Kazakhstan Expands Rail Network to Strengthen Middle Corridor Trade

Kazakhstan is pushing forward with an ambitious railway expansion project as part of its efforts to strengthen the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), commonly known as the Middle Corridor trade route.

On Thursday, Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry announced plans to complete this year the construction of second set of tracks on Dostyk-Moyinty railway section, which is expected to dramatically increase capacity.

“In 2025, the focus will be on expanding Kazakhstan's transit potential,” a ministry press release noted. “A number of large-scale modernizations are being implemented in the railway transportation sector.”

This year, the ministry plans to purchase 225 new carriages. Once the Dostyk-Moyinty upgrades are completed, the railways’ capacity will increase fivefold, allowing 12 to 60 pairs of trains to operate continuously. Additional projects, including the opening of the Dostyk-Beskol and Moyinty-Balkhash sections, aim to resolve freight transportation issues and improve overall traffic flow.

In addition to rail projects, efforts are underway to enhance sea transport. A container hub at the Aktau port is being developed, which will increase its capacity to handle 240,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually. This facility will strengthen Kazakhstan’s role in international logistics, facilitating greater container traffic along the Middle Corridor through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.

The Middle Corridor is gaining attention as geopolitical challenges disrupt traditional trade routes. Stretching 4,250 kilometers by rail and 500 kilometers by sea, this route provides a faster and more cost-effective alternative to the Northern Corridor. It reduces travel distance by 2,000 kilometers, making it a competitive option for trade between China and Europe.

The Middle Corridor also opens opportunities for South Caucasian and Central Asian countries to leverage the $600 billion annual China-Europe trade. From Europe’s perspective, it provides quicker access to the Caucasus, the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, trade along the Middle Corridor has surged. In the first eight months of 2022, transport volumes tripled to 970,400 tonnes compared to the same period in 2021. Analysts project volumes could climb to 15-18 million tonnes by 2030, but this growth depends on continued expansion of transport capacities.