The Russia–Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway, a key segment of the International North–South Transport Corridor, is set to increase its freight capacity to 20 million tons per year within the next five years, according to an article by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Tokayev emphasized that deepening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia in the transport and logistics sector holds strategic importance for the entire Eurasian region. “Together, we are working to expand the eastern branch of the North–South transport corridor, which already shows a significant increase in cargo flows. A roadmap has been signed to raise the throughput capacity of the Russia–Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway to 20 million tons annually within five years,” Tokayev wrote.
The transcontinental corridor connects the Russian transport network through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Iran’s Persian Gulf ports, offering a shorter and more cost-efficient alternative to traditional maritime routes via the Suez Canal. Once fully modernized, the corridor will become a vital logistics artery linking Northern Europe with South Asia and the Middle East, significantly reducing delivery times and strengthening Eurasia’s trade resilience.
Tokayev also noted that Kazakhstan and Russia are jointly upgrading 30 automobile checkpoints along their shared border and enhancing the capacity of the Western Europe–Western China highway corridor. These efforts, he said, are crucial for ensuring stable transport connectivity across Eurasia and for supporting new trade opportunities with partners in the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
November 11, 2025