BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 12. The Middle Corridor is increasingly seen as a viable and politically stable alternative to the “Northern Corridor” through Russia and sea routes through the Suez Canal or around Africa, Trend reports via The New Lines Institute think tank.
"By 2030, freight traffic volumes on the TITR could increase threefold or more. In 2024 alone, container traffic on the Kazakh section of the TITR grew by 62%, reaching 4.5 million tons. The authorities plan to double this figure within three years.
The renewal in July 2025 of the cooperation agreement between Kazakhstan's state railway company KTZ and China State Railway Group underscores the strategic commitment to strengthening the Middle Corridor and increasing traffic volumes between China and Europe via Kazakhstan," the report says.
According to the information, the growth in capacity and the high level of political support indicate that demand is not only increasing but is also structural in nature, confirming that the East-West Corridor through Kazakhstan is becoming a key trade artery.
The Middle Corridor is a transport trade route passing through several countries in the region and connecting Asia with Europe. It serves as an alternative to the traditional Northern and Southern corridors.
The route begins in China and passes through Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then crosses the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe. The Middle Corridor is a land-based route that bypasses longer maritime paths, linking eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe.