3.

LAND TRANSPORT ROUTES FROM CENTRAL ASIA TO SEA PORTS OF THE

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN AND PAKISTAN IN THE SOUTH AND CHINA IN THE
EAST

Routes Development Scenarios

Figure 3.1 shows potential land transport corridors from Central Asia to sea ports in the
South and East.

A scenario approach has been applied in the course of the study, that is to attempt to
foresee the complex development along the particular corridors during the period up to the year
2000 and beyond using the all available information and data on existing networks, the
improvements or new constructions underway, as well as national and subregional EGO land
transport development plans.

Three following scenarios have been considered for possible options of developing land
transport routes from Central Asia to sea ports in the South and East:

Scenario 1 - Existing rail and road routes;

Scenario 2 -covering the period 1995-1997 when the railway line linking Central Asia
via Turkmenistan with the port of Bandar Abbas in the Islamic Republic
of Iran is planned to be operational;

Scenario 3 -the year 2000 and beyond when the railway networks of EGO member
countries are expected to be interconnected and construction of some
additional links to ports is completed.

The above scenarios are based on the already indicated fact that railways, because of
its advantages for bulk, containerized and long distance transport, will play the key role in freight
movement from Central Asia to and from the sea ports, as well as on the fact that the new
improved railway line linking Central Asia with the sea ports in China will provide for faster
movement of much higher cargo volumes than at present.

3.2. Scenario 1 Existing Rail and Road Routes

Railways

There is no direct railway connection at present (Fig. 3.2) of CAR with the ports in the
§Q.y!h in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan.

However, the CAR railway networks are linked via Druzba station at the
Kazakhstan/China border with a main railway line in China which provides access to three major
sea ports (Fig.3.3).

This railway line stretching from major ports of China (Lianyungang, Qindao, Shanghai)
to Urumqi-Druzba-Almaty- Tashkent-Mary-Parahat-Ashgabat and later to Seraks-Meshad (when
it is completed in 1996) is foreseen to be an additional to Trans-Siberian railway link between
China, via CAR and ECO subregion, and Europe.

China considers it to be a portion of the "Asia-Europe land bridge" on the Chinese

territory and is attaching great attention to its promotion and development.

3.1
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 Present status and improvement activities on this line are as follows:

China: The railway line is 4,130 km from the port of Lianyungang to Alatan Shankow at the
Kazakhstan/China border with seven sections. The section from the port of Lianyungang to
Pisian is a single line with the diesel locomotives. The section Pixian to Zhengzhou is a double
line with the diesel traction. The section Zhengzhou to Baoji is an electrified double line. The
section Baoji to Wuwei have two independent electrified single line, one is Baoji-Zhongwei-
Wuwei railway, other is Baoji-Lanzhou-Wuwei railway. The section fromWuwei to Urumqi is
already a double line with the diesel locomotives. The section Urumqi-Alatan Shankow is a
single line with diesel locomotives. The freight trains capacities are of 3,400 to 3,800 t. The
project of US$ 18 billion on double tracking the section Lanzhou-Urumqi (1,622 km) is well in
progress and expected to be completed in 1995 which will result in dramatic increase of the
capacity of this whole railway line (Fig. 3.4).

Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan- Turkmenistan: Basic technical data of the main railway lines in

the national territories of the above CAR are shown in the following table.

Sections Number of Locomotives Train load

tracks

KAZAKHSTAN
Druzba-Aktogai Diesel 3,200
2TE-10L 3,200
Diesel 3,600
2TE-10L 2,700
Diesel 3,600
2TE-10L 2,700
Chu-Dzambul 2 Diesel 4,500
2TE-10L 2,700
Dzambul-Aris-Chengeldi 2 Electric 4,500
3VL-805 2,700

UZBEKISTAN
Chengeldi-Tashkent 2 Electric2VL-60K 4,500
2,800
2 Diesel 4,500
Dzizak-Samarkand 2 2TE-10L 2,800
Samarkand-Bukhara 1-2 2TE-10L 3,800
2,800
Bukhara-Chardzhow 1-2 2TE-10L 3.200
4,200
TURKMENISTAN
Chardzhow-Mary 3,200
Mary-Tedzen 4,200
3,200
(project) 4,200
3,200

Construction of the 132 km railway line Tedzen (Parahat) -Seraks in Turkmenistan

started in 1992, and is expected to be completed in 1996. The Seraks border station will be
furnished with technical equipment to overcome break-of-gauge problem (1,520 mm in
Turkmenistan and 1,435 mm in Islamic Republic of Iran). Its target capacity is 5.3 million tons
a year. It is expected that this traffic volume will originate from: Kazakhstan (4,150,000 tons),
Turkmenistan (545,000 tons), Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Uointly 195,000 tons) ayear.
The total length of railway network in the Central Asian subregion is 19,500 km
(Turkmenistan 1,800 km, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan 4,200 km; Kazakhstan 13,500 km).

12

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 Technical characteristics of the main railway lines in the Central Asian subregion
corresponds with first class standards.

In order to provide higher level of railway service, it is planned to double the line section
between Parahat-Chardzhow (315 km), and construct additiona'"202 km double line, with
electrification of 605 km along the section Chardzhow-Samarkand-Mehrat. At present
strengthening of this line is in progress by electrifying sections Chu-Dzambul, and Chu-Almaty
(316 km), as well as doubling 42.1 km of the line. Completion is expected by the end of 1995.

Works is also in progress at Druzba station where strengthening the capacity takes placewith
the view to handle 2.7 million tons of freight by the end of 1995. Improvements are also
being done on the Aktogai-Druzba section.

Islamic Republic of Iran

The Iranian section of the line, from Turkish border to Tehran and Meshad is a singleline,
with the Tehran -Meshad section to be doubled in the Second Development Plan. Withthe
construction of a new section between Maine and Tabriz the operation length of the main
railway line will be shortened by 110 km, which means time and cost saving. The technical
capacity of the Tehran-Meshad section of the line is high and allows passenger trains to run at
a speed of 120 km per hour. The 170 km Meshad-Seraks section (the link with Turkmenistanwhich
is under construction) will be a single line with diesel traction.

As the Islamic Republic of Iran/Turkey railway link provides a connection to Europe, a

very brief description of the main railway line, up to Istanbul in Turkey, is as follows:

The railway line in Turkey is a single line, the 420 km section between Istanbul andAnkara
is electrified and equipped with central dispatching system. The line improvement
activities are reportedly taking place.

Capacity problems have been experienced because ferry services are used over thelake
Van. To overcome this bottleneck the following two alternatives are considered:

1. Construct 127 km of a new line around Lake Van, with 37 tunnels (approximate length
of 62 km) and 5 viaducts (which would be extremely costly; and

2. Construct a railway line from lake Van to Nahichavan (Azerbaijan) from which point
there is an existing railway connection to Iran.

decision however has yet to be made.

