Kazakhstan plans to increase annual transit traffic to 100mn tons by 2035 as it expands transport infrastructure and strengthens international connectivity along the East-West, North-South and Trans-Caspian corridors, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced during Kazakhstan’s Transport Week in Astana.
The event brought together transport officials and industry representatives from nearly 40 countries to discuss international freight transport, infrastructure development, digitalisation and cross-border cooperation.Participants included senior officials from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and the Czech Republic, alongside representatives of international organisations, logistics companies and the diplomatic corps.
Kazakhstan’s transport sector grew by 7.2% in the first nine months of 2026, making it one of the country’s leading sectors.“President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has identified the development of transport and logistics potential as one of the country's strategic priorities. Modern transport infrastructure facilitates the expansion of international trade, attracts investment, creates new industries, and strengthens economic ties between countries,” Bektenov said.
Kazakhstan has been implementing a large-scale transport infrastructure development programme. Over the past seven years, 36,300km of roads have been built or repaired, while 5,000km of railways have been built or modernised over the past five years.
The country is also developing its border crossings, seaports and airports. Aviation safety has reached 95.7%, according to the event materials.Transit traffic through Kazakhstan rose by 18% to 39.1mn tons in 2025. By 2035, the government plans to quadruple seaport capacity, increase fleet capacity fivefold and raise annual transit volumes to 100mn tons.
Discussions in Astana also focused on improving connectivity along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and developing the proposed Trans-Afghan Corridor, alongside existing East-West and North-South routes.
Participants highlighted the need to remove infrastructure bottlenecks and administrative barriers, introduce “green corridors” and expand the single-window principle to simplify cross-border freight transport and reduce delivery times and costs. The meeting also emphasised digitalising logistics, ensuring seamless transit and expanding joint investment in transport infrastructure across the region.