Category: Corridors

China to pour at least $2.3 billion for line to Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan

The financing agreement details of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) line have been revealed. The project is expected to cost 4.7 billion US dollars in total. According to Kyrgyz railway officials, China is expected to fund 51 per cent of the project’s costs with a loan of 2.3 billion US dollars. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will need to…

Canada-US-Mexico services start to deliver for CPKC

Combining CP and KCS networks enables CPKC to transport cargo from Mexico to more US and Canadian destinations, shifting focus to longer haul routes. Speaking to CPKC’s results for Q1 2024, John Brooks, the company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, said the newly merged railroad is starting to achieve one of its key…

Iran inaugurates railway linking Caspian Sea to Persian Gulf

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) sees another critical rail puzzle piece taking its place. The Qazvin-Rasht rail link will be inaugurated on Thursday, 20 June in the presence of Iranian, Russian and Azerbaijani delegates. This short (37 kilometres) but critical piece of infrastructure will provide seamless railway connections between Caspian Sea ports and the…

EU Council gives final approval for new TEN-T regulation

The EU Council finally adopted the revised regulation concerning the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). The act still needs to be signed by the Presidents of the EU Council and the European Parliament before being published in the EU’s official journal. The regulation will then enter into force 20 days after the publication.…

Spanish region gets billions of euros for Atlantic Corridor development

The Spanish Ministry of Transport will invest 2.8 billion euros for the development of the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor in the Asturias region. The vast majority will be allocated to the railways. Of the 2.8 billion euros allocated for Asturias, 2.42 will be dedicated to railway projects. The remaining funds will be split between road infrastructure…

INSTC takes up role as energy corridor: Russian coal to head to India

Russia is planning to ship coal to India along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). India has long been interested in establishing trade with Russia along the corridor, and cooperated with Iran for that purpose. The collaboration is now bearing fruit, as the INSTC is taking up its role as an energy corridor between Russia…

Kazakh Xi’an terminal boosts Middle Corridor traffic by 70%

The Kazakh rail terminal in Xi’an, China, has boosted freight traffic on the Middle Corridor by 70 per cent. The terminal opened for operations in February 2024 and has since then significantly affected freight volumes heading west. According to the organisation Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, the Kazakh rail terminal in Chinese Xi’an has significantly boosted…

Turkey to start building key Zangezur connection in late 2024

Turkey will start building a railway from Kars to Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan’s exclave region, at the end of 2024. In combination with a possibly completed Zangezur Corridor, Turkey and Azerbaijan will have a direct rail connection, creating an alternative route for Asia – Europe traffic. According to the Turkish minister of transport, the Kars – Nakhchivan…

Tajikistan looking for 7,5 billion dollars in funding for rail

Tajikistan seems to be hopping onto the bandwagon for rail infrastructure in Central Asia. The country is looking for 7,5 billion dollars (7 billion euros) in investments for its rail network. The Tajik rail infrastructure is underdeveloped yet crucial for the country’s international trade. At an economic forum in the Russian city of Kazan, the…