Kazakhstan built about 5,000 km of new railways over the past five years and plans to add roughly 2,500 km more over the next three, Deputy Transport Minister Zhanibek Taizhanov said at TransLogistica Kazakhstan 2026, the 29th edition of the transport and logistics fair, which opened in Astana on October 14. He gave the figures in an interview with BAQ.KZ, and the state news agency Kazinform reported the same numbers the same day.
Two points concern traffic with China. Stations on the Chinese border are being expanded to handle more international freight, the deputy minister said, as quoted by both outlets. And the Bakhty–Ayagoz line is under construction; once it opens, Kazakhstan and China will have another rail crossing. BAQ.KZ describes it as the third crossing, Kazinform as a new one.
Taizhanov also cited transit targets: about 39 million tonnes of transit cargo moved through Kazakhstan in 2025, and the goal is 67 million tonnes by 2030. Both figures appear in BAQ.KZ and in a report from the fair by Kazakh-language broadcaster Silk Way TV.
For the Trans-Caspian route, eight vessels have been ordered, four being built in Baku and four in China, he said, according to BAQ.KZ and Silk Way TV. Shipyards, vessel types, contracts and delivery dates were not disclosed.
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These are verbal statements made at a trade fair. No government resolution or planning document listing the sections or construction start dates has been published. Earlier this year officials cited targets over a different time frame, and the scope may not match, so we have not combined them. The 2,500 km figure is a plan, not an approved programme.
Editor's view: wider border stations and the Bakhty–Ayagoz crossing could eventually give freight forwarders an option beyond Dostyk and Altynkol, but no official opening date has been given. In the near term it is more useful to watch whether station works affect transshipment and queues, and whether KTZ publishes a list of lines.
Sources:
BAQ.KZ (Russian), https://rus.baq.kz/buduschee-transportnyh-perevozok-chto-obsuzhdayut-na-vystavke-v-astane-320049334/
Kazinform (Kazakh), https://kaz.inform.kz/news/kazakstanda-aldagi-ush-zhilda-25-min-shakirim-zhana-temrzhol-salinadi-9e43da19/
Silk Way TV (Kazakh), https://silkwaytv.kz/kk/astanada-haly-araly-k-lik-logistika-k-rmesi-tude_71108
Key facts
- According to the Deputy Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, approximately 5,000 km of railway was built in Kazakhstan over the past five years.
- The Deputy Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan said that approximately 2,500 km of railway is planned to be built over the next three years.
- Border railway stations between China and Kazakhstan are being expanded to increase their capacity to handle international freight.
- The Bakt–Ayagoz Railway is under construction and will add a rail border-crossing corridor between Kazakhstan and China upon completion.
- Kazakhstan’s target for transit volume is approximately 39 million tonnes in 2025 and 67 million tonnes in 2030.
- Kazakhstan has ordered eight trans-Caspian transport vessels, four of which are being built in Baku and four in China.
FAQ
How many kilometres of railway does Kazakhstan plan to build over the next three years?
The Deputy Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan said that approximately 2,500 km of railway is planned to be built over the next three years.
What construction work is being carried out at border stations between China and Kazakhstan?
Border railway stations between China and Kazakhstan are being expanded to increase their capacity to handle international freight.
What will the completion of the Bakt–Ayagoz Railway mean?
The railway is under construction and will add a rail border-crossing corridor between Kazakhstan and China upon completion.
Have these railway construction plans already been approved?
So far, the relevant information consists only of oral statements made at the exhibition. No government decision, planning document, detailed route list, or construction start date has yet been published.
What target does Kazakhstan have for cross-border transport volumes?
Kazakhstan plans to increase transit volume through Kazakhstan from approximately 39 million tonnes in 2025 to approximately 67 million tonnes by 2030.