Transport and Logistics - The Times Of Central Asia

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Pakistan

Opinion: The New Silk Road to the Sea – Connecting Central Asia to Karachi and Gwadar

A historic shift is quietly but decisively reshaping the economic geography of Eurasia. On 5 February 2026, Pakistan and Kazakhstan agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership during the state visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Pakistan— the first such visit by a Kazakh head of state in 23 years. This moment marked far more than a diplomatic renewal; it signaled a potential turning point in regional connectivity, one that could unlock long-suppressed economic potential across Central Asia and South Asia by overcoming longstanding geographical and logistical barriers. For decades, Central Asia’s landlocked status has imposed structural constraints on its economic growth. High transit costs, dependence on distant or politically sensitive routes, and extended distances to global markets have eroded competitiveness and limited diversification. These challenges were not the result of a lack of resources or ambition, but of geography itself. However, geography need no longer be destiny. Through strategic foresight—particularly under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev—Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region have begun to convert constraint into opportunity by redefining connectivity. President Tokayev has consistently emphasized connectivity as the cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s long-term economic and strategic vision. During his engagements with Pakistan’s leadership, he demonstrated a clear understanding that sustainable prosperity for Central Asia depends on reliable, cost-effective access to warm-water ports. This conviction underpinned the decision to elevate Pakistan–Kazakhstan relations to a Strategic Partnership, recognizing Pakistan not merely as a bilateral partner, but as a gateway to global markets via the Arabian Sea. From a financial and logistical perspective, the implications are profound. Karachi and Gwadar are among the closest seaports to much of Central Asia, significantly closer than many traditional routes to global markets. Every additional kilometer of overland transit results in higher freight costs, longer delivery times, and reduced margins. By connecting Central Asia to Pakistani ports, Kazakhstan and its neighbors stand to substantially lower transportation costs, enhance export competitiveness, and attract greater foreign investment into manufacturing, mining, agriculture, and value-added industries. The most immediate and strategically sound connectivity model emerging from this partnership bypasses the troubled terrain of Afghanistan, long viewed as a chokepoint for regional trade. Under this framework, goods could move seamlessly from Karachi through Pakistan’s railway network to Haripur, then onward via the Karakoram Highway into China. From there, the cargo would seamlessly integrate with the China–Kazakhstan railway system through the established Dostyk–Alashankou corridor. This route is not theoretical; it builds on existing infrastructure, proven logistics, and political stability across all participating states. Financially, this corridor offers predictability—an essential ingredient for trade and investment. Reduced insurance premiums, fewer delays, and stable regulatory environments translate into lower transaction costs. For Central Asian exporters, particularly Kazakhstan, this means improved access to South Asian, Middle Eastern, and African markets. For Pakistan, it positions Karachi and Gwadar as indispensable nodes in Eurasian supply chains, generating port revenues, transit earnings, employment, and industrial growth. At the same time, Kazakhstan’s leadership has demonstrated pragmatic flexibility by supporting additional connectivity options. Regional discussions have included the possibility...

