The Eurasian rail network anticipates valuable additions on the frequently and heavily congested China-Kazakhstan axis: The Ayagoz-Bakhty railway line and the Bakhty border crossing to China. This new infrastructure is no news; what’s news, however, is that the new line and border crossing will be accompanied by a considerably large dry port which will occupy parts of a 976-hectare land plot.
The dry port will also be located in the Bakhty area and near the under-construction new border crossing with China. According to the local Kazakh government, quoted by publication LS, the dry port will be part of a 976-hectare land plot that will accommodate a rail station. The dry port is also expected to access the A8 highway directly.
Despite the land plot not being intended solely for the construction of the dry port, it’s understandable that the size of the area is considerable, meaning that the industry could expect the emergence of a large transport hub/border crossing similar to those of Dostyk and Almaty.
Longer line, but for good reason
More information from the regional government where the new infrastructure is built highlights a change in the project’s planning. Specifically, the Ayagoz-Bakhty line was initially expected to be 272 kilometres long. However, in the end, the route will be extended by 25 kilometres, with its total length reaching 297 kilometres.
It might sound bizarre, but the reason behind the line’s length extension is speed and efficiency. By increasing the route’s length, KTZ aims to bypass mountainous terrain, which would otherwise require strenuous work to cut through the mountains.
For the record, the new line, border crossing and dry port construction will be complete by the end of 2027, with the commissioning expected in early 2028. The total cost of the project will be around 1 billion euros.