Kazakhstan and Austria met at the Alpbach Forum to discuss the Middle Corridor transport route between Europe and Central Asia. Consequently, the newly established Austrian-Kazakh Platform (AKCP) forum was attended by diplomatic officials, the business sector and international institutions.
Middle Corridor Will Create More Resilient Global Supply Chains
The Middle Corridor is becoming a focus of international trade considerations to make global supply chains more resilient. The Trans-Caspian transport route will connect Kazakhstan directly to Europe via the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. As a result, the Middle Corridor is expected to reduce transit times, function effectively and be economically viable for companies and investors. Meanwhile, the importance of this route is underscored by World Bank calculations and experts at the European Institute for Asian Studies. Assuming targeted investment, capacity expansions and the digitisation of cross-border customs procedures, transit times could be halved by 2030. Moreover, experts predict freight volume could triple compared to 2021, reaching around 11 million metric tonnes every year.
The project attracted the European Union who announced EUR 10 billion in January 2024 for transportation links across Central Asia. Additional funding was unveiled in April 2025 comprising EUR 12 billion Global Gateway investment package for transportation, digitalization, raw materials/energy. Furthermore in June 2026, the European Commission launched the Connectivity Agenda Platform to expand infrastructure corridors between Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia.
Kazakhstan Completes Connection On Moiynty-Kyzylzhar Railway
In associated news, Kazakhstan completed the track connection on the 323 kilometre Moiynty-Kyzylzhar railway forming part of the Middle Corridor. It is one of the country’s major transport infrastructure projects and is being built across the Ulytau and Karagandy Regions. Accordingly, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route will shorten freight routes by 149 kilometres, increase container train speeds and expand capacity. The project is progressing as scheduled and is expected to be ready for commissioning this year.
Interested In Learning More About The Middle Corridor? Contact Soutien Group!
Soutien Group is a boutique advisory and consulting firm specialised in market entry, business localisation, expansion, relocation, business development and stakeholder management strategies across the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. Our clients are corporate, private and international with an interest in exploring new markets.
We offer expertise in Company Formation Kazakhstan, Market Research and Assessment Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business Case, Kazakhstan Business Model Development, Feasibility Study and Business Plan Kazakhstan, Organisational and Operational Structuring Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Sponsorship and Partnership, among others.
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