Rail freight traffic between Kazakhstan and Russia increased by 4% in the first seven months of 2026, reaching 56.1 million tons, as the two countries work to expand railway capacity and improve cargo processing at the Iletsk-1 border crossing, Qazinform News Agency cites the Kazakh Transport Ministry.
The meeting held at the interstate railway crossing was attended by heads of the railway authorities of Kazakhstan and Russia, as well as representatives of the countries’ border services. The sides noted positive growth in freight traffic between the two countries.
In 2025, rail freight volumes reached 92 million tons, an increase of 3.5% compared with 2024. During the first seven months of 2026, 56.1 million tons of cargo were transported by rail between Kazakhstan and Russia, up 4% from the same period last year. One of the key topics discussed at the meeting was increasing the capacity of railway infrastructure and speeding up cargo processing at the Iletsk-1 border crossing.
As part of a bilateral roadmap approved by the two countries, a number of joint measures have already been implemented. Receiving and departure tracks were extended, allowing long-haul freight trains to pass through the crossing more efficiently. Additional lighting was also installed in the inspection area, while new workstations were created to speed up the processing of transportation documents.
Following the meeting, Kazakhstan and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to continuing cooperation on railway infrastructure development, increasing freight volumes and expanding the capacity of border crossings. The measures are expected to contribute to more efficient use of the two countries’ transport and transit potential.
Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan’s rail freight transport maintained growth in the first seven months of 2026.