Rail ferry connection across the Bosphorus straight represents another capacity problem.

At present the Central Asian subregion is connected to the sea ports in the South
through the national road networks in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan (Fig. 3.5 and 3.6
respectively).

14

Roads:
The
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 Connections to/from the ports in the South via Islamic Recublic of Iran

From Turkmenistan, via four border-crossing points, the following road routes provideaccess
to the Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf: ,

Gudriolum/lncheborum -Tehran-Bandar Imam

-BandarAbbas 1,310km
-Chah Bahar 2,190 km

Gaudan/Badjigiran Bandar Abbas km

-Chah Bahar 1,858 km
Artik/Loftabad Bandar Abbas 1,562 km1,925
-Chah Bahar km

Seraks Bandar Abbas km1,832

-Chah Bahar km

The road sections Badjigiran-lmamgholi-Ghoochan and Loftabad-Dargar-Ghoochon

are under construction to ensure linkage with CAR via Turkmenistan.

From Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) the road route options to ports of
Bandar Abbas and Chah Bahar are the following:

a) Almaty-Ashgabat-Meshad-Yazd-Bandar Abbas 5,300 km4,800

c)
b) Almaty-Bandar
Tashkent-Bandar Abbas
Abbas. km

(via Yazd, road under construction in Iran) .. 4,008 km

d) Tashkent-Bandar Abbas (via Yazd) 3,218 km

Connections to the sea Dorts in Pakistan are ~s follows:

From Turkmenistan: Kushka- Turghundi (Afghanistan)-Herat-Kandahar-Chaman

(Pakistan)-Port Karachi (1,658 km);

From Uzbekistan: Termez-Kabul (Afghanistan)-Kandahar-Chaman- (Pakistan)-Port

Karachi (1968 km);

Termez (Uzbekistan)-Kabul (Afghanistan)-Peshawar (Pakistan)-port Karachi (2,318

km);

Almaty (Kazakhstan)- Torogart (China)-Kunjerab-Gilgit-Rawalpindi (Pakistan)-Port

Karachi; (3,517 km);

5. Ashgabat (Turkmenistan)-Badjigiran (the Islamic Republic of Iran)-Zahedan-Kohi

Taftan (Pakistan)-Quetta-Port Karachi (2.575 km);

Baku (Azerbaijan)-Astara (the Islamic Republic of Iran)-Zahedan-Kohitaftan

(Pakistan)-Quetta-Port Karachi (3,600 km).

It is to be noted that the Karachi Port and Port Qasim are located close to each other
and for practical purposes, e.g. distance/time calculation to remote destinations in CAR, may be
considered as one location. The distances by sections are as indicated below:

4.
1
2.
-Rajai,
1,971
1,469
3.
6.
17
-Rajai,
 ROAD DISTANCES FROM KARACHI TO MAJOR DESTINATIONS IN CAR

Karachi -Chaman = 840 km

Chaman -Kandahar = 120 km
Kandahar -Herat = 573 km
Herat -Kushka = 125 km

Karachi -Kushka = 1,658 km

Karachi -Chaman = 840 km

Chaman -Kandahar = 120 km
Kandahar -Kabul = 508 km
Kabul -Termez = 500 km

Karachi -Termez = 1,968 km (via Kandahar)

Karachi -Peshawar = 1,504 km

Peshawar 1- Kabul = 314 km
Kabul -Termez = 500 km

Karachi -Termez = 2,318 km (via Kabul)

Karachi -Rawalpindi = 1,568 km

Rawalpindi -Khunjerab = 901 km
Khunjerab -Torogart = 562 km

Karachi -Almaty = 3,517 km

From Almaty (Kazakhstan) to Karachi port (Pakistan) there are the following road route
options (Fig. 3.6):

a) via Tashkent (Uzbekistan) & National Highway No.5 in Pakistan:

Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)- Tashkent-Samarkand- Termez
(Uzbekistan)-Kabul- Torkham (Afghanistan)-Peshawar-Lahore-Karachi
(Pakistan) (4,099 km)

b) via Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Afghanistan and Indus Highway in Pakistan:

Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)- Tashkent-Samarkand- Termez
(Uzbekistan )-Kabul- T orkham (Afghanistan )-Peshawar-D. G. Khan-Kotri-Karachi
(Pakistan) (3,727 km)

c) via Afghanistan and National Highway No. 25 in Pakistan:

Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)- Tashkent-Samarkand-Karshi
-Termez (Uzbekistan)-Mazar-i-Sharif-Herat-Kandahar (Afghanistan)
-Quetta-Khuzdar-Karachi (Pakistan) I(3,783 km)

d) via Karakoram Highway and Pakistan National Highway No.5:

Almaty (Kazahkstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)- Torogart-Kushka-Khunjerab
(Ch ina )-Hassa na bd al-Rawalpindi-La hore-Karach i (Pakista n) (3,708 km)

18
 e) via Karakoram Highway and Indus Highway in Pakistan:
Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)- Torogart-Kashgar-Khunjerab
(China)-Hassanabdal-Peshawar -0. G. Khan-Kotri-Karachi 3,570 km)

f) via Turkmenistan and Afghanistan:

Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)- Tashkent-Samarkand
-Bukhara (Uzbekistan)-Mary (Turkmenistan)- Torogart-Herat
-Kandahar (Afghanistan)-Quetta-Khuzdar-Karachi (Pakistan) (3,827 km)

g) via Tajikistan Afghanistan and Indus Highway in Pakistan:

Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)-Dushanbe (Tajikistan)
-Termez (Uzbekistan)-Kabul (Afghanistan)-Peshawar-
D.G.Khan-Karachi (Pakistan) (3,751 km)

h) via Tajikistan, Afghanistan and National Highway No. 25 in Pakistan:

Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)-Dushanbe (Tajikistan)
-Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Herat-Kandahar (Afghanistan)-Quetta
-Khuzdar-Karachi (Pakistan) (3,893 km)

According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kazakhstan, the following

road routes from Kazakhstan to the sea ports in Pakistan, appear to be most feasible and
safe:

via Karakoram Highway between China and Pakistan and the national highways N5
or N6 in Pakistan;

Almaty (Kazakhstan)-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)- Torugart-Kashgar-Khunjerab. (China)-

Hasana bda n-Rawa Ipind i-La hore-Karach i;

Via Islamic Republic of Iran:

Almaty- Tashkent (Uzbekistan)- Askhabad (Turkmenistan)- Badjigiran-Zahedan-

Kohitaftan (Pakistan)-Quetta-Karachi;

To provide connection for road transport with western Kazakhstan, RussianFederation,

and Europe, the following route would be proposed: Karachi-Quetta-Kohi Taftan-
Za hed a n -Badj ig i ra n-As kh a ba d- Kra s n ovod s k- Be kd as h-Akta u-Atyra u -8 a ratov (Ru ssi a nFederation).

