logistics, but if long-term consequences arise, we will adapt and support our business community. It’s too early to make firm predictions,” he stated. Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with Iran totaled approximately $350 million in 2024, with trade reaching $120 million in the first five months of 2025. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, in response to recent U.S. airstrikes in Iran, Central Asian nations, including Kazakhstan, have urged all parties to pursue diplomatic solutions and avoid any further escalation.