Kazakhstan Railways and Russian Railways Agree on 2026 Development Priorities
Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) and Russian Railways (RZD) have outlined their development priorities for 2026 following a meeting between KTZ Chairman Talat Aldybergenov and RZD CEO Oleg Belozerov in Moscow.
The meeting served as a review of 2025 performance and a platform for coordinating joint actions for the upcoming year. According to a press release from KTZ, freight volumes between Kazakhstan and Russia increased by 3.5% in 2025, reaching 92.1 million tons – a 3.1 million ton increase compared to 2024. Exports accounted for 52.9 million tons (+4.3%), while transit volumes reached 25.6 million tons (+8.8%).
Significant growth was observed in specific commodity shipments. Kazakh grain transported via Russian territory tripled, reaching 2.2 million tons. Transshipment through Russian ports increased by 34% to 526.4 thousand tons. Coal shipments from Kazakhstan through Russian ports also saw a substantial increase of 38%, totaling 11.7 million tons.
Recognizing the potential for freight volumes to exceed the capacity of interstate connection points (MGSP) in 2026, both parties emphasized the importance of synchronized infrastructure development, coordinated efforts by state control agencies at MGSP, and adherence to agreements regarding train exchange and technological advancements at connection stations.
The development of the eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) was also discussed. Container transport along the corridor increased by 50% in 2025.
Both leaders highlighted the success of digital transformation initiatives in logistics, particularly the adoption of electronic consignment notes in international traffic.