Connections to the sea ports in China

Road connections from CAR to sea ports in China are in principle via road border-
crossing points in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. All major road routes from those
points lead to the capital city of Urumqi in western China, which is located in around 700 km
distance from the border.

The Central Asia subregion is also connected with the backbone east-west highway
(Almaty-lstanbul) which may provide a road link between China and Turkey.

19
 The route has a total length of 5,907 km with three border-crossing options between
Turkmenistan and Islamic Republic of Iran, namely at Seraks, Gaudan and Gudriolum. The
importance of this route (Fig. 3.7) was recognized and supported in 1992, through the
agreement between seven ECO member countries: the Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Pakistan. Design, construction
and reconstruction of some sections has already started. The highway linking Istanbul, Tehran,Ashgabat,
Tashkent, Bishkek and Almaty is expected to be completed with the high technical
standards required for international traffic.

The above highway when it is completed might be considered as a partly achievement

of objective 1 of the EGO Outline Plan.

20
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22

:;j
 If Gudriolum is selected as the border-crossing point, respective sections of the
highway will be: Kazakh$tan -673 km; Kyrgyzstan -136 km; Uzbekistan -687 km;
Turkmenistan -1,110 km, Islamic Republic of Iran -1,440 km and Turkey -1,861 km.

Technical data on reconstruction and upgrading of the highway sections in CentralAsia,

with related cost estimates, are given in the Table 3.1.

Thus Scenario 1 features railway route from Central Asia to sea ports of China and
road and/or road-cum-rail routes to sea ports of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan.

In Qeneral it is very likely that the existing rail and road routes are in different
conditions with some routes/sections in need of improvement or renovation. Unfortunately
due to time and budgetary constraints it was not possible to undertake detail survey of the
routes.

3.3 SCENARIO 2 (1996-1997 period)

Scenario 2 is based on existing and available by 1996 infrastructure as well as on

projections for the period 1996-1997 when a number of on-going national rail and roadprojects,
being at the same time important international links, are to be completed (Fig. 3.8).

Railways

The construction of Tedzen (Parahat)-Seraks-Meshad missing railway link between

Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran is expected to be completed in 1996 to make
feasible movement of 1.5-2 million tons of freight a year.

The new Tedzen (Parahat) -Seraks railway line

The design of this railway line with the border-crossing point at Seraks was initiated
way back in 1968, but because of a low volume of traffic at that time its construction was not
recommended. Later it was estimated that in 1975 a traffic of about 1.5 m tons/year would
move between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Mongolia, China and Japan. After that the
design of the new railway line was done in 1977-1978.

A joint committee of experts from both countries met on 31 May 1989 to discuss the
possibility of construction of the sections: Tedzen-Seraks from the Turkmenistan side and
Meshad-Seraks from the Iranian side, and Agreement to construct the railway line Tedzen-
Seraks-Meshad was signed on 28 June 1989 stipulating beginning of work in 1991 and
simultaneous completion of construction work from both sides.

The official opening of the new railway line, is expected in March 1996.

23
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24
 In the first year of operation movement of 1.5 m tons of freight traffic is expected, with
the respective figures for the years 2000 and 2005 reflected in the table below.

Source: New Railway Line -Tedzen (Mary) -Seraks, Tashgiprotrans, Tashkent, 1991. The
movement of tourists to explore the historic and cultural treasures of Middle East and Central
Asia is also expected with the forecast for passenger traffic in the years 2000 and 2005 as
follows:

Source: New Railway line Tedzen (Mary) -Seraks, Mintransstroy USSR, GUP and KS.Tashgiprotrans,
Tashkent 1991.

It is important to note that for the expected traffic only 40% of the available line
capacity will be reportedly used in 2005.
Basic technical data of the Tedzen-Seraks railway line project are:

Line Single
Rolling gradient 9%0
Operating length of line 121.2 km
(between stations)
Construction length:
new railway lines 133.08 km
secondary lines 16.48 km
Length of tracks in stations 850 m

25

*)
 Construction time 57 months
Locomotives for freight trains 2TE 10
Signalling and communication
(when trains passing)
Frequency of trains in the 10th year of operation DC EC arrows
Freight trains (Pairs) 6
Passenger trains (Pairs) 2.5

The Seraks railway station is designed as a complex with railway operations and
custom services facilities provided, including all physical infrastructure and facilitation services
required at border-crossing points. The station lay-out, technical equipment and facilities will
enable: change of wheels -bogies on wagons from 1,520 gauge to 1,435 railway gauge andback,
freight transhipment including 20' containers. Switch yards for train make-up, depots,
maintenance workshops, passenger terminal, custom services, etc. will also be in place.

The customs control is foreseen to take place at the same time when bogies are
changed and will last one hour for freight trains and 1-12 hours for passenger trains.

Total construction cost of 132.48 km of new main railway lines, and of 15.28 km
secondary lines in Turkmenistan, was estimated (in 1991 prices) 433,219,660,000 rubles, out
of which, construction and mounting works was 328,197,200,000 roubles, plus cost of other
structures and facilities such as: production plants 303,334,210,000 rubles, construction of
civil objects 92,027,000 rubles, industrial objects 27,866,510,000 rubles.

Railway transport activities at the border-crossing station will follow the same activities
as stated in the Iran-Soviet (former) Agreement for the railway border station in Julfa,
according to which each country has to do the transloading and change of bogies at its
territory. It means that all handling of freight, containers, wagons, etc. of domestic export or
transit goods has to be done at Seraks stations on Turkmenistan side, as well as on the
Iranian side. There are costs and also revenues from operations such as: transport costs
and revenues of export, import and transit goods, handling charges at border-crossings for
changes of wagons bogies with export, import or transit goods, for handling transit containers,
compensation for use of wagons adapted to 1,435 mm gauge at Iranian railways etc.

Revenues are calculated for transit goods according to the agreement between two
countries.

Following the above principles total revenues of the Tedzen-Seraks railway line from
transport of export, import and transit goods were estimated for the year 2000 and 2005, as
follows:

26
 Revenues: Year 2000 Year 2005

Total 63.8*) 114.0*)

Out of it

For freight train operations at 1.7 2.6

Seraks station

-for wagon bogie changes with 1.4 2.1

export, import and transit goods
-for transloading transit goods 0.3 0.5
in containers

For time the wagons are used by 0.4

Iranian railways

3 For transporting export and import 4.2 6.3

goods on the railway network

For transporting transit goods on 57.5 104.5

in million rubles (1991 year)

The unloading space for railway at Loftabad is established and it is conne~ted to

Turkmenistan railway network at Artik station. The loads shall be carried by railway at
Loftabad station and from there to Meshad they will be transported, either by rail or road, to
other destinations. The distance between Meshad and Loftabad is about 270 km.

