Kazakhstan is considering the privatisation of Kazakh Railways (KTZ). The company is not doing well financially, which has led the transport ministry to discuss alternative structures. Moreover, infrastructure management will likely be removed from KTZ’s portfolio. Marat Karabayev, Kazakhstan’s transport minister, stated that officials are discussing a privatisation of KTZ. The Kazakh rail operator and…
Category: KTZ
Kazakh minister beats back: tariff hikes justified
Kazakhstan is in the wake of a series of tariff hikes on the Kazakh rail network. Businesses and parliamentarians have protested the frequent price increases, and the government cancelled an earlier planned hike. Now, the Kazakh transport minister is beating back: the Kazakh network is cheap and the hikes are justified. “We need to point…
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…
Fuel, electricity and labour costs behind new KTZ cargo fee hikes
Higher fuel, electricity and labour costs are forcing Kazakh Railways’ cargo division (KTZ-GP) to increase its prices. Indebted Kazakh Railways (KTZ) is increasing its prices all across the board, to the dismay of the business community. KTZ is deeply in debt and needs higher income to cover its budget gaps. Even with a fourfold revenue…
Kazakh Railways once again requests higher track access charges: 20,3% increase
Kazakh Railways (KTZ) has once again requested approval for an increase of track access charges. The request for a 20,3 per cent increase comes after the loss-making rail company saw an earlier price hike cancelled by the government. According to the Association of Kazakh rail freight carriers, KTZ is insisting on a 20,3 per cent…
KTZ temporarily bans agricultural exports to China after border overload
Kazakh Railways (KTZ) has temporarily banned the export of agricultural goods via rail to China. KTZ explains the ban by referring to overloaded border crossings. At the Dostyk and Khorgos border crossings, 180 and 100 covered goods wagons respectively are waiting to be processed. According to KTZ, the Chinese railways do not unload the wagons…
Kazakhstan cancels rail freight price hikes after business dismay
Kazakhstan has cancelled Kazakh Railways’ freight price hikes. Earlier, the planned price increases led to dismay among Kazakh businesses due to worries about their competitiveness. Roman Sklyar, deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, cancelled the increase of so-called price limits for Kazakh Railways (KTZ). The price limits are used to calculate fees for transporting freight on…
Kazakh exporters worried as KTZ plans another fee hike
Kazakh Railways (KTZ) wants to raise its fees for rail freight. The rail operator and infrastructure manager points to its outstanding debt as the culprit for a potential price hike. KTZ earlier received criticism for frequently raising its fees. Kazakh exporters are worried about their competitiveness. KTZ applied to the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy…