First Container Train Completes Reverse Trip on Trans-Caspian Route from Baku to Xian
The first container train on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), or Middle Corridor, made its return trip from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Xian, China, on November 24. Carrying 62 containers of petroleum coke, the train will traverse Kazakhstan and complete its journey in just 12 days, significantly faster than the 40+ days required for previous routes.
Organized by KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, along with partners in China and Azerbaijan, the TITR offers efficient cargo movement between Asia and Europe. The corridor connects Southeast Asia and China with Europe, passing through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.
The route's efficiency has driven a 63% increase in cargo volume, reaching 2.5 million tons from January to July, with projections of 4.2 million tons by 2024. Plans are underway to expand capacity to 10 million tons annually.
A new intermodal terminal in Budapest, developed by KTZ, Hungary’s L.A.C. Holding, and China’s Xian Free Trade Port, will further boost container train traffic on the China-Europe route, strengthening the Middle Corridor’s role in global trade.