The completion of the missing railway link Tedzen-Seraks-Meshad is certainly of

paramount importance as railway networks of Central Asia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and
Turkey as well as China will be interconnected thus providing the countries in the corridor
with an opportunity of direct railway commurlication, providing a direct rail link to and from
Central Asia (and China), as well as to/from Turkey (and onward to Europe).

The construction of a missing link in the Islamic Republic of Iran between Tezerj and
Bandar Abbas port has been completed, and this railway section has been officially opened
for operation on 18 March 1995.

Improvement of the Central Asian main railway lines is also programmed, as reflected
in Table 3.2.

27

0.6
1.
2.
4.
*)
 TABLE 3.2 PLAN FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE
RAILWAY LINES IN KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN AND TURKMENISTAN

NO ITEMS TIME OF COST IN LEt"GTH

COMPLETION Million RB
YEAR (1991)

Completion work at Druzba Station and reconstruction of 1990-1997 211,5 87 km switch

the line from Druzba to the border 12 km main line

Strengthening of the line Aktogay-Druzba 1990-1997 48.0 35 km switch 16

traffic lights 165
km commu

Development of Druzba station and strengthening of 1996-2000 760 304 km

Aktogay-Druzba-state border railway line (second stage)

4 Second line on the section Aktogay-Almaty 2002-2006 591.0 557 km

5. Electrification of the section-Almaty-Chu 1996-2001 262.0 318 km

6 Electrification of the section Almaty-Sari-Ozek 1997-2000 136.0 1906 km

7. Second line on the section Almaty-Chu 2001-2003 155.0 142 km

8. Development of telecom and information systems on 1995-1998 5.0 1,800 km

section Druzba-Aktogay-Almaty-Aris-Chengeldi

Development of marketing and commercial links 1995-2000

Reconstruction of national sections of the Trans Asian 1995-2005

Railway Mainline increasing travel speed of passenger
trains (double)

11. Modernization and construction of new objects for 1995-2005

providing international standard services for passenger and
tourist trains

12. Construction of a container terminal in Almaty 2002-2005

13. Reconstruction of freight terminals for efficient freight 2002-2005

handling at stations Almaty, Dzambul and Chimkent

14. Electrification of sections in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan 1994-2000

15. Electrification of sections

-Dzizak-Superfosfatnaya 1994 131 km
-Superfosfatnaya-Buhara up to 2000 231 km

16. Completion of construction of missing railway link Tedzen- 1996 132 km

Seraks (Turkmenistan)

17. Completion of construction section Seraks-Meshad (Islamic 1996 165 km

Republic of Iran)

18. Strengthening of the Seraks station and electrification of 1996-2000 132 km

Seraks-Tedzen line

28

10.
2.
3.
9.
 Improvement of road network and construction of missing links and rehabilitation of
existing
completed roads has been listedyear
in stages by the as 2000.
one of key elements (4.1.3) of the EGO
" Outline Plan to be

According to that, and as access from CAR to the sea ports in the South is at present
provided mostly by roads, a number of road projects are in progress either to complete the
missing links or improve the network.

Along the road corridor from Turkmenistan to Iranian ports, the road from both side
at Gaudan-Badjigiran border-crossing is planned to be improved to allow heavy trucks and
containers to cross all year round.

Road improvements at other border-crossing points are also expected to be

accomplished, such as the road sections Kizil Atrek-Gudriolum and Seraks-Meshad.
Improvements are also to be carried out in the corridor to ports of Bandar Abbas (Mesh ad-
Gonabad-Yazd, and Gonabad-Kerman section), as well as on Zahedan-Chah Bahar portsection.

Routes via Afghanistan to Karachi port in Pakistan are in principle the shortest (Fig.3.9).
There is however a great need for rehabilitation of the whole road system, construction
of missing links, reconstruction and improvement of the existing roads to provide reliable road
transport services. If the situation in Afghanistan is normalized, intensive road infrastructure
development activities can be expected.

The Pakistan National Highway Development Programme stipulates the intensive

upgrading of the existing and construction of new roads and major highways to meet
increasing domestic and also transit needs. Progress is also expected in dualization of
highways, upgrading the standards, and increasing the capacity of those sections of national
highways that carry traffic to ports. (For example, Indus Highway, National Highway No. 25
Chaman-Karachi, etc). Improvement of sections of the Karakoram Highway is also worth
mentioning.

Along with the rail and road infrastructure development, the ports in the Islamic
Republic of Iran and Pakistan are also accomplishing their investment programmes to provide
sufficient capacities for efficient handling of the growing volumes of Central Asian cargo.

According to adopted Scenario 2, it is expected that the basic improved land transport
infrastructure will be in existence by 1997 to provide much better access of CAR to the sea
ports in the South and the East. For railways, it is the completion of the two most crucial
missing links, namely the Tedzen-Seraks-Meshad and the Sirjan (Tezerj)-Bandar Abbas
railway links, both of them of national, subregional, and regional importance. One of those
two links, namely the missing railway section Tezerj-Bandar Abbas has been already opened
for operation in 1995.

Thus the major transport change to happen during the Scenario 2 period 1996-97, is
the establishment of direct railway link from Central Asia to the port of the Bandar Abbas in
the Islamic Republic of Iran via Tedzen-Seraks-Meshad- Tehran-Bafq-Sirjan- Tezerj.

29

Roads:
 The northern corridor of the Iranian land transport network has capability to transport
and transit about 5 million tons of goods at the north-eastern borders, and about 3 million
tons to the neighbouring CAR at the Caspian Sea shores. This network could be expanded
to a great extent in a near future.

The improvement of roads will also significantly contribute to the improvement of the
whole land transport in service of transit to/from the sea ports.

In this connection it needs to be kept in mind that the whole land transportation
"landscape" will change accordingly, since railways would likely gradually pick up and
intercept servicing transit cargo which is at present done by partly or mostly (depending on
what corridor and what port destinations) road transport.

Lastly, the pace of growth of the demand for railway services and their use will greatly
depend on how aggressive and effective is going to be marketing of newly available railway
services under the changed conditions of the free market oriented economies of the all
countries concerned.

3.4 Scenario 3 (year 2000 and beyond)

This scenario covers the period from the year 2000 capitalizing on long term planning
and the results from implementation of the ECO Outline Plan for the Development of
Transport Sector of 1993 and the improvement of the railway line to sea ports of China.

