Kazakhstan-China Freight Traffic Rises 8% in First 10 Months of 2026

ASTANA – Freight traffic between Kazakhstan and China reached 31.8 million tons in the first 10 months of 2026, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year, when 29.4 million tons were transported, reported Kazakhstan’s national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ).

Photo credit: Ministry of Transport.

Growth was recorded in both directions. From January through October, 12.1 million tons of cargo were transported from China to Kazakhstan, up 9% year on year. Of this volume, 5 million tons passed through the Dostyk border crossing, marking a 13% increase. Another 7.1 million tons were transported through Altynkol, up 6%.

In the opposite direction, Kazakhstan shipped 19.7 million tons of cargo to China, an 8% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

At the border crossings, 13.1 million tons were transported through Dostyk, up 12%, while traffic through Altynkol reached 6.6 million tons, a 1% increase.

The growth in freight traffic reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen transport and logistics links between Kazakhstan and China. Further development of international rail connections is focused on modernizing border infrastructure, increasing the capacity of border crossings and improving logistics processes.


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