Pakistan

Kazakhstan Bets on Pakistan for Central Asian Connectivity

In early February, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a historic visit to Pakistan. The last such visit was a two-day trip in 2003 by then-President Nursultan Nazarbayev, during which he met with the Pakistani president at the time, General Pervez Musharraf. Kazakhstan’s outreach to Pakistan reflects a broader recalibration of its connectivity strategy, as Astana looks to secure more reliable southbound trade routes amid shifting geopolitical and logistical constraints across Eurasia. The topic of connectivity was already on the table in 2003, and it was also one of the most important issues during the latest visit, with Tokayev discussing the issue with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The trip culminated in the signing of 37 agreements in various fields, including strategic sectors such as mining and, more generally, trade, with the aim of increasing trade from the current $250 million to $1 billion. Official statements indicate that both sides are aiming to reach that target within approximately the next two years. From a political point of view, the bilateral relationship has been elevated to the rank of Strategic Partnership. In an official statement released following the visit, great importance was placed upon the issue of connectivity and logistics between South and Central Asia. From this point of view, the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway took center stage. If completed, the project would connect Kazakhstan to the ports of Karachi and Gwadar and allow Pakistan to be included in the North–South International Transport Corridor and Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor logistics routes. Speaking to the Pakistani media in the days leading up to Tokayev's trip, the Kazakh ambassador to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin, stated Astana's willingness to fully finance the construction of the infrastructure, at a total cost of around $7 billion. Kazakhstan's move represents an acceleration of a logistical competition in this arena involving various players, with some at the forefront, such as Pakistan and Iran, and others further behind, such as China and India. It has been talked about for some time, but the backbone of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway has only recently begun to take shape, as confirmed to The Times of Central Asia by Dr. Nargiza Umarova, Head of the Center for Strategic Connectivity at the Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS), Uzbekistan: “In 2024, Kazakhstan joined the project to construct a railway through Afghanistan, also known as the western trans-Afghan route. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) railway corridor is designed to integrate the transport systems of Central and South Asia, which will stimulate trade and economic ties between the two regions. The TAP railway, which runs through western Afghanistan to the border with Pakistan, could be extended to Pakistani ports on the Indian Ocean. This would provide Central Asian countries with an alternative route to the open seas in addition to the southern ports of Iran.” Pakistan's importance as the destination for Kazakhstan's logistics ambitions was confirmed by Dr. Marriyam Siddique, Assistant Professor at the Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore: “Pakistan serves as the primary maritime gateway for Kazakhstan’s 'land-linked' strategy, offering the shortest...

Transport and Logistics

Kyrgyzstan’s Rail Freight Turnover Emerges from Years of Stagnation

Kyrgyzstan’s rail transport sector is showing sustained growth after years of stagnation. By the end of 2025, the state-owned railway operator Kyrgyz Temir Zholu reported transporting 10 million tons of cargo, the highest volume in the company’s history. Just a few years ago, the country’s annual rail freight volume hovered around 7 million tons. The turning point came in 2022, and by 2024, the figure had already reached 9.2 million tons. Surpassing the 10 million ton milestone in 2025 has further solidified the sector’s recovery. Kyrgyz Temir Zholu acknowledged that prior to 2022, the national railway industry was largely unprofitable and in urgent need of systemic modernization. Early reforms focused not on major infrastructure projects but on managerial and institutional restructuring. “The main focus was on digitalizing processes, minimizing human error, preventing corruption, reducing costs, revising regulatory frameworks, and modernizing repair facilities and railway infrastructure,” the company stated. International partnerships have also played a key role in revitalizing the sector. Under its development strategy, Kyrgyzstan opened additional multimodal transport corridors between China and Europe, significantly enhancing the country’s transit potential. Despite its growth, Kyrgyzstan’s railway network remains one of the most compact in the region. It spans just 425 kilometers and includes 28 operational stations, divided into two geographically isolated segments: north and south. The northern section, 323.4 kilometers long, connects Rybachye station (in Balykchy) with Turksib in Kazakhstan and serves as a vital corridor for freight headed to Russia and other members of the Eurasian Economic Union. The southern section, 101 kilometers in length, links Kyrgyzstan with Uzbekistan’s rail network. “Both sections serve strategically important roles by ensuring Kyrgyzstan’s integration with regional transport systems and facilitating international trade,” Kyrgyz Temir Zholu noted. The growth in freight turnover has been accompanied by an ongoing digital transformation. A key milestone was the development and implementation of the Unified Transport Process Model software system, which consolidates every stage of freight transport, from planning to execution, into a single digital platform. Further momentum is expected from the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which is already underway. Authorities view the project as a long-term catalyst for boosting Kyrgyzstan’s transit capacity and strengthening its role in Eurasian logistics chains.

