Kazakhstan accelerates railway expansion to boost global freight transit

Kazakhstan is pushing ahead with plans to expand its international terminal network. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has ordered faster progress on railway infrastructure to strengthen the country’s role in global freight transport. During a government meeting, Bektenov stressed the importance of growing the terminal network. He aims to redirect more freight traffic through Kazakhstan. The discussion also covered speeding up railway development beyond current projects and upgrading rolling stock and locomotives.

The Ministry of Transport and national railway company KTZ have been given a deadline. They must finish terminal projects in Nur-Sultan, Alat (Azerbaijan), Svislach (Belarus), and Syelyatino (Russia) by 1 July 2027. After these, work will start on new terminals in Budapest (Hungary), Chengdu (China), and Constanța (Romania). The completion of these projects is set to increase Kazakhstan’s transit capacity. The expanded network will help the country handle more international freight. This move is part of a broader effort to modernise its transport infrastructure.