Eurasian Railway Meeting Convened in Beijing to Explore Connectivity Expansion
On 25 December 2024, experts met in Beijing to discuss the China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran (CKTI) rail route. The meeting reviewed operational results for 2024 and explored possibilities for future development.
During the first 11 months of 2024, cargo volume increased by 31% compared to the corresponding period in 2023. The vigorous growth is a motivation to expand the services.
Several points were discussed, with the following key items on the agenda:
- Reduce transit times
- Streamline customs and other cross-border procedures
- Apply digitalization to improve efficiency and transparency
The CKTI rail is a vital corridor on the Eurasian network and a key connectivity project linking China to Central Asia, the Middle East, and eventually to Europe. It forms part of the land component of the flagship Belt and Road Initiative (#BRI). Following its implementation, the transcontinental railway has managed to reduce delivery times from China to Iran to just 15 days.
With growing traffic and promising prospects, the coordination meeting seeks to optimize operations and to enhance #connectivity of the countries along the corridor to China and the global market.