In adopting the Outline Plan the transport ministers of the ECO countries decided to
provide the shortest connections of land-locked Central Asian countries to Persian Gulf ports
as well as Ports of Karachi and Qasim in Pakistan. Based on the existing by 1997 ECO
railway networks, a completion of missing railway links by the year of 2000 is to start with
design and construction of the following railway lines:

1. Kushka (Turkmenistan) -Herat (Afghanistan) -Kandahar-Chaman (Pakistan);

2.3.4.
Kerman-Zahedan (Islamic Republic of Iran);
Meshad-Bafq (Islamic Republic of Iran);
Bandar Torkmen (Islamic Republic of Iran) -Ghizil Atrek (Turkmenistan)
Gazandzik.

As regards the railway links from sea ports of Pakistan to CAR via Afghanistan, there
are two possible alternative routes (Fig. 3.9):

(a) Missing (approximately 750 km) link from Landikotal (Pakistan) to Termez
(Uzbekistan) via Jalalabad, Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan. The terrain is
mountainous and the alignment will entail sharp curves, steep gradients (requiring banking
of locomotives) and has to pass through tunnels at some sections. Even the existing
alignment between Jamud and Landikotal (Pakistan) has a steep gradient and sharp curves,
requiring reversing of trains with restricted maximum load of 225 tons only.

(b) Missing link (about 800 km) from Chaman (Pakistan) to Kushka (Turkmenistan)
via Kandahar and Herat, which would traverse generally plain and semi mountainous area.
It would not reportedly make much problem for the construction of the line at moderate cost.
There is however a problem in haulage of loads up to 500 tons per train on Sibi-Quetta
Section (40 km), where banking engines have to be deployed.

30
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31
 The track gauge of Pakistan railways is 1,676 mm and that in the CAR 1,520 mm.
It would thus be essential to provide facilities for transhipment or bogie change of wagons
at the break-of-gauge points at Kushka or Chaman, depending which gauge will be adopted
in Afghanistan in a future.

A feasibility study and detailed engineering survey of that route is estimated to cost
$US 1.5 million. According to information from Pakistan railway authorities the study wouldtake
about one and a half year.

The project itself is estimated to cost $US 500-600 million approximately.

The Zahedan-Kerman 540 km railway link is the missing section in the Iranian network
to provide connection to Pakistan. In addition simultaneous and coordinated action is
required to upgrade the Quetta- Taftan section in Pakistan. Both governments are mobilizing
resources to accomplish the tasks.

The Meshad-Bafq railway link in the Islamic Republic of Iran is also under study to
provide connection between CAR and Bandar Abbas port, once the Tedzen-Seraks-Meshad
railway link is completed.

The Bandar Turkmen (Islamic Republic of Iran)-Kizil Atrek-Gozandzil (Turkmenistan)

railway link will connect the two railway networks along the southern coast of the CaspianSea.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has put in its programmes a study of a railway line from
Meshad to Chah Bahar. This railway line starts from Meshad and after passing Torbat-e-
Heidarieh reaches Bajestan-Ferdous-Dayhook and continues from the most eastern point of
Loot desert crossing Nosratabad area and ends up at Iransahr and Chah Bahar. From
Dayhook a branch of this route leads to Parvadeh coal mine and from there it goes to
Chadarmaloo mine. When this route is operational, the distances will be as follows:

Seraks-Bafq-Bandar Abbas: 1,700 km

Seraks-Nosratabad-Chah Bahar: 1,750 km
Seraks-Bajestan-Zahedan-Mirjaveh: 1,430 km
Mirjaveh-Zahedan-Dayhook-Chadormaloo-Meybod: 1,295 km

A new north-south railway line is also considered for construction between Turkmen
Bashi (former Krasnovodsk) in Turkmenistan and Uzen in Kazakhstan. Uzen is connected
with the main railway lines of Kazakhstan and of the Russian Federation. The construction
of approximately 650 km of railway link between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan would reduce
the railway distance between the existing railway network of two countries by more than
1,500 km. The line Uzen- Turkmen Bashi-Gazandzik-Kizil Atrek-Bandar Torkmen (Islamic
Republic of Iran) would connect three countries: Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkmenistan and
Kazakhstan and also give them an additional outlet to the Russian Federation and Europe.

Construction of missing links and reconstruction of existing parts of the road network
will be continued from period 1995-97 and completed by stages, as programmed in the
national development plans. There are four major routes from CAR to ports in the Islamic
Republic of Iran and Pakistan via Afghanistan and China:

32
 AI m aty- Bish kek- T ash kent- T ermez-Hairaton-M azar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Jalalabad-
Peshawar-Karachi;

Almaty-Bishkek- Tashkent- Termez-Hairaton-Herat-lslam Qala-Meshad Persian

Gulf;

Herat-Frah-Kandahar-Helmand-Karachi, also, Kandahar-Zahedan;

Almaty- Torogart-Kashgar (China)- Kunjerab (Pakista n )-1sla ma bad-Karach i

(Fig.3.10).

33

1
2.
3.
4.
 3.10. ROAD CONNECTIONS:
ALMA TY-KARACH I-CALCUTTA

DISTANCE FROM

ALMATY TO: KM

ISLAMABAD
DOTTED LINE REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY THE LINE OF CONTROL IN JAMMU
AND KASHMIR AGREED UPON BY INDIA AND PAKISTAN THE FINAL STATUS OF KARACHI
JAMMU AND KASHMIR HAS NOT YET BEEN AGREED UPON BY THE PARTIES
NEW DELHI
THE BOUNDARIES SHOWN AND DESIGNATIONS USED ON THIS MAP DO NOT
IMPLY OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT OR ACCEPTANCE BY THE UNITED NATIONS
CALCUTTA 3.940

34

FIGURE
 The Pakistan Highway Authority has also in its programme to reconstruct and improve
the sections of the 806 km Karakoram Highway from Kunjerab (border with China) to
Hassanabdal.

Road connection from Almaty to Islamabad is providing the shortest land transport link
of Central and Northern Asia with the sea port of Karachi. The distance from Almaty to
Islamabad by road is 1,776 km (of which 126 km in Kazakhstan, and 440 km in Kyrgyzstan).

From Islamabad there are two options: to port of Karachi (1,450 km) and via New
Delhi to port of Calcutta (approximately 2,150 km). The 61 km section from Almaty to Uzun-
Agach is on the main highway to Tashkent. The section to Bistrovka (88 km) is mountainous,
climbing up to 2,400 m above the sea level. The road is narrow, needs widening, some
engineering structures, improving drainage systems and protection galleries from avalanche.

The Bistrovka- Torogart section (border with China) is of III and IV technical category,
but new 40 km construction is needed (see Annex III for technical standards).

Total road rehabilitation/new construction cost along the route: Almaty-Uzun Agach-
Bistrovka- Torogart-China border was estimated total 719 million rubles (in 1991 prices).

With the envisaged development of land transport infractructure in year 2000, no new
routes in general are expected in the network to provide access to sea ports in the South orEast.

