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Transport

Trans-Afghan Corridor Becomes Central Asia’s New Trade Gateway Amid Competition

Kazakhstan plans to join in the Trans-Afghan Corridor project by constructing a 120-kilometer railway from Turgundi to Herat and establishing a transport and logistics center on Afghan territory. The new route is expected to expand the volume and improve the efficiency of Kazakhstan’s export and import shipments, while also providing access to the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and the Persian Gulf. In August, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin, announced that the country plans to invest $500 million in the construction of the Turgundi-Herat railway in Afghanistan. The 120-kilometer line will provide the shortest route to the Indian Ocean, linking Kazakhstan and Central Asia with Pakistan’s seaports of Karachi and Gwadar. Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Zhanibek Taizhanov, told The Times of Central Asia that the project is expected to take about three years from the approval of the design and cost documentation. “More precise timelines will be determined after the completion of all design stages, approvals, and the signing of contracts with contractors and investors,” said the ministry representative. The railway will give Kazakhstan access to new transport routes and markets. Amid intensifying global competition for transit flows, it offers a cheaper alternative shipping option and represents an important new logistics solution for the republic. This promising route, however, also carries risks, as Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most unstable countries. Even so, trade potential between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan is considerable. In 2024, bilateral trade turnover reached $545.2 million, with $527.7 million accounted for by Kazakh exports. Kazakhstan remains one of Afghanistan’s largest trading partners and a leading supplier of grain and flour. Looking ahead to exports and imports moving toward Pakistan, India, and beyond, the potential is considerable. Yet market participants have repeatedly noted that logistics remains the main barrier to trade in this direction. “Projected freight volumes along the route are estimated at 35–40 million tons per year. A comprehensive study of the region’s economic potential, logistics flows, and expansion prospects is underway,” Taizhanov told TCA, adding that once operational, the line is expected to become a crucial link in the international transport system, boosting trade between Central Asia and South Asia. In Afghanistan, the Taliban resumed nearly all regional and interregional transport projects initiated under the previous government. Active negotiations are underway on the construction of the Termez–Naibabad–Maidan Shahr–Logar–Kharlachi line, commonly referred to as the “Kabul Corridor,” the Mazar-i-Sharif–Herat railway, and the completion of the Khaf–Herat line, among others. Regional countries have also joined this large-scale effort. The Trans-Afghan project involves the interests of Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran, all of which are seeking to benefit from its implementation. Geopolitics and transport interests In pursuit of greater export, import, and transit opportunities, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are actively participating in these initiatives, offering their own rail routes through Afghanistan to Pakistan’s borders. For Iran and Tajikistan, the transnational corridor through Afghanistan is also attractive, providing a potential route to China via Kyrgyzstan. Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan plan to...

Transport

Kazakhstan’s Rail Deal – A Long Way from Soviet-Era Locomotives

The roots of the $4.2 billion deal in which American firm Wabtec will provide 300 locomotives for Kazakhstan’s growing railway infrastructure emerged soon after the country’s 1991 independence, when the new government needed to upgrade its decaying Soviet-built locomotives. Pennsylvania-based GE Transportation, a major producer of railway equipment, helped with the modernization program in the mid-1990s and continued business with Kazakhstan in the following decades. In 2019, Wabtec, a transportation and technology company, bought GE Transportation. Wabtec celebrated the deal that was announced on Monday during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly. How big was the deal? The agreement has been described in different shades of magnitude. The U.S. Commerce Department said it was “the largest locomotive deal in history” – Wabtec said it was the largest in Wabtec’s history – and the Kazakh government and media have generally steered clear of historical references. Other big international railway deals include a 3 billion euro Siemens project in India that was announced in January 2023. Under that deal, the German company is to deliver 1,200 electric locomotives and provide 35 years of full service maintenance. In March this year, France-based Alstom said it had delivered 500 electric locomotives to Indian Railways, part of a 3.5 billion euro contract to deliver 800 locomotives for freight service. That contract was signed in 2015. Who gets the credit? U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick described the deal with Kazakhstan as “President Trump’s America First trade policy in action.” Still, GE Transportation, which later became part of Wabtec, has been a key part of Kazakhstan’s railway industry for years. The company modernized hundreds of diesel freight locomotives decades ago and later transferred technology to Kazakhstan, developing engineering skills that could be used to build new trains. Wabtec acquired full ownership of a manufacturing facility in Astana in 2023 and says it has exported locomotives to countries including Tajikistan, Mongolia, Moldova and Ukraine. “I mean, it’s great,” Evan A. Feigenbaum, a former U.S. State Department official, said of this week’s deal in a post on X. “But GE and Wabtec have been doing a locomotive business in and with Kazakhstan for 20 years. I was in the Bush Administration as the deputy assistant secretary of State overseeing Central Asia and was giving speeches and talks about locomotives and Kazakhstan back then…” Feigenbaum said. Kazakhstan’s decision to make a big agreement with Wabtec fits with its policy of developing ties with a wide range of diplomatic and business partners. Alstom, of Europe, and Chinese locomotive maker CRRC are also significant players in Kazakhstan’s railway industry. What does the deal mean for Kazakhstan? A lot. Railways underpin the economy. Rail transport accounts for about 64% of Kazakhstan’s total freight turnover, far more than other forms of transport such as air and road, according to Kazakh railway officials. Kazakhstan is one of the biggest countries in the world, ranging from its Chinese and Russian borders in the east to the Caspian Sea in the...

