Kazakhstan and Turkey are pressing ahead with plans to standardize railway freight tariffs across the Middle Corridor, a move officials say is essential to sustaining the route's rapid growth as a competitive alternative to northern rail links connecting Europe and Asia.
Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov outlined the initiative at the 14th session of the Kazakh-Turkish Intergovernmental Economic Commission in Astana, underscoring what he called the "dynamic development and strategic character" of bilateral transport and logistics cooperation.
The numbers back that assessment. Rail freight traffic between the two countries totaled 6.4 million tons in 2025, representing a 35 percent increase compared to the prior year. Volumes on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route—which forms the backbone of the Middle Corridor across Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and onward to Turkey—exceeded 4 million tons over the same period. The corridor's freight volumes have risen more than fivefold in recent years, Bektenov noted.
"This is a tangible result of the trade and economic ties between the two countries," the Prime Minister said. "Today, this route is emerging as a reliable and competitive transport corridor between Europe and Asia."
Transit times have tightened accordingly. Cargo delivery along the Middle Corridor now takes roughly 13 days, a benchmark that has sharpened the route's appeal to shippers seeking faster alternatives to traditional Eurasian rail lines.
To build on that momentum, Bektenov called for continuing joint efforts on establishing unified tariffs, synchronizing tariff policies, and deploying digital solutions to streamline cross-border operations. "The development of the Middle Corridor is our shared priority," he said. "In this regard, systematic work is being carried out to modernize infrastructure, eliminate bottlenecks, and expand port and terminal capacities."
The Astana commission session follows a 2024 meeting held in Ankara, which Bektenov said had "greatly contributed to the development of relations between the two countries." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to make a state visit to Kazakhstan in May 2026, a trip that is anticipated to give further momentum to bilateral economic and infrastructure cooperation.