New container service through Kazakhstan via Xi'an-Prague route passed under Bosphorus for the first time

In general, the ceremony was attended by representatives of the Governments of Turkey, China, Azerbaijan, as well as foreign railway and transport companies.

In his speech, Sauat Mynbayev noted that this is a truly historic event.

“The launch of the Xi'an-Ankara-Prague train proves the demand for the Trans-Caspian international transport route in the logistics market, as well as the prospect of developing this corridor in European directions. The fact that a container train crosses the Marmaray submarine railway tunnel under the Bosphorus strait for the first time makes it historical”, S. Mynbayev noted.

Thus, Kazakhstan and Turkey together with Azerbaijan and Georgia created a multimodal Trans-Caspian bridge, providing the shortest exit of cargo flows from China, Central Asia, the Siberian region of Russia to Turkey and the Mediterranean.

These countries, located between the main world markets, have historically been the hub connecting Asia and Europe, and act as a global bridge.

Kazakhstan will continue to conduct systematic work with major players in the logistics business, shippers and consignees to increase volumes and improve the quality of container service with strict adherence to transportation terms.

In addition, the service provided Kazakhstan’s exporters with the opportunity to use this route to deliver their products to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, as well as to the ports of the Black and Mediterranean seas.

It should be reminded that the new service is the implementation of the agreements reached between “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy” and the People’s Government of Shanxi Province in the framework of the “One Belt - One Road” initiative.