Kazakhstan Rail Freight Transportation Sees 3.2% Growth in 2026

Kazakhstan's rail freight transportation has seen significant growth in the first seven months of 2026, according to data from Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) JSC. The company reported that a total of 184.4 million tons were transported across its network between January and July 2026, marking an increase of 3.2% compared to the same period in 2025.

The growth was driven by a rise in export transportation, which reached 53.4 million tons, up 6.5% from last year. Domestic transportation also saw an increase, reaching 97.2 million tons. The volume of hard coal transported across the KTZ network rose by 3.5%, with 40.9 million tons delivered to Kazakh consumers and 18.8 million tons exported.

The report also highlighted a significant increase in grain transportation, with 8.1 million tons moved, representing a 10% rise from the same period last year. Grain exports increased by 10.4%, reaching 6.3 million tons, while 1.8 million tons were transported within Kazakhstan.

Aset Nusupov, Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Trade and Integration, noted that the growth in rail freight transportation is part of the country's continued expansion of its role in regional transit and logistics. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, has seen significant growth, with cargo traffic increasing more than fivefold over three years.