BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 4. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) will help strengthen Austria's position as a logistics hub in Central Europe, Clemens Först, ÖBB Rail Cargo Group CEO, told Trend.
"The Middle Corridor not only diversifies Rail Cargo Group's route options, but is also in line with the broader strategic interests of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) to strengthen Austria's position as a logistics hub in Central Europe and to connect important markets in East and West," he said.
According to him, Rail Cargo Group is highly interested in and committed to working with various stakeholders to expand and utilize the Middle Corridor, which serves as a key transport link between Europe and Asia, particularly China.
"The current high demand for transports along the Middle Corridor is mainly driven by the geopolitical situation. Its sustainability depends on whether Kazakhstan and the other countries along the route will be able to use the current window of opportunity to develop a sustainable and reliable corridor with reasonable costs and transit times," he said.
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 lingering maritime routes.