Kazakhstan and Russia tighten rail cooperation

Kazakhstan and Russia have agreed to deepen their cooperative efforts in the field of rail freight and infrastructure, specifically around the Selyatino hub near Moscow, which is currently being built. The deal comes amid growing rail freight volumes transiting Kazakhstan to Russia.

In order to further increase the freight flow of container trains on the China – Kazakhstan – Russia route, […] the parties agreed to work out the issue of constructing the necessary transport infrastructure adjacent to the Selyatino station, where in April of this year a project was launched to create a modern transport and logistics center”, says the Kazakh Prime Minister’s office.

The terminal at Selyatino is a joint venture aimed at ensuring the efficient handling of cargo following the route Xi’an (China) – Dostyk/Altynkol (Kazakhstan) – Selyatino (Russia), Kazakhstan says. The terminal is supposed to be an important link in the development of international transport corridors and to increase the competitiveness of rail transit through Kazakhstan.

Volume growth

Rail freight transit transit volumes through Kazakhstan towards Russia have been growing at a steady pace. “In particular, according to the results of nine months of 2024, as a result of the joint work of the railways of Kazakhstan and Russia, the volume of container transportation from Russia to China through Kazakhstan increased by 63 per cent, through the territories of Russia and Kazakhstan along the China-Europe-China route – by 65 per cent ​​compared to the same period in 2023”, the Kazakh Prime Minister’s office said.