Transport and Logistics

Speed vs. Stability: How Kazakhstan Is Leading Eurasia’s Transit Race

China’s successful test of a maglev platform weighing about one ton, accelerating to 700 kilometers per hour in just two seconds, once again underscored Beijing’s technological ambitions in the transport sector. With more than 50,000 kilometers of high-speed rail connecting cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu, China is paving the way for the next generation of mobility. Yet beyond China's borders, speed alone is no longer the decisive factor. In Eurasia and particularly in Central Asia, stability, predictability, and reliability have become the primary metrics for transit success. Within this context, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a central hub in Eurasia’s evolving logistics landscape. China’s High-Speed Model vs. Eurasia’s Freight Realities Inside China, Fuxing high-speed trains and maglev routes have transformed domestic connectivity, forming the backbone of national economic integration. However, exporting this model faces inherent limitations. High-speed passenger lines require dedicated tracks, strict safety protocols, and massive investment factors incompatible with most of Eurasia’s existing freight-centric rail infrastructure. As a result, the China-Central Asia-Europe corridor is focused on accelerated freight movement. The goal is not maximum speed, but consistent delivery times, reliable scheduling, and minimal disruption, elements vital to modern supply chains. Kazakhstan’s Strategic Role in Eurasian Land Transit Kazakhstan serves as a critical artery for China's westward land transit. Key corridors to the Eurasian Economic Union, Europe, and Central Asia, including the Middle Corridor, traverse Kazakh territory. In the first ten months of 2025, Kazakhstan's State Revenue Committee reported that more than 11 million tons of goods were transited from China through Kazakhstan, marking double-digit growth year-on-year. This success stems not only from increased volume but from qualitative improvements in transit management. Digitalization has been pivotal. An automated system for filing and issuing transit declarations has slashed processing times from several hours to just 30 minutes per container train, facilitating the clearance of millions of tons of cargo. For businesses, this translates into lower costs and more reliable delivery schedules -- an essential factor amid ongoing global economic uncertainty. These institutional upgrades are reinforced by infrastructure investment. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, cargo transportation volumes have reached record levels, with steady growth in transit flows. Projects like the Dostyk-Moyinty line and the Almaty bypass are specifically designed to expand transit capacity. Why High-Speed Passenger Rail Isn’t on the Agenda Given China’s high-speed rail successes, some may question why similar routes are not planned between China and Kazakhstan. However, in the near term, such initiatives remain economically and logistically unfeasible. Existing rail lines in the region prioritize freight and mixed-use traffic, falling short of the standards required for high-speed passenger transport. Building separate lines would demand significant capital and a stable passenger base, conditions that currently do not exist. Freight transit, aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative, remains the primary focus. Unlocking the Caspian Bottleneck Despite the growth in rail transit, the Caspian Sea route remains a capacity bottleneck. Plans to build a new seaport in the Karakiyansky district of Mangistau region, through a...

Transport and Logistics

Kazakhstan to Build New International Cargo Airport Near China Border

Kazakhstan plans to construct a new international cargo and passenger airport in the Zhetysu region, near the Chinese border, as part of efforts to develop a major multimodal aviation and logistics hub along key transit routes linking China, Central Asia, and Europe. The facility will be located within the Khorgos–Eastern Gate Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a strategic logistics cluster on the New Silk Road. According to Dias Esdauletov, Deputy Akim of the region, the project is one of the most significant and promising investment initiatives currently underway and aims to establish Kazakhstan as a central player in Eurasian trade. The project is being developed by the Kazakh-German joint venture Skyhansa LLP and is coordinated by the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The airport is designed to complement the existing railway and road infrastructure in the SEZ, enabling faster movement of high-value and time-sensitive cargo, and bolstering regional passenger transport and tourism. Once completed, it will integrate rail, road, and air links in a single multimodal logistics system. Construction will be carried out in three stages. The first stage, set for completion by mid-2027, will include the development of core airfield infrastructure, a cargo terminal, a fuel complex, an aviation technical center, and a business center with hotel facilities. It will also integrate the airport with the SEZ’s existing rail and road networks. The second stage will expand the cargo and passenger infrastructure, build additional logistics and storage areas, increase refueling capacity, and attract airline and logistics partners. In the third stage, the airport is expected to evolve into a full-fledged international aviation hub with an expanded route network, full-service and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) operations, and deep integration with the SEZ’s industrial and commercial zones. Esdauletov highlighted the importance of the Air-Rail-Auto-Air transport model for improving logistics efficiency, particularly for sectors such as e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Seamless transitions between transport modes can dramatically reduce door-to-door delivery times and costs. Kazakhstan has already demonstrated the viability of such multimodal solutions. In 2014, KTZ Express piloted a successful international cargo transit from China to Europe via a rail-air corridor. HP products were shipped from Chongqing to Almaty by rail and then flown to Amsterdam, completing the 9,900 km journey in just seven days. The new airport is expected to ease congestion in the Almaty transport hub and significantly improve cargo throughput capacity in southeastern Kazakhstan. In the medium and long term, authorities anticipate strong growth in both cargo and passenger volumes, driven by increasing transit flows between China, Central Asia, Europe, and the United States, as well as ongoing shifts in global logistics routes. To mitigate risks, the regional government has launched comprehensive preparatory work. Skyhansa has already secured 800 hectares of land within the Khorgos-Eastern Gate SEZ. The project is expected to create approximately 700 jobs.

