ALMATY — Kazakhstan has experienced a significant increase in container train traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR or Middle Corridor), with 200 container trains transiting from China to Europe from January through August 2024.

According to Trend News Agency, the surge in container train volumes has been facilitated by the newly built Kazakh-Chinese terminal at the Xi'an dry port, which commenced operations in early 2024. This terminal now accounts for 30 percent of the container trains passing through Kazakhstan towards European destinations. Improvements in logistics and infrastructure have also enhanced transit times: cargo now moves from Altynkol station in Kazakhstan to Absheron in Azerbaijan in nine days, reaches Georgia's ports of Poti or Batumi in 12 days, and travels onward to Constanta in Romania in 20 to 22 days.

The remarkable increase from just 11 container trains in the same direction in 2023 underscores the growing importance of the Middle Corridor as a strategic link in the rail freight network connecting China with the European Union. The corridor not only bridges Central Asia, the Caucasus, Trkiye, and Eastern Europe but also aligns multimodal transport facilities including ferry terminals along the Caspian and Black Seas with the rail systems of several countries.

This route offers a competitive edge by reducing the transit time for goods traveling between China and Europe to an average of 20-25 days, making it a key component in the enhancement of Eurasian cargo flow.