Turkmenistan plans to modernize the Ashgabat–Turkmenbashi railway line, including the launch of passenger trains with speeds of up to 160 km/h, Railway Transport Minister Mammet Akmammedov said at the Turkmen-Chinese business forum held Wednesday in Ashgabat.
The core project provides for a full upgrade of the western route, with freight train speeds expected to increase to 90 km/h. As part of the preparation phase, an international tender has been announced for the development of a feasibility study.
The modernization will also extend to the eastern direction toward Turkmenabat, which is being considered as part of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan transport corridor.
Priorities include the introduction of modern traffic management systems, infrastructure upgrades and increased railway capacity.
Cooperation with China remains a key element of the sector’s development. Turkmenistan has been working with Chinese locomotive manufacturers for more than 20 years. The current fleet includes 180 locomotives and 423 railcars of Chinese production.
In 2026, major maintenance is planned for 20 diesel locomotives at facilities of the Chinese company CRRC, along with the procurement of five new freight diesel locomotives.
The Chinese side has also proposed signing an intergovernmental agreement to deepen the operation of the China–Central Asia–Europe route, which would strengthen Turkmenistan’s role as a link between East and West.
The Ashgabat–Turkmenbashi railway is a key element in aligning the national rail network with international transport corridors, including the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, TRACECA, as well as the North–South and East–West routes.
