Existing and proposed rail links from Kashgar, China to the Iranian border
While there is no direct railway line currently connecting Kashgar, China to the Iranian border, several projects are underway or have been proposed to establish a rail link between these two regions as part of broader connectivity initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Here's a summary of the relevant projects and the path a railway would likely take:
1. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) Railway:
- This project is currently under construction and aims to build a railway line from Kashgar, China, through Kyrgyzstan, and into Uzbekistan.
- The CKU railway, which commenced construction in 2025, involves building a new track of 523 km, with 260 km in Kyrgyzstan and 50 km in Uzbekistan.
- This railway serves as a crucial segment of a larger network intended to connect China with Central Asia and potentially extend further to Europe, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkey.
2. The Five Nations Railway Corridor:
- This proposed rail link aims to connect China (starting from Kashgar) to Iran (with termini at the Iranian ports of Chabahar and Bandar Abbas) through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan.
- A preliminary agreement was signed in 2014 for this project, and around half of the total length of the railway (roughly 1148 kilometers) is planned to pass through northern Afghanistan.
- A key section of this corridor within Afghanistan is the Khaf-Herat railway, which links Khaf in eastern Iran with Herat in western Afghanistan.
- The section between Khaf and Ghurian in Afghanistan was inaugurated in 2020, and the first trial run of cargo from Iran to Afghanistan via this railway was completed in May 2023.
- Construction of the remaining section of the Khaf-Herat railway (85 km between Rahzanak and Herat) is in progress.
3. Connectivity beyond CKU:
- The CKU railway is designed as the initial segment of a wider network that could potentially link China with the Middle East and Europe, according to analysts.
- Connecting lines may be extended from Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkey.
- A railway route from Kashgar to Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan via southern Kyrgyzstan and western Tajikistan, then along Afghanistan's northwestern border to Herat and Khaf in Iran, is also planned as part of the entity(type="SHOPPING_PRODUCT",nameIdentifier="China-Ghita-Ayi Railway",ref=["1.2.1"])>現象China-Ghita-Ayi Railway現象> project.
Potential route from Kashgar to the Iranian border:
Based on the existing and proposed projects, a railway journey from Kashgar to the Iranian border would likely involve:
- The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway: Starting in Kashgar, Xinjiang, passing through Kyrgyzstan and into Uzbekistan.
- Extensions from Uzbekistan: Connecting to Turkmenistan and then into Iran.
- Utilizing the Khaf-Herat railway: Connecting to the Iranian railway network at Khaf, near the Afghanistan border.
While a direct rail line isn't operational, the ongoing and proposed projects highlight the ambition to establish seamless rail connectivity between Kashgar and the Iranian border, unlocking new trade routes and fostering regional integration, according to the South China Morning Post.
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