ASTANA, Kazakhstan, November 17. Kazakhstan Railways (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, KTZ) is planning to increase tariffs for services on the main railway network for export freight transport, Trend reports.
In early November, a meeting was held at the Atameken Scientific Production Enterprise with the participation of KTZ, government bodies, the business community, and associations to discuss the establishment of unified tariffs.
During this meeting, representatives of Kazakhstan Railways announced an annual increase in the regulated tariffs for the main railway network and locomotive traction until 2026 by twenty-four percent. This includes an increase, effective January 1, 2025, of the maximum tariff (within the maximum index of 3.0 to the tariff) on the main railway network for export transport, aimed at bringing tariff levels to a break-even point.
As a result, an overall increase in railway tariffs for export transport is expected: coal—by thirty-seven percent, iron ore - by thirty-one percent, grain - by thirty percent, chemicals and soda - by seventeen percent, non-ferrous metals - by twenty-four percent, construction materials - by six percent, fertilizers - by twenty-five percent, and other goods - by eighteen percent.
The tariff hike is expected to have a price impact of two to six percent for coal and around five percent for grain.
According to estimates from the National Company, not increasing tariffs would lead to a further rise in the debt burden from $5.84 billion in 2023 to $8.46 billion in 2028.
Founded by the government in 2002 as a joint stock company, KTZ’s task is to develop, operate, and maintain railway transportation in Kazakhstan. It is headquartered in Astana.