The main infrastructure development features of Scenario 3 (Fig. 3.11) are as follows:

(a) Completion of the railway link Kerman-Zahedan in the Islamic Republic of Iran
which will connect railway networks of that country and Pakistan thus providing a
railway route (Seraks, Meshad- Tehran-Kerman-Zahedan-Kohitaftan-Quetta-
Karachi) from Central Asia to sea ports in Pakistan.
(b) Completion of the railway link Meshad-Bafq in the Islamic Republic of Iran
providing a shortcut in the Iranian railway network from CAR to the port of Bandar
Abbas.
(c) Completion of the railway line between Bandar Torkmen (Islamic Republic of Iran)
and Kizil Atrek-Gozandzik (Turkmenistan), next to the Caspian Sea, providing
railway link to the North, with possible future connections with the Russian
Federation and Europe, and
(d) Possibly construction of the railway link Kushka-Herat-Kandahar-Chaman from
Turkmenistan via Afghanistan to Pakistan. This connection would provide a direct
link from Central Asia to ports in Pakistan (Karachi and Qasim).
(e) A number of road reconstruction programmes are expected to be accomplished
to improve road connections from CAR to the sea ports in the Islamic Republic of
Iran and Pakistan via Afghanistan and China, such as: Tashkent- Termez
(Uzbekistan )-Ha irato n-M aza ri-Sha rif -Ka bu I-Ja la labad (Afg han ista n )-Peshawa r-
Karachi (Pakistan); Tashkent- Termez (Uzbekistan)-Hairaton-Herat-lslam Qala
(Afghanistan)-Karachi (Pakistan); Kandahar-Zahedan; and, Almaty (Kazakhstan)-
Bishkek- Torogart (Kyrgyzstan)-Kushka (China)-Kunjerab (Pakistan)-lslamabad-
Karachi.
(f) Improved railway route linking Central Asia with sea ports of China.

35
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36
3.5 OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF RAILWAY OPTIONS

In general for long distances and low value goods land transport services can be
economically provided only by railways. Railways are expected .to satisfy the ne~ds for
transportation of raw materials and containerized goods from the Central Asian subregion,
and it is correct to expect that freight trains and container block trains will handle the long
distance traffic.

At present there is no railway link between Central Asia and sea ports in the South.

Railway connection from Central Asia to sea ports are available only to the East. The
Druzba-Urumqi-Lianyungang (Kazakhstan/China) railway line with a temporary schemes of
operations, provides twice a week regular passenger train services from Alhlaty to Urumqi
and back. Freight services are limited and restricted to Kazakhstan and western province
of China only. The border-crossing of Druzba features also a railway break-of-gauge problem
(1,520 mm in Kazakhstan and 1,435 mm in China). Absence of regular operational schemes
of railway operations is due to present technical limitations of the line and border-crossing
stations at Druzba and Alatan Shankow, as well as coordination problems in providing
services between China and Kazakhstan railway authorities. In addition, application of higher
tariffs on this line is diverting the traffic to much longer route via the Trans-Siberian line to
the Russian sea ports of Nakhodka and Vastochni in the East.

However, an agreement between China and Kazakhstan railways has been signed
on 4 June 1994, on railway operations along the whole railway line, and container train
services of one 45 TEU container train a week could be practically available within a short
period of time.

The volume of cargo traffic by rail between Kazakhstan and China reached 525;000
tons in 1994.

The railway line Druzba -Urumqi has the fixed timetable for passenger trains and
provides twice a week round connection service between those two destinations.

The transit traffic of freight trains between Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Russian
Federation and China has started and is developing across the border at Druzba-AlatanShankow.

As mentioned earlier in Scenario 2, by 1996-7, (when the missing railway link

Tedzen-Seraks-Meshad will be established) Central Asia will have rail access to sea ports
in the South, along the corridor Almaty- Tashkent-Seraks-Meshad- Tehran-port Bandar Emam
and/or port Bandar Abbas. The main line will have the technical capacity to handle
passenger and different categories of freight trains. Due to difference in railway gauges at
Seraks station on both sides (Turkmenistan -1,520 mm and Islamic Republic of Iran -1,435
mm) an appropriate equipment (like in the case of Kazakhstan/China route) to change the
wagon wheels/bogies will be installed, along with transloading equipment to facilitate border-
crossing traffic.

It is envisaged that about 25 percent of the forecasted freight volume of the railway
traffic may be container transport, with gradually increasing volume of box traffic from
Central Asia to sea ports.

37
 To achieve maximum benefits, container unit/block trains within the national railway
network boundaries should have priority in operational schemes. Therefore average train
speed and delivery time should be respectively higher, and lower at least by 20 per cent as
compared with those of original freight trains, as maximum advantages are expecte,d to be
given to container movement using technical, organizational and managerial means. At
international border-crossing points (in our case at Seraks and Druzba stations) an additional
problem may arise, i.e. the use of rolling stock across the border. For technical
arrangements to adjust the wagon wheels for rolling stock crossing the border (at break-of-
gauge point) or transloading freight or containers at those stations, etc. sufficient
infrastructure capacity must exist. The development of such facilities on both sides of a
border is required to improve services and cut delivery time.

Assurances were given by the competent railway authorities in Turkmenistan and in

the Islamic Republic of Iran that by the completion of this railway missing link between the
two countries all the required facilities will be in place and operational.

Maximum utilization of the length of track sidings at the stations and terminals has to
be given proper attention because it will determine the maximum number of wagons and
containers in the train.

For a 30 bogie container flat car the minimum crossing loop length is 670 metres.

With the average load factor 2.5 container in a flat car, a 50 bogie car container train
will carry 125 TEU or 75 TEU respectively for a 30 bogie car container train.

The railway operational schemes in the corridor to the South can only be practically
formulated when the missing link between Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic .of Iran is
accomplished, i.e. after 1996, and when the tariffs on the railway system are worked out and
agreed upon. This exercise is already under way as far as the corridor to the East is
concerned.

In general the anticipated operational schemes for railways will depend on the
accomplishment and availability of the physical infrastructure with necessary technical
capacities on one side, and on future traffic volume growth on the other. While the first is
being secured, the traffic growth needs to be forecasted.

Traffic Forecast

Based on information received from railway authorities in CAR (Kazakhstan,

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) the volume of traffic during first year of operation in the
corridor (at Seraks station) to the South will be close to 1.5 million tons. This volume
includes imports, exports and transit both ways.

The traffic forecast for the first ten years of operation has been developed in three
variants:forecast.
"optimistic", "pessimistic" and "medium", the latter representing the most likely

The "optimistic" forecast anticipates higher growth rates of traffic in the first few years,
assuming the presence of the existing potential traffic volumes, diverted traffic from othermodes,
and new generated traffic. The traffic growth rate after year 2000 is assumed to be
a constant growth of 5 per cent per annum.

