Kazakhstan plans to complete the construction of several new railway lines and modernize key sections of the network this year. Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev reported on the progress of the President’s instructions issued at the National Kurultai at a government meeting. He stated that the Kyzylzhar-Moiynty and Darbaza-Maktaaral lines will be commissioned in 2025, and the modernization of the Altynkol-Zhetygen and Zhezkazgan-Sekseul sections will be completed. At the same time, the reconstruction program for railway stations across the country will continue.
In the road sector, the Kyzylorda-Zhezkazgan highway is scheduled to open to traffic by the end of 2026. Construction of the four-lane Kyzylorda-Aktobe highway will begin this year, and work on the Karaganda-Zhezkazgan route and the Saryagash bypass will begin in the second half of the year. The implementation of these projects is aimed at increasing regional connectivity and reducing logistics costs.
The development also affects the aviation sector. Plans include opening new international routes, including flights to Vienna, Tokyo, Rome, and New York, as well as expanding air cargo services. Negotiations are underway with the world’s largest cargo operators, FedEx, UPS, and Cargolux. The minister noted that the industry is demonstrating steady growth: last year, 173,000 tons of cargo were handled – the highest figure for the region – and efforts to increase this volume will continue.