Construction has started on a £1.2bn motorway in Kazakhstan that will reduce freight journeys between Europe and China by up to 1,000km. The Beyneu–Saksaulsk highway, part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), is expected to be completed by 2029.
Route and scope
The 800-kilometre road will run from Beyneu in the western Mangystau region, near Uzbekistan's border, to Saksaulsk in the south-central Kyzylorda region. It will connect with Kazakhstan's eastern border crossings with China and reach the Caspian Sea ports of Aktau and Kuryk.
Once finished, the motorway will be known as the Aral-Caspian highway. The project is estimated to cost approximately £1.2bn (780 billion tenge), with funding largely provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
Impact on trade
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the route will become a key international transport artery. He promised that freight transport between Europe and China will be cut by 1,000km, with delivery times reduced to three days.
Tokayev stated: “By strengthening ties within Kazakhstan, the road will also serve as a ‘golden bridge’ between China and Europe. The project will directly connect checkpoints on the Chinese border with the ports of Aktau and Kuryk. As a result, the length of freight transport from China to Europe will be reduced by 1,000 km, and delivery time shortened to 3 days. In our people’s value system, the construction of wells and bridges has long been considered an act of virtue and care for others.”
Future cargo flows
Officials believe cargo flows could increase 2.5 times to 13.2 million tons annually once the route is operational. Kazakhstan is also upgrading its wider road network, with 11,000 to 13,000 kilometres of road construction and improvements underway.
