ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 22. An agreement to intensify cooperation between the railway administrations of Kazakhstan and Austria in order to increase the volume of cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) was reached, Trend reports.
A corresponding agreement was reached during a meeting between the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Austria Mukhtar Tleuberdi, the Chairman of the Board of the Federal Railways of Austria Andreas Matte and the Board Member of the Rail Cargo company Christoph Grasl.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed a wide range of cooperation in the transport and logistics industries. Particular attention was paid to the development of the transit potential of Kazakhstan and the TITR.
It was noted that the Austrian side is actively cooperating with the Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ, national company) and intends to develop its presence in the Central Asian region.
In turn, Tleuberdi informed the interlocutors about the ongoing reforms and the tasks of the Kazakh government in developing the railway network, as well as updating the container fleet.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.