Progress of Trans-Asian Railway Network

The Northern Corridor was working already in the 1960s, although at first only for Soviet Union-China trade. The Southern corridor has been opened up after 2000. Successes so far include:

  • A train ferry across Lake Van, from 1970s allowing rail services between Turkey and Iran.
  • Link from China to Kazakhstan (Turkestan–Siberia Railway and Lanxin railway, connected in 1990);
  • Link from Iran to Central Asia (Trans-Caspian railway; branch Tejen – Sarakhs – Mashhad, completed in 1996).
  • Link from Iran to Herat in Afghanistan completed 2013.[citation needed]
  • Direct freight service between Germany and China through Russia, operating from the first decade of the 2000s (reloading of container at break-of-gauge).
  • The Eurasia Marmaray Tunnel connecting European Turkey and Asian Turkey, opened in 2013. At that time the tunnel was isolated from rail network but finally got connected with the completion of Marmaray project in 2019. The first international freight train transporting magnesite and connecting Çukurhisar (in Tepebaşı, Eskişehir) to Austria ran through the tunnel last week of October 2019. Before this, there was a freight-train ferry there.
  • Iran-Pakistan: A Bam–Zahedan link, with a break-of-gauge at Zahedan (Pakistan railway uses broad gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) and Iran railway uses standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)). In August 2009 a goods train carrying containers traveled from Islamabad, Pakistan to Istanbul, Turkey; by April 2011, trains were running regularly.
  • Second link from China to Kazakhstan (line Zhetigen–Khorgos, completed in December 2011).
  • Agreement in 2014 between Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia on completing the north–south corridor.[15] The missing link is Astara–Rasht, 167 km. On 7 January 2017, it was announced that construction on this section would start in 2017.

The Trans-Asian Railway Network is a remarkable regional transport cooperation platform aimed at enhancing the efficiency and development of railway infrastructure across Asia. Let’s explore some key details about this extensive network:

  1. Origins and Purpose:
    • The idea of linking railway networks between countries in the region, as well as connecting them with Middle Eastern and European systems, was first expressed in 1960.
    • In 2006, seventeen Asian nations signed the Trans-Asian Railway Network Agreement under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The goal was to build a transcontinental railway network between Europe and Pacific ports in China .
  2. Network Overview:
    • The Trans-Asian Railway Network now comprises approximately 125,500 kilometers of railway lines serving 28 countries.
    • It is part of ESCAP’s broader vision to develop an international, integrated, intermodal transport and logistics system for the region, with the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks playing pivotal roles.
    • The network facilitates cross-border transportation, fosters economic growth, and strengthens cultural ties across Asia.
  3. Intergovernmental Agreement:
    • The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network was adopted by the Commission at its 62nd session in April 2006 and entered into force on June 11, 2009.
    • A Working Group was established to implement the Agreement, addressing relevant matters and considering any proposed amendments.
    • ESCAP supports efficient and smooth movement of goods by rail across the region through transport facilitation measures, including harmonizing requirements for international railway transport 1.
  4. Efficiency Enhancement:
    • ESCAP has developed a draft framework for enhancing the efficiency of railway border crossings along the Trans-Asian Railway Network and beyond.
    • This framework identifies specific issues and provides targets and processes to make railway border crossings more efficient.
    • The goal is to streamline international railway transport and promote seamless connectivity.