Transport

Kazakhstan Moves to Ban Electric Scooters from Sidewalks

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs is preparing new legislation that would prohibit electric scooters from being used on sidewalks, Deputy Minister Igor Lepekha announced. Initial restrictions on scooters were introduced in 2023, requiring riders to limit their speed to 6 km/h on sidewalks. However, compliance has been minimal, largely due to limited state enforcement and the failure of kick-sharing companies to implement speed-limiting technologies. The issue resurfaced at the highest level on September 8, when President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for urgent measures to improve pedestrian safety. Lepekha stated that previously rejected amendments to scooter regulations have now been redrafted. “These proposals to tighten control have already been submitted to parliament by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but a number of them did not find support. In this regard, new amendments have been developed jointly with deputies, providing for a ban on the movement of electric scooters on sidewalks,” he said. The Ministry also proposes new safety responsibilities for kick-sharing companies and wants to give local authorities the right to regulate scooter use within their jurisdictions. “The municipality could decide for itself on which streets and at what times they can be ridden and when they should be prohibited, thus defining zones,” Lepekha added. Since the beginning of the year, Kazakhstan has recorded 361 traffic accidents involving electric scooters, resulting in 365 injuries and one death. According to a government report, authorities documented 29,000 traffic violations by scooter riders in 2025 alone, with 8,000 devices impounded. As of August 29, the Ministry had recorded 213 accidents and 224 injuries, along with 24,000 violations and 2,500 scooters sent to impound lots. The figures indicate that in the two weeks following Tokayev’s directive, scooter-related violations increased by 5,000, and the number of impounded devices more than doubled. As The Times of Central Asia previously reported, enforcement has intensified particularly in Almaty, where the highest number of violations has been reported.

Transport

Almaty Targets Scooter Safety After Tokayev Calls for Urgent Action

Kazakhstan has become the first country in Central Asia where public concern over electric scooters reached such intensity that the issue was addressed by the president himself. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev mentioned electric scooters in his latest Address to the People of Kazakhstan, a key policy document that outlines the country’s development priorities for the year ahead. In recent weeks, multiple high-profile incidents involving electric scooters have dominated headlines: a woman suffered a broken leg after being hit by teenagers on a scooter; schoolchildren collided with a baby stroller in Almaty; two girls were struck by a bus while riding a scooter; a passerby lost an eye after confronting an aggressive rider; and a fight broke out between two scooter users unable to share the road. These events, widely reported in local media, have fostered growing public frustration toward both scooter riders and the companies that rent out these vehicles. Demonstrating a commitment to what he calls a “responsive state,” Tokayev addressed the issue directly in his national address. “Attention should also be paid to electric scooters, a topic that is being actively discussed in society,” he said. “Two years ago, legislative changes were made that impose restrictions on riding on sidewalks. But the situation in public places has not changed much, and citizens are still at risk. Legislative amendments regulating this area have now been prepared and must be adopted without delay.” The changes referenced by the president came into effect on August 30, 2023. They prohibit scooter use on public roads without a driver’s license, helmet, and reflective elements. Riders are also barred from exceeding 6 km/h on sidewalks. However, these regulations have had limited impact, largely due to a lack of enforcement. Scooter rental companies pledged to implement technical solutions such as speed limiters on sidewalks, single-rider restrictions, and designated parking zones to prevent scooters from obstructing pedestrian pathways. But many of these promises have yet to materialize. On the issue of underage riders, operators have deflected responsibility, saying parents must supervise their children. "It is the parents themselves who give teenagers access to rental scooters," one business representative noted. In response to the president’s remarks, a roundtable was quickly convened in Astana with participation from police and kick-sharing companies. Authorities reported that of 31 traffic accidents involving scooters this year, 18 involved minors. In Almaty, the epicenter of most high-profile incidents, raids were carried out in response to mounting public pressure. In a single day, police recorded over 800 scooter-related violations, including 11 cases involving parental negligence. A total of 259 scooters were impounded. To bolster enforcement, 50 additional police patrols were deployed in high-traffic areas using scooters provided by rental companies. The Almaty City Administration’s Urban Mobility Department also announced plans to expand infrastructure to manage the problem of scooters left haphazardly on sidewalks. Currently, 67 workers, referred to as “scouts”, relocate abandoned vehicles to 15 designated parking zones. An additional 10 parking areas are expected to be operational by October. In short, the problem may not...

