Kazakhstan Accelerates China–Europe Rail Transit with Faster Customs

Kazakhstan has significantly improved the efficiency of its rail transit system by reducing customs clearance time for cargo trains from three hours to just 30 minutes.

The move is part of a pilot project aimed at automating rail transit along the China-Central Asia and China-Europe routes, according to the State Revenue Committee, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazakh media.

Over the first ten months of 2025, freight rail transit from China via Kazakhstan to the Eurasian Economic Union, Europe, and Central Asia demonstrated an upward trend.

According to the Committee, the volume of transit goods transported by rail from China reached 11.04 million tons, marking an 11% year-on-year increase.

The growing transit volume confirms Kazakhstan’s increasing role as a key transport and logistics hub, highlighting the importance of rail transport in maintaining the resilience of international supply chains.

Launched in December 2023, the pilot project automates rail transit by enabling automatic submission and clearance of transit declarations for goods on the China-Central Asia and China-Europe routes.

From January to October 2025, the project processed 2.5 million tons of cargo. It is designed to enhance transparency, streamline customs procedures, and improve the efficiency of train operations on transit routes.

As a result, the clearance time for a single container train has been reduced from three hours to just 30 minutes.