Qazaqstan Temır Joly (Kazakh: Қазақстан Темір Жолы [qɑzɑqˈstɑn tʲeˈmɘr ʒoˈɫɤ]) is the national railway company of Kazakhstan.[1][2]
Company type | Joint-stock company |
---|---|
Industry | Transport |
Founded | 1997 |
Headquarters | Astana, Kazakhstan |
Area served | Kazakhstan |
Key people | Nurlan Sauranbayev (Chairman of the Management Board) |
Revenue | KZT 11 billion (2009) |
KZT 145,8 billion (2012) | |
KZT 113,3 billion (2012) | |
Number of employees | 155,134 (2012) |
Parent | Samruk-Kazyna |
Website | www.railways.kz |
Organization
editFounded by the government in 2002 as a joint stock company KTZ’s task is to develop, operate, and maintain railway transportation in Kazakhstan. It is headquartered in Astana. Related stock companies own the rolling stock, the hauling equipment, and the passenger transport division. Repair facilities have been privatized. Private companies may own or rent rolling stock that can use the rail system.[3]
Network
editThe current rail network is based on the inheritance from the former Soviet Union and as such has a broad gauge of 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in). While this provides a smooth transit at international borders to countries of the former Soviet Union, the railway in China has the standard gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in); thus there is a break-of-gauge at Dostyk and at Khorgas/Altynkol.[4]
KTZ controls about 16,400 km (10,200 mi) track (2005) which is being expanded. The Kazakhstan sections of the old Trans-Aral Railway, the Trans-Caspian railway, and the Turkestan-Siberia Railway have been incorporated into the KTZ. 4,000 km (2,500 mi) are electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC.
Operation
editKTZ is the largest employer in Kazakhstan with 119,071 employees (2020). Approximately 1% of the Kazakh population are employed by the railroads and affiliated companies. It manages 46,800 freight wagons, 1,700 locomotives and 2,300 passenger cars. The company is profitable and its 2020 revenues were 1,173.3 billion Kazakhstani tenge. In 2020, the freight industry saw increases in overall tonnage of 3.5% versus the previous year, while passenger volume decreased by 54.5%. [5]
Owners and management
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2022) |
100% of KTZ's shares are owned by the state through the Samruk-Kazyna fund. Aidar Ryskulov is the chairman of the Board of Directors of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy.[6] Nurlan Sauranbayev is the chairman of the management board of the company.[7]
Infrastructure investment initiatives
editTemir Zholy is a principal implementer of Kazakhstan’s New Silk Road Initiative and Nurly Zhol new economic policy.[8]
Khorgos-Eastern Gate
editThe FEZ "Khorgos-Eastern Gate" is a logistics center for the distribution of cargo flows on the New Silk Road near Nurkent and Khorgos, and further integrates Kazakhstan into the global transport and trade system, particularly between China and the European Union.[8]
The TransKazakhstanTrunk Railways project
editThe potential of Kazakhstan to act as a transit in the trade between China, Europe, and even the eastern coast of America, as envisioned in the Trans-Asian Railway proposal, has not yet been fulfilled. Current rail transport between China and Europe as part of the Eurasian Land Bridge goes over the Trans-Siberian railway, is lengthy, and requires bogie exchanges.[9]
KTZ is engaging on a major railroad project to link China and Southeast Asia to Europe for a length of 3,900 kilometres (2,400 mi). Currently the plan is to run the railway through Turkmenistan to Iran; Iran is linked to Turkey and Europe's standard gauge system[10] In May 2013, a new rail link opened between Uzen (Kazakhstan) and Serhetyaka (Turkmenistan), crossing the border at Bolashak. The railway is 146 km long and cost 65bn tenge. The railway is Russian gauge; there would be a break of gauge when the railway reaches the Iranian border.[11]
Construction for the new line will start at the eastern border town of Druzhba to go to Aktau on the Caspian Sea. Construction is expected to start in 2006 and take four years. The total cost of the project is $5–7 billion.[12] A link from Aktau to Iran is also required.
The transport corridor through Kazakhstan has the potential to provide a railway-ship link between China and the east coast of North America through the Northern East West corridor.[13]
Railway links with adjacent countries
edit- Russia – same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system)
- China – break of gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in)/1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in); border stations at Druzhba (connecting to Alashankou on the Lanxin railway) and at Korgas.
