Kazakhstan — China rail: 28.4 Mt in nine months (+8%), Kazakhstan proposes 42.3 Mt for 2027

The 35th regular meeting of the joint commissions of the Kazakhstan and China border railways took place in China. The Kazakh delegation was led by KTZ Deputy Chairman Marat Shakenov and the Chinese side by Guo Jian'an, chairman of Urumqi Railway. Rail-news.kz and BAQ.kz reported this on 20 October 2026.

In the first nine months of 2026, 28.4 million tonnes of cargo crossed the Kazakhstan–China border points, 8% more than a year earlier. Kazakhstan-to-China shipments reached 17.6 million tonnes (+9%) and China-to-Kazakhstan 10.8 million tonnes (+8%). For the whole of 2025 the volume was 35.6 million tonnes.

For 2027, Kazakhstan proposes a volume of 42.3 million tonnes: 26.8 million tonnes towards China and 15.5 million tonnes in the opposite direction. To raise capacity, KTZ has built second tracks on the Moyynty — Dostyk section and the Zhetygen — Kazybek Bek bypass around the Almaty hub; five passing points have opened on Zhetygen — Altynkol, and Altynkol station has eight new sorting tracks and four 1,435 mm gauge tracks. The parties are also discussing uninterrupted border-crossing operations, and a protocol is to be signed after the meeting.

For Gateway Logistics rail clients this is a planning benchmark for import shipments from China in 2027. We forward wagons, containers and container flatcars: Khorgos/Altynkol and Dostyk — Alashankou to Almaty, Astana, regions of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran and Turkmenistan.

Sources: Rail-news.kz, 20 October 2026; BAQ.kz, 20 October 2026.