Billions pledged: Kazakhstan’s transport ministry unveils ambitious reform plan

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport has announced plans to secure approximately $17 billion in investments for sweeping reforms in rail, water transport and road infrastructure. Key initiatives include the construction of new railroads and highways, the establishment of a container hub in the port of Aktau and the procurement of new railcars.

The infrastructure improvement project, slated for completion by 2030, aims to add 4,700 kilometers of new roads, 3,700 kilometers of which will meet Category 1 standards, the highest road classification, requiring a width of 35 meters.

Starting in 2025, the following road segments will undergo upgrades:

Kyzylorda-Zhezkazgan (208 km).

Aktobe-Ulgaisyn (234 km).

Karaganda-Zhezkazgan (572 km).

Saryagash city bypass (102 km).

Kyzylorda city bypass (20 km).

Kyzylorda-Saksaulsk (470 km).

Atyrau-Dossor (86 km).

Rudny city bypass (16.9 km).

Zhanaozen-Kenderli (156 km).

Petropavlovsk city bypass (8 km).

Turkestan city bypass (29.6 km).

Astana-Kostanay-Russian border (830 km).

Shymkent city bypass (48 km).

Atyrau-Uralsk (medium repairs, 516 km).

Atyrau-Shapai (136 km).

Almaty-Talgar-Baidybek Bi (68 km).

Almaty-Ushkonyr (48 km).

Beineu-Saksaulsk (736 km).

Bridge over the Ural River (6.5 km).

In 2025, Kazakhstan plans to purchase 225 new railcars as part of its transportation infrastructure overhaul. Railroad construction on the Dostyk-Moiynty section, which began in 2022, will also be completed. According to the Ministry of Transport, this project will increase capacity fivefold, enabling uninterrupted movement of 12 to 60 pairs of trains daily. Additionally, the ministry announced the completion of the bypass line at Almaty station, a project that began in 2023 and was scheduled for completion by the end of 2024. The bypass spans 73 kilometers.

Traffic is also expected to open on the Dostyk-Beskol and Moiynty-Balkhash sections. This move aims to improve train traffic and address challenges related to freight transportation on these routes.

To boost maritime transportation, construction has begun on a container hub at the port of Aktau, which, once completed, will increase the port’s capacity to 240,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) per year. The ministry expects this development to strengthen Kazakhstan’s role in international logistics. The hub will enhance container shipping along the Trans-Caspian route through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, while also redirecting some transit cargo from China to Europe.