Kazakhstan Prepares to Open Freight Rail Market to Private Operators by 2027

By 2027, private companies may begin full-scale operations in Kazakhstan’s freight rail transport sector. This initiative is part of the country’s strategic development concept for rail and water logistics, as announced by Zhanibek Taizhanov, Chairman of the Committee for Railway and Water Transport.

According to the official, a pilot project involving two private carriers is already underway. These operators are currently functioning in a test mode, which allows authorities to assess the effectiveness of the new model in practice.

Over the next two years, Kazakhstan aims to finalize the legal framework and fine-tune all necessary technological processes to ensure that by 2027, private companies will be able to enter the market on equal footing with the national railway operator.

It is expected that the involvement of private players will increase competition, improve the quality of logistics services, and ease the burden on existing infrastructure—particularly in light of the growing volume of agricultural exports. For the agri-sector, this development could mark a significant step forward, offering more flexible and cost-efficient options for transporting products both domestically and internationally.

Industry experts emphasize that the successful implementation of this reform could impact not only the speed of transportation but also its cost, which is especially critical given the global competition in food markets.