Russia and Pakistan to launch first direct railway line – minister

The new link is expected to save travel time and help boost trade turnover between the countries

Russia and Pakistan will launch the first direct freight train between the two countries next year as they seek to boost mutual trade, Pakistani Energy Minister Awais Leghari told TASS on Tuesday.   

Moscow and Islamabad are set to launch trial runs on the rail link to transport goods from Russia to Pakistan in March 2025, the minister said.   

“By the end of March, we are planning the first train – the first cargo train to leave Russia for Pakistan,” Leghari told the outlet. “We have kept this as a goal for us to actually implement,” he added.  

The rail link will bypass Afghanistan along the eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), through the territory of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The INSTC is a 7,200-kilometer multi-mode transit system that connects ship, rail, and road routes for moving cargo between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe.  

Leghari first revealed plans on the rail deal in an interview with RT earlier this month. The new route will substantially save travel time and costs to deliver goods and help boost trade turnover between the states, according to Russian Railway Logistics’ acting general director, Oleg Poleev. His company has been tasked with coordinating trial runs.  

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A number of experts have previously pointed out that the North-South corridor could become a safe alternative to the Suez Canal to protect trade flows from geopolitical fallout. Existing transport infrastructure has been historically focused on the East-West connection but new routes are gaining importance due to global shifts of world markets to China, South-East Asia, and the Persian Gulf.   

The Pakistani minister also mentioned ongoing talks between Moscow and Islamabad about the establishment of a direct air connection between the two countries.   

“I believe we can finalize this very soon. There is a very strong desire on both sides,” he told TASS. “Our Russian partners and friends are very happy about it, and so are we. This can happen soon.”   

Both Islamabad and Moscow have repeatedly expressed their commitment to expanding cooperation, particularly in trade. Russia’s ambassador to Pakistan indicated in January that “bilateral trade is showing positive dynamics.” Trade turnover between the two nations stands at approximately $1 billion.