38

3.5.1
 The "pessimistic" forecast starts with 1 million tons of traffic in the first year of railway
operation with a constant growth rate of two per cent per annum over the period of ten years.

The "medium" forecast follows the most likely traffic development behaviour. There
are roughly three periods in the first ten years of operation of the railways. First 2-3 years,
when the traffic will remain constant because of the transitional period and adaptation of the
system to new capacity and operations. (For example, a provision of sufficient rolling stock
is unknown). In the second five year period (1998-2002 ) traffic will presumably grow from
5 to 7.5% per annum as a result of the new generated and diverted traffic, as well as of the
new railway system's ability to handle the traffic. In the years after 2002 a permanent growth
rate of 3% per annum is anticipated.

The "medium" traffic forecast will be used in further analysis.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC FORECAST IN

CORRIDOR TO THE SOUTH (Seraks Station)

YEAR OPTIMISTIC MEDIUM PESSIMISTIC

000 t Rate of 000 t Rate of 000 t Rate of
growth growth growth %
% %

1 1996 1500 8 1500 - 1000 2

2 1997 1620 8 1500 1020 2
3 1998 1750 9 1575 5 1040 2
4 1999 1890 9 1653 5.5 1080 2
5 20002001 2000 5 1732 7.5 1102 2
6 2100 5 1784 7.5 1124 2
7 2002 2205 5 18912033 7.5 1146 2
8 2003 23152431 5 3 1169 2
9 2004 5 2094 3 11921221 2
10 2005 2553 2157
l,ontainer trains

If 10 % of the forecasted volume of traffic is containerized in 1996, 20% in year 2000,

and 25% in year 2005, the volume of container traffic would be as follows:

gross load per TEU is 13.5 tonnes;

30 bogie vehicles can be accommodated in 1 container train;
2.5 containers in a wagon, in total 75 TEU per train;
container train operations are provided 300 days in a year, (as an average working
days in container business in a number of countries in the region); the anticipated
volumes of container traffic are shown in the following table:

39
 CONTAINER TRAIN FORECAST IN
CORRIDOR TO THE SOUTH (SERAKS STATION)

The number of container trains may be higher than the numbers indicated in the
forecast due to usual imbalance of loaded and empty container traffic.

The future container traffic forecast is based on the presence in traffic of the
commodity categories that can be containerized.

An indication could be vorumes of major Central Asian commodities moved by rail in1990,
reflected in a following table:

million tonnes

Source: The Euro-Asian Corridor: Strategic Issues in the Transport,

Telecommunications and Energy Sector, Consultant's Report EBRD, July,
1993. page 34.

As can be seen from the table, the traffic was dominated by low value and bulkcommodities.
Of the total 288 million tons carried, only 51 or 18% was the "other" category,
covering relatively high value processed manufactured and "general" cargo, including cotton.
It should be noted that 60 per cent of traffic was inter-regional, with about 50 per cent for
construction materials and almost 20 per cent for coal and oil products.

40
 For the purpose of the railway container traffic forecast, special consideration is given
to commodities that can be containerized in the future. There are items of higher value
categories from commodity groups, such as: "other" including a number of manufactured
goods. The penetration rate of containers will also depend on readiness of manufacturers
and traders to use containers for transport of their products.

If the container traffic by the year 2000 constitutes 20% and in 2005 increases to 25
per cent from the "medium" traffic volume forecast, the number of container trains may
reach 1 per day in year 2000 or 2 per day in year 2005.

Freioht Trains

The forecasted non-containerized traffic will be handled by freight trains.. The number
of freight trains per year and per day are anticipated under the following assumptions:

Train length for non-container trains will be the same order of magnitude as
container trains, i.e. 576 metres for the wagon portion;
Axle load 20 tonnes;
Typical length for bottom discharging bulk wagon is 15 m;
Number of wagons per train: §1:§ = 38;
15
From assumption (2) maximum mass per wagon is (4 x 20) = 80 tons minus
assumed 22 ton tare, i.e. payload is (80-22) = 58 tons.
Assumed 80 per cent of payload capacity can be utilized by the bulk commodities
carried, i.e. 58 x 0.8 = 46 tons per wagon;
From (4) and (6), the!@1!l payload will be 38 x 46 = 1748 n§ tonnes.

If the loading balance is one way empty, the number of trains are doubled. Necessary
corrections should be calculated on the base of real practices.

FREIGHT (NON CONTAINER) TRAIN FORECAST FOR CORRIDOR TO THE SOUTH

Analysis shows that the forecasted cross-border volume of traffic in the year of 2000
can be handled by 1 container train and 2.6 freight trains, or in year 2005 by 2 container
trains and 3 freight trains per day. If the loading balance is 60% loaded and 40% empty, the

41

6.
1
2.3.4.
7.
5.
 number of trains per day will increase. In a year 2000 to 1.6 container trains and 4 freight
trains; or in a year 2005 to 3 container trains and 5 freight trains.

Technical facilities at Seraks station (please see Scen.ario 2 above) ca,n easily
accommodate the above forecasted number of trains.

3.5.2 Rail-cum-Road Routes

Present position

In the absence of rail infrastructure to provide direct freight transport services from
CAR to sea ports in the South, the existing transport flows move along the combined rail-
cum-road-cum-rail routes, using the advantages of both rail and road transport services.
Direct road transport services are also in practice.

The existing combined rail and road routes from Central Asia to sea ports in the
South, are the following;

To Pakistan

a) TURKMENISTAN -Kushka -AFGHANISTAN -Chamam -Karachi PAKISTAN

Rail Road Rail

b) TURKMENISTAN -Ashgabat -IRAN -Zahedan -Karachi PAKISTAN

Rail Road Rail

d) KAZAKHSTAN -Kunjerab PAKISTAN -Rawalpindi -Karachi PAKISTAN

KYRGYZSTAN
CHINA
Road Rail

2. To Islamic Republic of Iran

a) TURKMENISTAN- Ashgabat -Meshad/Gorgan -Bandar Emam Islamic Rep. of IRAN

Rail Road Rail

b) TURKMENISTAN -Ashgabat -Meshad/Gorgan -Sirjan -Tezerj -Bandar Abbas

Rail Road Rail Road

base of shipments to and from ~AR to Pakistan via Islamic Republic of Iran using road or
rail-cum-road transport services.-/

:/ Beshir Ahmed and Co. (Reg.). Relates based on 1 x 20 foot container, weight up to 10
metric tons or up to 30 cubic meters.

42

Rail,
1
 Related costs of rail and rail-cum-road transport services on the above-listed
mentioned routes differ from case to case due to frequent changes in rates and prices of
transport services. Based on information received related cost estimates are made on the

For ~ transport services estimated freight charges to and from Karachi port and
destinations in Central Asia are the following:

For @i! freight rates Pakistan railways are using from Karachi to Kohitaftan (Iranian
border, a distance of 1 ,378 km) the following rates per one ton in US$: rice 38.56; cotton yarn
48.33; textiles 48.33; leather 40.00; wheat 52.16; cooking oil 47 .60; tea 46.00; cotton thread47.80.

