Transportation - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kazakhstan Building Five Cross-Border Trade Hubs

Kazakhstan is advancing plans to establish five cross-border trade and economic hubs, aiming to position the country as a key global transport and logistics center. The initiative was reviewed at a government meeting on December 10. Strategic Hub Development Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev reported that significant progress has been made on the hubs, with rail and road links already in place. The planned hubs are: The Khorgos Hub: Located on the border with China. The Caspian Hub: Situated along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). The Eurasia Center for Cross-Border Trade: Positioned at the border with Russia. The “Central Asia” International Center for Industrial Cooperation: At the border with Uzbekistan. The Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex: At the border with Kyrgyzstan. Additionally, container hubs are planned for the ports of Aktau and Kuryk in the Mangistau region. Multimodal air hubs are also under development at airports in the cities of Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, and Aktobe. Broader Economic Goals Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov underscored the strategic importance of these projects, emphasizing their potential to reduce transit times, boost industrial production, increase tax revenues, and create new jobs. Bektenov highlighted that the network of hubs will form a unified trade and transport space with Kazakhstan’s key trading partners. “This will significantly increase trade turnover between the countries and strengthen strategic relations with neighboring states,” he said. The prime minister also stressed the importance of leveraging major transport corridors such as the East-West, North-South, and Trans-Caspian International Transport Route corridors to enhance access to the markets of China, the Persian Gulf, the Caucasus, and Europe.

Transport and Logistics Transportation public transport Railway stations Trains Civil Aviation

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...

Ecology Transportation public transport public opinion Social service EBRD

End of the Trolleybus: Bishkek Authorities Abandon Eco-Friendly Transport Option

Bishkek authorities are phasing out trolleybuses in favor of buses, sparking criticism from residents and environmental advocates. Activists allege that municipal workers are dismantling trolleybus infrastructure, prompting lawsuits and complaints to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which funded trolleybus purchases for the city. The Shift to Electric Buses In defense of the decision, Mayor Aibek Junushaliyev argued that trolleybuses no longer meet the city’s needs, citing frequent breakdowns and their inability to operate effectively in Bishkek’s outskirts. Instead, the city plans to transition to large electric buses, with 120 units ordered from China’s Ankai Automobile Co., set to arrive in mid-2025. For now, public transport is provided by gasoline and gas-powered buses. The existing trolleybuses are being transferred to Osh, with approximately 100 slated for relocation. The Bishkek Trolleybus Department signed a contract with Ankai in 2022 to deliver the electric buses and charging infrastructure. The move is supported by funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which has allocated $50 million to the project. [caption id="attachment_25888" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Photo: Bermet Borubayeva[/caption] Activists Push Back Public opposition to the trolleybus phaseout is growing. Activist Bermet Borubayeva insists that Bishkek officials have no legal authority to transfer the trolleybuses. She highlighted that many were purchased using a $23.5 million EBRD loan ratified by Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, which stipulated that the vehicles must remain in Bishkek. “Citizens repay these loans through taxes, and without the EBRD’s consent, the municipality cannot transfer the trolleybuses elsewhere,” Borubayeva explained. She accused city officials of deliberately damaging trolleybus infrastructure. “They cut the wires in various places, rendering the system unusable. This violates both domestic and international laws,” she said. Despite these challenges, Borubayeva noted that activists have mobilized a significant resistance movement to preserve the trolleybuses. Environmental and Social Concerns Trolleybuses carried 20 million passengers last year without producing carbon emissions, making them vital to Bishkek’s eco-friendly public transportation. In a city grappling with severe air pollution, critics argue that phasing out trolleybuses exacerbates environmental problems. Borubayeva also questioned the city’s claims about ADB funding. “The mayor’s office says the electric bus project will replace the entire trolleybus fleet, but ADB documents indicate that only 20 trolleybuses are affected. Either the mayor’s office is misleading us, or the ADB is,” she asserted. According to ADB’s memorandum, the project includes a $59 million budget, with $50 million provided as a credit line and $15 million as a grant. The funds are primarily for electric bus procurement, along with infrastructure construction and consulting services. However, ADB representatives clarified to activists that the funding is for additional infrastructure, not an outright replacement of trolleybuses. Public Transportation in Crisis The dismantling of the trolleybus system has left Bishkek residents struggling with inadequate transportation. Buses have yet to fill the gap, leading to mounting public frustration. “We must address the public transportation crisis urgently,” MP Dastan Bekeshev said during a parliamentary session. “People cannot get to work or school on time. The trolleybuses need to be brought back into...

