Kazakhstan positions Middle Corridor as key Eurasian transit route - review
Kazakhstan is increasingly turning its geographical location into an economic advantage by developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, widely known as the Middle Corridor, according to an analytical article published by All China Review, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The publication notes that amid the rapid reconfiguration of global supply chains, Kazakhstan is moving away from the traditional perception of being a landlocked country toward the concept of being land linked, acting as a strategic connector between Europe and Asia. This shift is driven by long term investments in transport infrastructure, digital logistics and cross border industrial cooperation, with the Middle Corridor at the core of this strategy.
According to the article, Kazakhstan currently operates five international railway corridors and eight major road corridors connecting China, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Russia, Europe and the Middle East. In 2024, transit freight volumes reached 34.6 million tonnes, showing a year-on-year increase of 7.1 percent. The government plans to raise transit volumes to 67 million tonnes by 2029 and to 100 million tonnes by 2035.
Special attention is paid to the growing role of the Middle Corridor, which runs from China through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Georgia, and further to Europe. Cargo volumes along the Trans Caspian route reached 4.5 million tonnes in 2024, reflecting rising demand from shippers seeking more diversified and resilient logistics routes.
Transport and logistics are already among the fastest growing sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy. Over the first ten months of the year, the volume of transport services increased by 20.7 percent, while investment in fixed assets rose by 18.4 percent. Rail freight volumes reached 380.3 million tonnes, air passenger traffic grew to 13.1 million people, and all Kazakh airports and airlines have transitioned to the IATA compliant e-Freight system, enabling fully paperless cargo operations.
The article also highlights the development of cross border logistics and industrial hubs. Four special economic zones, including Khorgos-Eastern Gate, the International Centre for Boundary Cooperation Khorgos, Aktau Seaport and TURAN, form the backbone of this ecosystem. These zones combine transport, warehousing and industrial production, aiming to generate higher value-added exports rather than focusing solely on transit.
Major infrastructure projects are underway to support this growth. Among them are the Darbaza-Maktaaral railway line, scheduled for completion in 2026, upgrades to the Altynkol-Zhetygen rail section, modernization of border checkpoints and large-scale investments in Caspian Sea port infrastructure in Aktau and Kuryk. Once completed, these projects are expected to raise the combined throughput capacity of Kazakhstan’s Caspian ports to 30 million tonnes per year.
As emphasized in the review, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set the strategic goal of positioning Kazakhstan as the main transport hub of Central Asia. The approach combines infrastructure development with industrial cooperation, job creation and the reduction of administrative barriers for investors.
All China Review concludes that Kazakhstan’s Middle Corridor strategy represents a comprehensive model of how geography, supported by modern infrastructure and digital solutions, can be transformed into a sustainable competitive advantage, strengthening the country’s role as a bridge between Europe and Asia.
This strategic approach is already being reinforced through concrete international projects. Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan agreed to expand ferry operations on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, including plans to purchase and operate new vessels worth 62 million US dollars.
