Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) has achieved a record annual rail freight turnover for the third year in a row. In 2023, turnover grew by seven per cent to 269 billion tonne-kilometres in comparison with the previous year. This growth can partially be attributed to higher transit volumes, in particular to and from China.
According to Kanat Almagambetov, the deputy director of KTZ, the country’s railways managed to sustain positive developments across ‘all production indicators’. Besides turnover growth to 269 billion tonne-kilometres, freight transit reached 1 million 28 thousand TEU, up by 13,5 per cent in comparison with 2022. Part of this growth is related to transport to and from China, as rail freight volumes grew by 22 per cent, reaching 28 million tonnes.
Rapid developments
Turnover growth is accompanied by projects to improve Kazakhstan’s rail network to facilitate transport along the Middle Corridor and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). ‘Last year was not easy, but packed in terms of executing various ambitious projects,’ says Almagambetov. In 2023, Kazakhstan started working on new rail lines connecting the country to China and Uzbekistan, including a new border crossing with the former near northeastern Ayagoz. Repair works covered 1443 kilometres of rail infrastructure, double the amount of 2022.