Transport

Kazakhstan Considers Lowering Speed Limits in Populated Areas

Kazakhstan’s parliament is set to debate reducing the maximum speed limit for motor vehicles in populated areas when deputies return from their summer recess, according to Kaisar Sultanbaev, chairman of the Administrative Police Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. “As for reducing the speed limit in populated areas, we are constantly working on legislation and our regulatory documents. We are currently considering this issue in working order. When our MPs return from their vacation, we will discuss it with them. The issue is in progress, and we will provide additional information about the decisions taken,” Sultanbaev said at a briefing. Currently, the standard speed limit in populated areas is 60 km/h, with variations in certain zones: 40 km/h near schools and up to 80 km/h on bypass roads within city limits. Sultanbaev did not indicate what the new limit might be. The Interior Ministry has previously raised similar initiatives. In spring 2024, it proposed reducing the speed of freight vehicles in populated areas to 50 km/h. The Urban Forum Kazakhstan foundation has also suggested lowering limits in Almaty to 30-50 km/h for all vehicles. More recently, in February 2025, the Prosecutor General’s Office proposed cutting the maximum speed on suburban roads from 90 to 60 km/h. Road safety remains a pressing concern. In the first half of 2025 alone, police recorded more than 3 million speeding violations nationwide. Speeding remains one of the leading causes of fatal crashes: 1,129 traffic accidents in populated areas were attributed to speeding in that period, resulting in 95 deaths. On national and regional highways, 986 similar accidents killed 180 people. At the same time, Sultanbaev noted that stricter enforcement is helping reduce casualties. Between January and June 2025, traffic accidents left 16,000 people injured, down from 26,000 a year earlier. Road fatalities also fell by 8 percent, from 1,480 to 1,366. Kazakhstan’s growing vehicle fleet compounds the challenge. Over the past 34 years, the number of registered vehicles has risen from 2 million to 5.5 million. Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that senators also proposed introducing a so-called “idiot test”, a psychophysiological assessment for repeat offenders who frequently violate traffic rules, including speed limits.

Middle Corridor

Analysis: How Kazakhstan’s New Road and Rail Projects Are Boosting the Economy

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world, located at the strategic crossroads of Eurasian trade routes. This year, the country launched two major infrastructure projects: the Trans-Kazakhstan Railway Corridor and the construction of a new Center-West Highway, which will connect the capital, Astana, with Kazakhstan’s western regions. How the Center-West Highway will reshape Kazakhstan’s economy and logistics The Center-West Highway will link Astana to the country’s western territories, providing direct access to the Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). Passing through the towns of Arkalyk, Turgay, and Irgiz, the route will cut the distance to western Kazakhstan by more than 560 kilometers (about 350 miles). It is expected to improve interregional connectivity, stimulate socio-economic growth, increase the capacity of the transport network, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s role as a transit hub. Deputy Minister of Transport Maksat Kaliakparov told The Times of Central Asia that construction is still in its early stages. Repairs on the Astana-Korgalzhyn-Karazhar section are currently funded by the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, with completion planned for 2026. “The remaining sections are still in the design phase, and financing is being secured,” Kaliakparov said. “This year we plan to complete feasibility studies for unpaved sections, approve project documentation for the Arkalyk-Egindikol and Irgiz-Torgay stretches, and explore public-private partnerships to attract investment.” Beyond improving domestic transport links, the Center-West Highway is set to become a crucial part of the TITR, providing a shorter and more reliable route to Kazakhstan’s Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk. This will speed up transit, increase freight volumes, and reduce logistics costs for both domestic and international shippers. According to Kaliakparov, the project also includes modern roadside infrastructure: logistics hubs in Arkalyk and Irgiz, service stations, cafés, hotels, and an intelligent traffic monitoring and control system. “It is also important to introduce a number of innovative and environmentally friendly solutions, such as stormwater treatment facilities, energy-saving LED lighting, and the use of recycled materials. Environmental requirements will also be taken into account, including the preservation of animal migration routes using environmentally friendly solutions such as underground passages and eco-bridges,” emphasized Kaliakparov. However, despite its significant advantages, the project faces a number of challenges. The key ones among them are financing, complex terrain and geological conditions, seasonal limitations, and low population density along parts of the route, which affect its commercial viability. Kaliakparov added: “The road requires significant investment, especially for the construction of new sections, some of which pass through hard-to-reach areas. It is also necessary to take into account the short construction season in the northern and central regions of the country”. According to him, the highway is being designed with the local climate in mind. Kazakhstan’s continental weather patterns, sharp temperature fluctuations, steppe and semi-desert landscapes, hydrological studies, erosion prevention measures, and strict environmental compliance are taken into account. Once completed, the Center-West Highway is expected to increase freight traffic to 5–6 million tons per year, cut delivery times between central and western Kazakhstan by 30–40%,...