On the Ayaguz grassland in the early morning, before the frost had dissipated, the roar of bulldozers had already formed a continuous line. The surveyor stepped on the soft new soil and repeatedly checked the elevation, while the transport vehicles lined up in a long line on the temporary access road. This used to be a sparsely populated wilderness in eastern Kazakhstan, but now a new channel connecting China is growing - the construction site of the Bakt Ayaguz railway. According to the plan, by 2027, trains will travel from here to Tacheng, Xinjiang, China, and the railway border ports between the two countries will also be reduced from two to three.

Acceleration on the construction site

According to the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, 92% of the railway earthwork project has been completed, and the construction of bridges, culverts, and other structures, as well as the laying of the railway superstructure, are still ongoing. About 870 professional mechanical equipment and 1450 staff have been deployed at the project construction site. According to the plan, by the end of 2026, the construction party will have completed the laying of 70 kilometers of rail sleeper tracks. The new railway has a total length of 303 kilometers and is planned to be completed and put into operation in 2027.

The components of the third channel

Why build a third channel? The answer is hidden in the busyness of the existing ports. In 2025, the freight volume of China Kazakhstan railway will reach 35.6 million tons, with a year-on-year growth of 11%, of which 17.86 million tons will be borne by Alashankou Dostek Port, and 14.237 million tons will be handled by Khorgos Atenkori Port. The two channels will operate at a high level for a long time. The annual transportation capacity of the new railway can reach 20 million tons. After its operation, it will effectively reduce the transportation pressure at the ports of Dostyk and Aletenkuole, and improve the efficiency of cargo circulation and distribution. According to Chinese predictions, the railway freight capacity between China and Kazakhstan is expected to increase from 28 million tons to 48 million tons after the full line is opened, shortening the transportation distance by thousands of kilometers compared to existing channels.

From Channel to Industry

In his State of the Union address, the head of state Hasmu Zhomart Tokayev emphasized the strategic significance of this project, calling for the transformation of transportation location advantages into transit transportation strength and the development of Kazakhstan as a Eurasian transportation hub. This year, Harbin will also build two railways with a total length of 475 kilometers and modernize 2900 kilometers of existing lines. On the Chinese side, the Tacheng Baktu Port is accelerating its supporting layout, with projects such as railway dedicated lines and dual parks between the two countries landing one after another. The value of the channel is extending from simple transportation to trade, logistics, and processing.keywords:Engineering infrastructure

For Kazakhstan, this railway means more exports, more transit cargo flows, and more stable logistics revenue; For China, it is an added pillar in the westward channel network. In 2027, when the first train passes through Bakht, the flow of goods on the Eurasian continent may be rewritten as a result.Editor/Yang Meiling