Connecting India and Central Asia via Latvia, how and why?
India has the ambition to step closer to Central Asian countries, but direct rail connections from India to Central Asia are unrealistic for mostly geopolitical reasons. Thus, rail-sea intermodal services become the solution, despite the...Read more
Pakistan on track to become the new Persian Gulf gateway via rail
ANALYSISThe race to acquire a place in global supply chains is intensifying, and Pakistan seems committed to getting a good position. The South Asian country is on track to launch two railway projects, which are...Read more
First Iran-Afghanistan railway operation completed
Iran and Afghanistan jointly completed the first rail operation on the Khaf-Herat railway line. The journey included 17 wagons and 655 tonnes of railway equipment for future rail construction. The route is 225 kilometres long,...Read more
Trans-Afghan rail corridor needs EU as much as Taliban
A delegation of Uzbekistan Railways is on a visit to Europe with a mission: stirring the interest in the Trans-Afghan Corridor. This corridor that connects Uzbekistan with Pakistan via Afghanistan is in need of foreign...Read more
Trans-Afghan railway: Uzbekistan is ready to welcome foreign investors
The Trans-Afghan railway, which will connect Uzbekistan to Pakistan, is open to Foreign Direct Investors (FDIs), including from the EU. This was one of the outcomes of a meeting held in Tashkent, in eastern Uzbekistan,...Read more
First shipment on China-Afghanistan corridor has promising transit time
The first shipment along the China-Kyrgystan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan corridor was successful. The first train carrying just two containers in the context of a testing period reached Hairatan in Afghanistan on Friday, 23 September. It departed from the...Read more
First containers on the move on new China-Afghanistan corridor
Several containers are currently on the move to test the newly established corridor China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan. The first 2 containers left the Chinese city of Kashgar on 13 September. The trial period is to last 3 months.Read more
Iran finishes line section that puts Chabahar port on railway maps
The significance of Chabahar’s port in the supply chain between Russia and India via Iran is apparent in India’s willingness to invest heavily and develop it further. Yet, what is considered a crucial transport gateway,...Read more
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan draw roadmap for corridor to Pakistan
The Trans-Afghan railway that connects Uzbekistan to the ports of Pakistan is one step closer to realisation. Afghan officials have promised to finalise the roadmap, which had been delayed due to ‘recent developments in the...Read more
Iran and Afghanistan want to extend shared rail connection to China
The Khaf-Herat railway line between Iran and Afghanistan could possibly extend towards China as part of the East-West railway corridor. Abbas Khatibi, the Deputy Transport and Urban Development Minister, stated that such a development could...Read more
Taliban in Afghanistan, new railway deals in the region?
ANALYSIS – Rail freight connections to Afghanistan have been high on the agenda for governments in the region, as they could open up Central Asian markets for countries in the southeast of Asia, most notably...Read more
India’s plan to become a leading rail freight force
As international rail freight superpowers grow, India should not be overlooked. The country is not a new rail freight market. However, it is an extensive and full of possibilities market that seems to take all...Read more
Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan to connect via joint rail project
Railway developments in Central Asia have made the headlines several times recently, with Pakistan and Uzbekistan playing a central role. Once more, they are the leading players of a potential railway connection, this time between...Read moreTurkey steps up to improve Afghanistan’s infrastructure
Turkey and Afghanistan will collaborate closely on transport infrastructure projects to upgrade Afghanistan’s profile after several years of war. On Thursday 28 January, the country signed a research and development cooperation agreement with this ambition....Read more