Cargo departs from major logistics hubs in Kazakhstan — such as Almaty, Aktau, and Astana — and travels west across the country’s well-developed rail system toward the port of Aktau on the Caspian Sea.

From there, containers are shipped by ferry to Alyat (Baku) in Azerbaijan.

The next stage follows the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, connecting directly to the ports of Poti and Batumi in Georgia.

Across the Black Sea, feeder vessels carry the cargo to Varna, Bulgaria, where it enters the European Union’s rail and road system — enabling direct access to markets in Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Italy.

This seamless multimodal connection — rail + sea + rail — is already being used by dozens of logistics companies handling both containerized and bulk cargo.

• Shorter transit time — 10 – 15 days on average from terminal to terminal.
• Stable cost structure — predictable tariffs and competitive rates versus ocean freight.
• Multimodal flexibility — easy transfer between rail and sea without reloading.
• Safe and environmentally friendly — lower carbon footprint compared to road transport.
• Integration with European corridors — direct entry into the EU customs space through Varna.

Why Kazakhstan Plays a Key Role

Kazakhstan’s geographic position makes it the backbone of the Middle Corridor.

It connects China and Central Asia to the Caspian Sea through a high-capacity railway system equipped for container traffic.

Over the last decade, Kazakhstan has invested heavily in modern logistics infrastructure:

• new terminals in Aktau and Kuryk,

• expanded container yards near Almaty and Nur-Sultan,

• digital cargo-tracking platforms ensuring transparency along the route.

Thanks to this modernization, the country can now handle large cargo volumes for export to Europe, Turkey, and the Black Sea region with minimal delays.