Finance Banking ADB Infrastructure Development Transportation Economy growth

ADB to Help Upgrade Strategic Road in Kazakhstan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a sovereign-guaranteed local currency loan of up to $291.49 million for KazAvtoZhol, the company overseeing the planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of Kazakhstan's national highways. This loan will support reconstructing a 208-kilometer road connecting Kyzylorda and Zhezkazgan in central Kazakhstan. The project will upgrade the existing two-lane highway to a higher-standard, climate-resilient two-lane road, providing all-weather access and reducing travel time from 4 to 2 hours. The reconstruction will also improve domestic and regional connectivity and road safety and promote national and international trade. ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov commented: “By improving the Kyzylorda–Zhezkazgan corridor, we are addressing critical infrastructure constraints that hinder Kazakhstan’s economic growth and balanced regional economic development. The project road is also crucial for leveraging Kazakhstan’s geostrategic advantage and boosting regional and global integration.” Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, is well-positioned to become a bridge between Asia and Europe. However, due to inefficiencies and high transport and logistics costs, the country needs help leveraging its strategic position. The country has also seen a high traffic fatality rate, with 12.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. The ADB project incorporates rumble strips, safer pedestrian crossings, and interchanges to improve road safety. These measures are expected to significantly reduce accidents and enhance the overall safety of the road corridor.

Transportation Western Europe-Western China. Trans-Caspian Trade Route multimodal transportation TITR Middle Corridor Trans-Caspian Corridor

Kazakhstan and China to Increase Cargo Transportation Along Trans-Caspian Route

On September 25, Kazakhstan and China held the first meeting of a joint working group on cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, connecting China and Europe via Central Asia and the Caucasus. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the members agreed on the projected volumes of cargo transportation from China to Europe and in the opposite direction along the TITR until the end of 2029. Kazakhstan and China will increase the volume of cargo transportation along the TITR to 600 container trains per year in 2025 and 2026. In 2027, there will be 1,000 container trains, and in 2029, there will be 2,000. Given the increase in transit container trains, the Kazakh side has committed to ensuring the appropriate infrastructure in its Caspian ports to ensure timely transportation and prevent delays. At least 50,000 standard containers will be handled (transshipped) at Kazakh ports in 2025. An increase to 85,000 containers per year is expected for 2026-2029. According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport, in 2023, the volume of transit transportation between China and Europe through Kazakhstan amounted to 2.76 million tons, 65% more than in 2022 (1.7 million tons). Kazakhstan is now working to increase the transit capacity of the Aktau and Kuryk seaports. A container hub will be built in the port of Aktau, increasing transportation volume to 300,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) per year. A grain terminal will be launched in Kuryk's port later this year. Dredging of the Kuryk port is underway to ensure sufficient depth for ships to enter the harbor. Dredging works are also planned in the port of Aktau. Altogether, these measures will increase the throughput capacity of Kazakhstan’s ports by 10 million tons of cargo annually, to reach 30 million tons annually.

Airports Trade Transportation

French Cargo Airline Plans to Use Uzbekistan’s Navoi Airport

CMA CGM Air Cargo, a French cargo airline, plans to deliver cargo from China to Europe via Uzbekistan. The carrier intends to use Navoi Airport as a transit point. Representatives of Uzbekistan Airports, Uzaviation, and Uzaeronavigatsia Center recently met with the French CMA CGM Air Cargo delegation, headed by General Director Damien Mazauder, in Tashkent. The airline will carry out five flights a week on Airbus A330 aircraft, and Navoi Airport will become a transit point for technical landings, refueling, and crew changes. CMA CGM Air Cargo is headquartered in Paris; it was established in 2021 as an air division of the CMA CGM transportation group.