Kazakhstan Set to Modernize Rail Fleet with 7,000 New Freight Cars

Kazakh Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev has announced that Kazakhstan’s freight operators plan to purchase more than 7,000 new railcars by 2029.

Sauranbayev made these remarks at the government’s weekly meeting, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.

The minister noted that the country currently has more than 300 freight operators with a combined fleet of 142,000 railcars, which fully meets existing transportation demand. National railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) controls 41 per cent of these railcars, mainly serving socially important routes.

“To sustain and further develop the growing potential of freight transport, operators plan to acquire over 7,000 new railcars by 2029,” Sauranbayev said.

Alongside this expansion, Kazakhstan intends to upgrade its locomotive fleet. A total of 456 new locomotives are expected to be delivered by 2029 under a fleet renewal program. The country’s locomotive stock currently numbers 1,967 units. Key suppliers include Kazakhstan’s Electric Locomotive Assembly Plant, Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty company, and China’s CRRC.

Kazakhstan has also set a target of raising transit shipments to 67 million tons by the end of 2029, reinforcing its position as a strategic transport hub in the region.