Kazakhstan is becoming an increasingly important rail freight hub for east-west and north-south traffic. This importance was echoed by the 320 million tonnes of cargo moved via freight trains in 2025, 5.5% higher than in 2024, according to the Kazakh Prime Minister office.
There are a few different factors driving the rail freight growth in Kazakhstan. The ones mentioned by the Prime Minister mostly revolve around infrastructure upgrades such as the modernised 836-kilometre Dostyk-Moyinty line which was opened in October. The line is also being extended to Kyzylzhar, towards Russia.
New terminals
Moreover, three new important terminals were opened in 2025. The first one, is the largest container terminal on the Caspian Sea, located in Aktau and inaugurated on 11 June 2025. The following day and over 2,000 kilometres east as the crow flies, another brand new container terminal, named ‘Zhetysu’ was opened in Almaty, near the border with China. Always in Almaty, the Burunday Container Terminal opened up shop in October.
The Middle Corridor
Another important factor of growth for Kazakhstan is the rise of the Middle Corridor. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, China-EU trade has had to find new alternative routes. The Middle Corridor, linking the two areas via Central Asia and the Caucasus, is becoming one. Thanks to the leaderships of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan primarily, freight trains are becoming more frequent along this corridor, with container transport especially surging.