Kazakhstan Begins 800-km Aral–Caspian Highway Construction
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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev launched construction of the 800-kilometer Beineu–Saksaulsk highway on August 3. The route will cut nearly 1,000 kilometers and up to three days from Europe–China freight journeys, while feeding into the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
The Highway Route
The new highway runs from Saksaulsk near the Aral Sea west to Beineu, connecting to the road networks serving the Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk. At Saksaulsk, the route meets the Kyzylorda road to the Western Europe–Western China highway and the Ulgaysyn road to Aktobe. The government is also reconstructing those two sections, making a combined 1,574 km under construction. Tokayev described the project as adding a “horizontal connection” to Kazakhstan’s traditionally vertical transport corridors.
Freight and Employment Projections
Authorities expect annual freight volumes on the routes to rise 2.5-fold to 13.2 million tons once the highway is complete. The projects are forecast to create more than 10,000 jobs during construction. The government aims to complete the Beineu–Saksaulsk highway by 2029. World Bank analysis projects trade between Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the EU to increase by 28% by 2030, with most traffic generated within the corridor region rather than full China–Europe transits.
European and Regional Support
The EU has allocated €30 million under its Trans-Caspian transport program for preparatory work on the Beineu–Saksaulsk road and Aktau port upgrades. In June, Kazakhstan and European partners announced $462 million in transport agreements, including financing for the Aktobe–Ulgaysyn road and cooperation with A.P. Moller-Maersk. The highway feeds directly into the Middle Corridor, offering an alternative route bypassing Russia and connecting Central Asia with European markets via the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.
What's Next
The first phase of construction is underway, with further funding rounds expected in 2027. It remains unclear whether the projected trade volumes will materialize amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and competition from other transit routes.
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Kazakhstan Begins 800-km Aral–Caspian Highway Construction