- Kyrgyzstan – same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system)
- Uzbekistan – same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system)
- Turkmenistan – same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system) – new rail link opened in 2013.[11]
Rolling stock
editIn October 2010, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy ordered 295 KZ8A electric locomotives from Alstom, for both freight and passenger services.[14] On October 3, the first train of this order was delivered during an official ceremony. While the first 10 pre-series of KZ8A locomotives are being manufactured at Alstom’s Belfort facility, the remaining will be built in Nur-Sultan, in the new Alstom plant in Kazakhstan which will be inaugurated on December 12, 2012. Besides, on October 8, 2012, KTZ signed its first maintenance contract with Alstom for the full maintenance, major overhaul and modernization of 27 passenger locomotives KZ4AC for a period of 25 years.[15]
In November 2010, KTZ awarded Talgo a contract to replace its fleet of 3000 intercity vehicles.[16] After the delivery of some of these vehicles, it was announced in October 2019 that this order had been cancelled.[17]
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KZ4A
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VL80
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TE33A "GE Evolution"
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2TE10U with train 22 Kyzylorda – Semey
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CKD6E
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TEM2 "Tamara"
High-speed railway project
editIn the early 2010s, a project for building a high-speed railway between Astana and Almaty was actively discussed by the Kazakh and Chinese officials. However, in 2013 the project was postponed due to high cost.[18]
Logistics
editKazakhstan Temir Joly & AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS) signed a joint venture agreement in December 2023 to improve rail connectivity, maritime shipping services, the growth of operations in Kazakhstan's ports, and to speed up digital transformation and connectivity in Central Asia.[19]
See also
edit- Narrow gauge railways in Kazakhstan
- Transport in Kazakhstan
- Tengri Unitrade CARGO
- North-South Transport Corridor
- Ashgabat agreement, a Multimodal transport agreement signed by India, Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, for creating an international transport and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.[20]
References
edit- ^ Устав акционерного общества «Национальная компания „Қазақстан темір жолы“» (in Russian) Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ "Казахстан темир жолы". ElDala.kz (in Russian). 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Казахстан темир жолы". ElDala.kz (in Russian). 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
- ^ "Second China – Kazakh link inaugurated". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ https://railways.kz/img/35ba8998-5ccd-4f6b-9c7a-fbca6eba00f3.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "New Chairman of Board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy named". inform.kz. 2023-09-11.
- ^ "Nurlan Sauranbayev named Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC CEO". inform.kz. 2021-04-08. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ^ a b "FEZ "Khorgos Eastern Gate" – a perspective distribution center of world level". Temir Zholy.
- ^ INFORM.KZ (2012-07-03). "Дан старт строительству железных дорог "Жезказган-Бейнеу" и "Аркалык-Шубарколь"". Казинформ (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-02-21.
- ^ TKTR project
- ^ a b "Presidents open Kazakhstan to Turkmenistan rail link". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ TKTR project Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ *Northern East West Corridor Archived 2006-11-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Railway Gazette: Kazakhstan signs contract for 295 Alstom-TMH locomotives". Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ^ "Alstom Signs a First Maintenance Contract for the Kazakh Railways KTZ". The Gazette of Central Asia. Satrapia. 8 October 2012.
- ^ "Talgo to renew Kazakh coach fleet". International Railway Journal. 2010-11-14. Archived from the original on 2010-11-24. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
- ^ "Kazakhstan Railways cancels Tulpar-Talgo coach order".
- ^ Kazakhstan postpones construction of new high-speed railway, 2013-11-02
- ^ Release, Press. "AD Ports Group and Kazakhstan Railways form joint venture". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
- ^ The Hans India – India accedes to Ashgabat agreement
External links
edit- KTZ official website
- Report on KTZ
- Interview with Chairman of KTZ
- UN report on Trans Asian Railway
- Maps
- "Railway map (Russian)". Archived from the original on 2013-01-31. (incomplete coverage)
- UNJLC map (incomplete coverage)
- "Interactive map of Railways of Kazakhstan". Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Detailed map pavaroz.com
- UN map