Railways

Opinion: Prospects for Central Asia’s Access to Persian Gulf Infrastructure

The agreement signed on December 8, 2025, between Saudi Arabia and Qatar to construct a high-speed railway linking Riyadh and Doha marks a pivotal development in transport connectivity across the Persian Gulf. Beyond its bilateral implications, the project could have broader consequences for transregional logistics, particularly for Central Asia and Kazakhstan. The 785-km railway will pass through key cities in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, including Dammam and Al-Hufuf, and will connect King Salman and Hamad International Airports. Trains are expected to reach speeds exceeding 300 km/h, reducing travel time between the two capitals to approximately two hours. The six-year project is projected by officials to boost the combined GDP of both countries by around $30 billion and create up to 30,000 jobs. The Gulf Railway and New Regional Connectivity The Riyadh-Doha line is a central element of the Gulf Railway initiative, which is seeking to establish a unified railway network among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, with a target date of around 2030. Originally envisioned primarily as a freight system, the Gulf Railway is increasingly incorporating high-speed passenger services alongside freight, reflecting the region’s push for greater internal integration and reduced dependence on air travel. The Riyadh-Doha segment forms a vital axis between the Gulf’s political and financial hubs and is expected to link with Saudi, Emirati, and Omani infrastructure, laying the groundwork for a more integrated regional transport system. Beyond the Peninsula While the Gulf Railway’s scope is geographically confined to the Arabian Peninsula, meaningful integration with Eurasia would require additional connectivity, particularly via land and multimodal routes through Iran, Turkey, and the Caspian region. Among these, the overland corridor through Iran is especially significant, though constrained by sanctions, financing risks, and political uncertainty. Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran Corridor Unlike many conceptual infrastructure proposals, the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, operational since 2014, is already a functioning freight corridor. It provides Central Asian nations with direct access to Persian Gulf ports and Middle Eastern markets. For Kazakhstan, the route offers strategic diversification away from traditional corridors. While no formal plans exist to link GCC rail infrastructure directly with Central Asia, the emergence of high-capacity Gulf rail corridors reshapes the long-term connectivity landscape. A future interface could allow Astana overland access to Gulf markets, while enabling reciprocal flows from the Gulf into Central Asia, China, and Europe. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has previously described Iran as a “gateway” to Southeast Asia and Africa. Kazakhstan has also outlined plans to establish its own logistics terminal in the Iranian port of Shahid Rajai in Bandar Abbas, further enhancing its position in Gulf-Eurasia trade flows. Iran’s Evolving Role Historically, Iran’s role as a transit state has been hampered by international sanctions and regional tensions. However, the 2023 normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, brokered by China, has altered the regional calculus. Although still fragile, this diplomatic thaw improves prospects for long-term infrastructure projects involving Iran as a critical transit link between the Persian Gulf and Eurasia. Alternatives and Their...