Kazakhstan: Decommissioning of Old Passenger Cars

JSC “Passenger Transportation”, part of Kazakhstan’s railways (KTZ), has announced plans to decommission old passenger cars by 2030, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

General Director Zhanibek Taizhanov reported that 28% of the country’s total rolling stock consists of outdated cars, which are planned to be completely phased out within the next six years.

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Currently, out of the 2,150 passenger cars owned by the national carrier, about 600 are old models with an average age of 28 years.

After the planned decommissioning, the average age of the car fleet will be reduced to 10-13 years, significantly improving the quality of passenger transportation and enhancing safety and comfort for passengers.

As part of the fleet renewal strategy, KTZ plans to purchase more than 700 new passenger cars by 2030.

In 2023, a contract was signed with the ZIKSTO plant for the supply of 150 new cars, of which 88 units were delivered last year, and the remaining 62 cars will arrive in the first half of this year.

Moreover, in May of this year, the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan announced the purchase of 140 new Kazakhstan-made passenger cars for KTZ.

Not limited to domestic supplies, KTZ also signed a contract with the international company Stadler.

Starting in 2025, deliveries of 537 passenger cars produced by this company will begin.

Such a large-scale project to renew the rolling stock reflects KTZ’s serious intentions to improve passenger transportation standards in Kazakhstan.

The renewal of the rolling stock is an important step in the development of the country’s rail transport.

The new cars will provide a higher level of comfort, which is important for passengers, especially on long routes.

Modern cars also meet stricter safety and environmental standards, which will positively impact the overall level of Kazakhstan’s transport infrastructure.

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Zhanibek Taizhanov noted that the renewal of the rolling stock will not only increase the comfort and safety of passenger transportation but also lead to significant economic and environmental benefits.

New cars are more energy-efficient, which will reduce operating costs and decrease harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

The decommissioning of old cars and the purchase of new ones is a strategically important step for KTZ, aimed at modernizing infrastructure and increasing the competitiveness of rail transport in Kazakhstan.

This also aligns with global trends in the transport industry, where great attention is paid to sustainable development and innovation.

Thus, by 2030, KTZ plans to significantly renew its passenger car fleet, making a substantial contribution to the development of the country’s transport system, improving the quality of passenger service, and increasing the environmental friendliness of transportation.

Photo: KTZ

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