Central Asia

Since the beginning of 2025, Kazakhstan has recorded an 8.1% increase in freight traffic by all modes of transport compared to the same period last year. From January to November, the country’s transport system transported 1.056 billion tons of freight, with total freight turnover reaching 522.4 billion tonne-kilometers, an 11.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Passenger traffic also increased by 11.9% to 1.764 billion passengers, with passenger turnover increasing by 7.6% to 81.5 billion passenger-kilometers.

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the central section of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway and the longest highway tunnel in the world, has officially opened in China. It stretches 22 kilometers. Built in five years using innovative engineering solutions, the tunnel passes through the Tianshan Mountains at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters above sea level, in extreme climates where temperatures can drop to -42°C. The tunnel’s opening has reduced travel time between Urumqi and Korla by almost half, to approximately 3.5 hours.

JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy is piloting the innovative KinetiX rolling stock inspection system at Astana station. The system has already been installed and, according to KTZ’s press service, will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2026. The system’s performance was assessed by the company’s Chairman of the Board, Talgat Aldybergenov, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Murat Toregeldin, and Director of the Transportation Process Directorate branch, Vladimir Petrov, during a visit to Sorokovaya station.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a working meeting with Jérôme Boyer, Managing Director of Alstom Kazakhstan, to discuss developing investment cooperation within the framework of the objectives set by the Head of State. The parties discussed the current state and future prospects of cooperation between the state and the company in the field of railway engineering.

Khorgos Gateway, the largest dry port in Central Asia, located in the Khorgos River basin – a tributary of the Ili River, one of the region’s key water supplies – is consistently implementing a large-scale environmental program. All activities are carried out in strict compliance with the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the requirements of the Khorgos-Eastern Gate SEZ. The company emphasizes that environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources are integral to the sustainable development of the logistics hub.

Ocean Network Express (ONE), a container operator founded by Japanese shipping corporations NYK, MOL, and K Line, announced the acquisition of a minority stake in Dalian Container Terminal (DCT) in the Port of Dalian. The size of the stake and financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. ONE emphasized that the investment is strategic and aimed at ensuring sustainable access to key ports in Northeast China.

A meeting was held in Astana with representatives of the regional divisions of the Main Computer Center, a branch of JSC NC KTZ, to summarize the results of 2025 and discuss key future objectives. MCC Director Erkin Yelenov noted that the branch’s main priority remains ensuring the uninterrupted operation of the IT infrastructure, automated systems, and information systems for rail transport. Today, the MCC serves the entire KTZ group of companies, private carriers, and third-party organizations, providing support for more than 30 information systems and automated workstations across all divisions of the national carrier.

In 2025, Kazakhstan implemented a series of major infrastructure initiatives in transport and logistics aimed at strengthening the country’s transit role and developing international routes. In the railway sector, the 836-kilometer Dostyk-Moiynty line was commissioned, increasing capacity on the Kazakhstan-China route fivefold. Construction of the Almaty bypass line is nearing completion, and key projects have been initiated and are ongoing on the Moiynty-Kyzylzhar, Darbaza-Maktaral, and Ayagoz-Bakhty sections, laying the foundation for further growth in freight traffic.

ERSAI Industrial Port has begun implementing a strategic dredging project for the waters and approach channel of the port of Kuryk, aimed at increasing operational depths to five meters and ensuring stable navigation throughout the year. The project is fully financed by the company’s own funds and is considered a key step in the development of port infrastructure in the Caspian Sea.

In January–November 2025, freight traffic volumes across the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy network reached 287.9 ​​million tons, a 4% increase compared to the same period last year. Export traffic increased by 6.5% to 80.2 million tons, while domestic traffic increased by 2.5% to 161.4 million tons, confirming the company’s steady growth in transportation activities.