Bakhty – Ayagoz: 303 km, 83% earthworks, third China rail crossing

In eastern Kazakhstan, NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy is building the 303 km Bakhty – Ayagoz rail line. It will open access to a third railway border crossing with China; trains currently cross via Dostyk – Alashankou and Altynkol – Khorgos, Kursiv reported on 7 October 2026.

Demand for an extra route follows the scale of traffic: in 2025, Kazakhstan–China cross-border rail freight through the two existing crossings reached 33.9 Mt. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport estimates the new corridor could handle up to 25 Mt a year once complete. Construction is due by end-2027; at the time of the report, 83% of the earthworks were already finished.

For wagon, container and flatcar forwarding via the eastern crossings, this points to a future three-gate split that eases pressure on Dostyk and Altynkol — including moves into Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran and Turkmenistan and domestic legs across Kazakhstan.

Source: Kursiv, 7 October 2026.