Germany eyes EU financing for more rail with Central Asia
Germany and Central Asian countries are amid attempts to strengthen their trade cooperation and possibly increase rail connections. A few days ago, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with the heads of five Central Asian countries,...Read more
Several Central Asian destinations become part of RCG’s network
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group is expanding its Eurasian network, focusing on Central Asia. The Austria-based company now serves several markets in the region, offering two different connection routes that follow the Middle Corridor.Read more
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
Will INSTC synergy attempts produce the expected results?
A new technology and logistics union is in the making in Russia to foster closer trade and economic ties with countries around the Caspian Sea and Central Asia. The union’s primary purpose will be to...Read more
Turkmenistan officially joins the INSTC
The Russian government has agreed to have Turkmenistan join the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). The addition of Turkmenistan offers an alternative route on the eastern branch of the corridor that would bypass Azerbaijan.Read more
Kyrgyzstan-Russia open new transport route, but what for?
A new transport route linking Kyrgyzstan and Russia via the Caspian Sea is about to open soon. The route will also cross Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and run through the Caspian Sea, linking the port of...Read more
China to meet 5 Central Asian countries, 3 rail topics to expect
China’s president Xi Jinping is to meet with the leaders of five Central Asian countries in Xi’an this month. Delegations will undoubtedly echo the synergy of the Silk Road development, especially on the Middle Corridor....Read more
Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan form joint venture on INSTC
The railway companies of Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have formed a new joint venture to operate rail freight services on the eastern branch of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC). This corridor links Russia...Read more
Bahrain wants in on the INSTC
The Kingdom of Bahrain signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Turkmenistan to become part of the International North-South Transport Corridor. Turkmenistan Railways and Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication have agreed to connect the two...Read more
KTZ’s Middle Corridor volumes more than doubled in 2022
The Middle Corridor is increasingly establishing itself as a viable alternative to routes crossing Russia. As Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Joly (KTZ), claimed, the volumes of cargo transported on this route rose by...Read more
Something is moving in Central Asia with Agroexpress rail services
The Eurasian Agroexpress project, officially launched in 2022 by member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), is here to stay and expand. In its first year of operation, the rail project scored sufficient numbers...Read more
KTZ Express: new India-Kazakhstan service via Iran-Turkmenistan
Kazakhstan is joining Russia in the quest to develop the eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). The newest development is that KTZ Express, the multimodal subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railway company KTZ,...Read more
RZD to open an office in Turkmenistan and vice versa
Russia and Turkmenistan recently signed an MoU concerning the possibility of opening a Russian Railways (RZD) office in Turkmenistan and a Turkmen Railways office in Russia.Read more
First Turkey-Uzbekistan train inaugurates new corridor
The first freight train on the railway line from Turkey reaches Uzbekistan via Iran and Turkmenistan reached its final destination on Saturday 3 December. This is the first freight train running on the 4,500-kilometre-long line,...Read more
RZD to offer discounts on the Moscow-Mumbai corridor
Russian Railways (RZD) will offer a 20 per cent discount for the transportation of containers along the eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). The discount will be valid throughout 2023.Read more
EDB: ‘INSTC potential not limited to Russian involvement’
The frenzy noted lately around the International North-South Transport Corridor is not only limited to Russia’s benefits through it. The INSTC has been projected as the Russian lifeline during the past months after the western...Read more
RZD launches first regular train Moscow-India
The consecutive pilot services along diverse routes of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in the past months are finally bearing fruits for the Russian Railways. RZD launched the first regular INSTC container train service...Read more
Russia-India corridor now goes east, middle and west
The eastern branch of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a fact. Six trains are currently en route overland, from Russia to India via Turkmenistan and Iran. These trains indicate the increased interest...Read more
A new stop on the Russia-Iran corridor: port of Turkmenbashi
Turkmenistan will join India, Russia, and Iran on the International North-South Corridor (INSTC). The countries signed agreements towards this end last week during the Ministerial Transport Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries, held in Avaza, in...Read more