At the beginning of 2026, the railway freight channel between Kazakhstan and China is showing a busy scene. According to the latest real-time operational data released by Kazakhstan National Railway Company, the freight volume of Kazakhstan China Railway has increased by 9.3% year-on-year since the beginning of the year. Not only has the export business achieved a strong rebound of 17%, but transit transportation has also shown an explosive growth trend. Behind this series of red data is the continuous ramp up of the transportation capacity of Kazakhstan's railway network and the deep empowerment of its digital strategy, marking a new level of resilience and vitality for the China Kazakhstan international logistics corridor.

Port capacity increases significantly

The steady growth of freight volume is attributed to substantial breakthroughs in hardware facilities. With the completion and commissioning of the Dostyk Moint railway double track project, trains at key border ports between China and Kazakhstan have doubled in number and load capacity, directly ensuring the export demand for commodities such as iron ore, agricultural products, black metals, and petroleum products. Data shows that the export volume at the beginning of 2026 increased by 17% year-on-year, thanks to the breaking of transportation capacity bottlenecks, which enabled high-quality resources from Kazakhstan to be more efficiently transported to the Chinese market and surrounding areas. Kazakhstan National Railway Company has clearly stated that the modernization of infrastructure is the physical foundation to support the continuous increase in freight volume, and will continue to strengthen the shortcomings of the road network in a targeted manner in the future.

The growth rate of the middle corridor is rapidly increasing

In addition to hardware upgrades, digital infrastructure construction has become a key engine for improving transit efficiency. Hafang emphasized that for landlocked countries, efficient and transparent digital systems are the cornerstone of enhancing global competitiveness. Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration Ashit Nusubov pointed out that digitization is the core of modernizing trade processes, and the predictable transportation environment is crucial for transit operations. Under this promotion, the potential of the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor (Middle Corridor) has been deeply activated. In the first quarter of 2026, 125 China Europe freight trains will operate through this channel, a significant increase of 34.4% year-on-year. The transit freight volume from China has recorded a significant increase of 27%, and the overall transit freight volume between Kazakhstan and China has increased by 8%. The improvement in digital scheduling and customs clearance efficiency is indispensable. Keywords: international freight, logistics

Kazakhstan Railway Company promises to continue to make systematic efforts to further tap into the potential of transit transportation through infrastructure expansion and digital technology iteration dual wheel drive. With the deep collaboration between China and Kazakhstan in the logistics field, this cross Eurasian steel artery will not only bring considerable economic benefits to Kazakhstan, but also become an important ballast for the stable operation of the global supply chain, helping regional economic integration to a higher level of development.Editor/Cheng Liting