First container train from Turkmenistan arrives in China via Kazakhstan
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The first container train from Turkmenistan to China arrived at its destination after crossing Kazakhstan, according to Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ). The train, carrying 42 forty-foot containers of gypsum, covered 4,150 km from Akyaila station to the Chinese border, with the Kazakhstan section taking 5 days.
The Route
The train started from Akyaila station in Turkmenistan and crossed into Kazakhstan at the Serkhetyaka-Bolashak border crossing. It traveled 3,450 km within Kazakhstan to the Altynkol-Khorgos border crossing with China. The total distance from origin to destination was 4,150 km.
Project Partners
The project was implemented jointly by JSC Transport and Logistics Center Turkmenistan and JSC KTZ Express, in coordination with Chinese counterparts. Nurlan Igembayev, head of KTZ Express, stated that the new route opens additional opportunities for cooperation between the railway administrations of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
Future Plans
KTZ Express plans to operate the container train on a regular basis and increase cargo volumes. The launch was made possible by the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, a branch of the North-South international transport corridor that began operation in 2014.
What's Next
KTZ Express aims to establish regular container service along this route. It remains unclear how quickly cargo volumes will scale and whether the corridor can compete with existing routes to China.
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First container train from Turkmenistan arrives in China via Kazakhstan
