The Ashgabat-Turkmenbashi Railway on the Brink of Radical Modernization
Ashgabat, January 16 | ORIENT. One of the country's main transport arteries, connecting the capital with the International Seaport on the Caspian Sea, is awaiting a major upgrade. At a Cabinet of Ministers meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Mammetkhan Chakyev presented a comprehensive modernization project for the Ashgabat-Turkmenbashi Railway.
This decision will serve as a catalyst for all international corridors in which Turkmenistan participates—from the legendary Lapis Lazuli to the global North-South route.
The Ashgabat-Turkmenbashi Railway plays a significant role in regional trade, connecting maritime and overland transportation. Modernization of this line will address three strategic objectives:
Capacity: Upgrading the tracks and infrastructure will increase the speed of freight trains, which in itself is a competitive advantage.
Corridor Connection: This line is the "golden link" where TRACECA, the East-West, and North-South corridors intersect. Without its upgrade, it will be impossible to fully realize the potential of the Turkmenbashi port.
Transit Status: Modernization will make the route through Turkmenistan the fastest and most technologically advanced short-haul route between Central Asia and the Caucasus.
The approval of this project by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov marks a shift from quantitative to qualitative growth in transit. Investments in the "steel highway" to the Caspian Sea are a response to the growing global demand for safe and fast transportation through the Middle Corridor.
