Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan Plan New Railway Line

Discussions about a new railway line connecting Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan took center stage at the first-ever transport trade-export forum "North-South" in Aktau, Kazakhstan. Government representatives from the three countries met to explore the possibility of constructing the new route.

According to a statement published on Kazakhstan’s prime minister’s website on Saturday, the proposed railway line, Torghundi – Herat – Kandahar – Spin Buldak, will stretch from the western border of Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and further to India. This project aims to boost regional connectivity and trade.

The proposal to jointly implement the project came from Mammetkhan Chakyev, head of the Agency for Transport and Communications of Turkmenistan. During the meeting, Chakyev revealed that Turkmenistan and Afghanistan had already agreed to establish a large joint logistics center in Torghundi, a border town in northern Herat Province of Afghanistan. This center will handle grain, rail containers, and other cargo once operational.

He went further to invite Kazakhstan to participate, highlighting the high-quality railway tracks produced by Kazakhstan.

“Torghundi–Herat is not just about building a railway. It's about developing freight traffic and attracting goods in this direction,” said Chakyev. “With Kazakhstan's involvement, we can make this corridor much more attractive.”

Afghan representatives expressed their readiness to facilitate the transport of goods from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Pakistan, noting the route's effectiveness and benefits, including importing Chinese goods through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin voiced his support for Turkmenistan’s proposal for the joint construction of the new railway route.

“This is actually the beginning of the construction of a western corridor through Afghanistan to Pakistan and further to India,” Zhumangarin said.

Kazakhstan’s trade ministry had previously voiced its willingness to develop roads and railways through Afghanistan to connect with South Asia and the Gulf, positioning the hub as a crucial logistics point.

The Kazakh government anticipates that the volume of exported goods to Afghanistan will increase by 40 percent in the coming years, with the transport of goods expected to triple by 2030.