Pakistan to operate first cargo train to Russia from June 22 The service will help enhance regional connectivity and boost Pakistans trade with Russia. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Pakistan is set to launch its first-ever freight train to Russia on June 22, marking a key milestone in expanding Pakistan’s regional trade and transport connectivity
Freight train (Photo: tca.gov.tm)

The train will run from Lahore through 2,300 kilometers of track to Iran’s Taftan border. It will then go through the eastern arm of the North-South Transport Corridor, an expanding trade route between South Asia and Eurasia.

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Upon entering Iran, the cargo will be off-loaded in Zahedan, for a change of gauge. The train will then move on through Turkmenistan across the Sarakhs border and through Kazakhstan before reaching Astrakhan in southern Russia.

Pakistan Expands Regional Rail Connectivity

Turkmenistan is key in this corridor. Its railway track gauge is the same to Kazakhstan’s track and Russia’s gauge and thus users do not need to make any transfers. The complete trip is approximately 8,000 kilometers, and it takes between 20 and 25 days to travel. The initial freight load is planned to be 15-16 TEUs, but may grow to 31 containers.

Pakistan Bolsters Trade with Strategic Rail Connections

Minister for Railways of Pakistan Muhammad Hanif Abbasi commented the launch is in line with Pakistan’s broader goal of connecting to Central Asia and opening up new trade channels. He stressed the importance of linking Pakistan’s railway system with other rail networks in Eurasia.

It marks a turning point for Pakistan’s entry into transnational logistics and an assured role for the country on future global freight highways.” Better tariff arrangements may lend more commercial viability to the route.

Given the rising demand for alternative trade corridors, this corridor has the potential to reroute goods movement between South Asia and the Russian Federation, and contribute to consolidating Pakistan’s place within the global logistics community.

Source: business.com.tm

When will Pakistan send its first-ever freight train to Russia?

Pakistan's first ever freight train to Russia will leave Lahore on June 22, “ushering in a new era” of regional trade and connectivity, according to the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood.

Which path will the train take to get to Russia?

The train will run 8,000 kilometers, from Lahore across the border to Iran’s Taftan and other stations through Zahedan and thereafter to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan before ending its journey at Astrakhan in southern Russia.

Why is this initiative significant for Pakistan?

This is a step forward taking Pakistan’s significance for global logistics and will provide new trading ways to Central Asia and Russia, positioning Pakistan as a key and essential conduit in the forthcoming transcontinental trade routes.

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