For the study an average of US$ 48 per ton could be used, as based on- figures
relating to major commodities transported.

For the purpose of comparison the estimated railway cost per TEU km is US$ 0.47,
or US$ 0.0348 per ntkm.

Existing railway routes from Central Asia to sea ports in the lli! are from Kazakhstan
via Druzba-Urumqi line to sea ports in China, or via Trans-Siberian line to Nakhodka sea port
in the Russian Federation.

On the base of present charges for transport services in China, a 20 foot container
~ charge is US$ 0.7 per km (TEU = US$ 0.7 per km), or US$ 0.052 per ntkm.

China Railways are charging US$ 1,000 for shipment of a 20 foot container from the
port of Lianyungang to Alatan Shankow (4.134 km), making a railway transport cost of a TEU
= US$ 0.24 per km or US$ 0.018 per ntkm, which reflects transport costs only.

3.5.3 Transportation of containers

In principle, much of the future freight traffic which could be generated in and outside
Central Asia is likely to be container traffic. This applies to all corridors.

Route to the sea ports in the East is in fact the Druzba-Alatan Shankow-Lianyungang
railway line in China.

43
 Alatan Shankow-Druzba stations already have limited container handling facilities
which make container handling at limited volumes possible. Arrangements between
Kazakhstan and China railway authorities are under way for better utilization of existing
capacities for container train transport and also foreign assistance. is being used to improve
and speed-up handling of containers.

With the above improvements an increased number of container trains, towards

Central Asia and in transit via Central Asia to Islamic Republic of Iran/Europe, as well as to
the Russian Federation/Europe is expected in the near future.

The railway route from Druzba via Almaty- Tashkent-Parahat-Seraks to Meshad

(Islamic Republic of Iran) have another break-of-gauge point (1 ,520/1 ,435 mm) at the Seraks
station (at present under construction) and the equipment being installed will provide for
efficient handling of container movement, as well as of the break-of-gauge problem.

Container train operations on the railway line Lianyungang-Druzba-Central Asia are

possible but are not yet widely practiced. At present containers are not passing through the
Alatan Shankow station. The capacities and technical conditions on the Lianyungang-Alatan
Shankow line allow one container train to pass everyday. The Lianyungang port is intensively
developing its container handling and inter-modal facilities. The Sinatrans Lianyungang
company has recently established several container terminals to develop door-to-door
services in order to intensify container use on the main railway line. Lianyungang is expected
to be a Far Eastern Terminal of the cross-continent land bridge to link Europe with the Far
East.

Container traffic charges on this line will inevitably be set to compete with linear
shipping by sea and with the northern railway (Trans-Siberian) route.

To promote, develop and operate rail container transport services, assurances have
been given from countries involved to provide access to sea ports South and East, that 20
foot ISO containers are accepted as standard containers all along the main railway corridors,
and technical capacities of the railways will allow to facilitate that movement.

Container traffic in the former USSR was well developed, also in the Republics. A
network of container terminals was set up and maintained by railways. The whole
infrastructure was oriented to handle ISO 20 foot and non-ISO domestic containers of varyingdimensions.
It reportedly continues to work that way.

Following is the number of container terminals in CAR:

Kazakhstan 3
Kyrgyzstan 6
Tajikistan 1
Turkmenistan 3
Uzbekistan 11

Detailed information about these terminals is provided in Annex VI

At present, except for the two terminals in Kyrgyzstan, all are used mainly by railways
who owns and operates them. In fact, there is little evidence of any long haulage container
movement by road in the past. The situation will change with the emergence of new

44
connections in the eastern and southern corridors, however, more visible movement of
containers by road is yet to develop.

Access from CAR to sea ports in the South is provided by Gombined rail-cum~road or
road transport only.

From Iranian ports limited number of 20 and 40 foot containers are crossing the
Turkmenistan border by road at Gudriolum, Loftabad and Seraks. Twenty foot containers are
being transported by road from Karachi port to Afghanistan (or rail-cum-road: Karachi-
Peshawar by rail, and from Peshawar onwards to Afghanistan by road) and to Uzbekistan
(Karachi-Tashkent by road).

Container movement by road has recently shown a slightly increasing trend by

carrying, in general, to CAR consumer goods and cotton in return. ISO Containers are
moving mainly from the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, transiting Iran to Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Containerized goods to CAR are:
medicines, tea (from India), electronics, tyres, vegetable oil, cigarettes, powdersoup (from
Dubai and Singapore to Afghanistan and Turkmenistan), frozen chicken and soft drinks (from
Turkey) etc. Non-ISO standard containers are also in use.

The cost of 40 foot container round trip by road from Bandar Abbas port to Ashgabat
is US$ 2,555, to Tashkent US$ 3,250-3,500. Cost of an non-ISO container, one way, is US$
800-1,000. In some cases however container owners are reportedly reluctant to use ISO
containers, so they buy non-ISO standard containers and use them one way only. This is
a frequent case due to unsafe return and damages of containers.

The fact that within the CAR national railway networks, the ISO and. non-ISO
containers of different size were and still are in use, means that for international containertransport,
along the corridors to the South and the East, the whole infrastructure needs to be
re-oriented.

The positive fact is that, as stated before, assurances from countries along the East
and South corridors have been given that ISO 20 foot standard containers are accepted, and
the railway technical standards will make in international container transport feasible and
efficient.

The whole container transport issue is an area for further detailed studies to fully
develop the system.

In general, the containerization scene in Central Asia may be described as follows:

Railways have been mainly involved in the carriage of containers. They are
maintaining a number of container terminals at different locations. The condition
of handling equipment is not well known.

The existing infrastructure is oriented to handle ISO 20 foot and non-ISO

domestic containers.

For future international railway container transport only 20 foot containers are
commonly accepted. Limited movement of 40 foot units is also possible on a
member of railway sections.

45
 The railway link between Kazakhstan and China can handle 160 TEU in 24 hours
at Druzba station.

Natural conditions at Druzba station are difficult and at present affect hanpling of
containers. Plans have been drawn to construct a closed terminal and
negotiations are underway to use foreign technical assistance.

There is no regular container traffic between China and Kazakhstan, however, an

Agreement has been signed between Kazakhstan and China authorities on June
4th 1994, regarding the regular railway operations including container movement
2between two countries.

The future railway border-crossing station between Turkmenistan and Islamic

Republic of Iran at Seraks will have adequate infrastructure to handle containers.
The railway link completion is targeted by 1996.

The role of roads in carriage of containers has been limited in the past.
however, is changing and some container movement is taking place.

46

This,