Kazakhstan Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in kazakhstan, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Transport and Logistics
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Overview

Kazakhstan’s transport and logistics sector is expanding rapidly, with growth of 23.1 percent in early 2025. Railways and roads dominate cargo movement, with rail handling over half of freight. The country’s strategic geography makes it a vital transit hub between Asia and Europe, supported by the Trans-Caspian Trade Route, which saw container traffic more than double in 2024.

Marine transport is anchored by Caspian ports—Aktau, Kuryk, and Bautino—where modernization plans aim to boost throughput by 1.5 times and triple container capacity by 2028. Road infrastructure, long plagued by inefficiency, is undergoing reform through digital procurement, revised standards, and adoption of Superpave technology. Aviation is also growing, with passenger traffic averaging 15 percent annual growth and major airports being upgraded into multimodal hubs.

Despite progress, Kazakhstan’s logistics performance index fell from 79th to 95th in 2024 due to bottlenecks in ports, railways, warehouses, and customs. The government is addressing these challenges with investments in multimodal centers, dry ports, and automated cargo control stations. Together, these reforms aim to strengthen Kazakhstan’s role as a reliable global logistics hub.

Leading Sub-sectors

  • Rail Transport: Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) leads operations, supported by subsidiaries for freight, containers, and infrastructure. International partners (EBRD, ADB, IFC) finance modernization, including congested routes like Dostyk–Moiynty and Shu–Shymkent. A $4.2 billion deal with U.S. firm Wabtec introduced advanced locomotives and AI-driven diagnostics, cutting fuel costs and boosting efficiency.
    Marine Transport: Aktau and Kuryk ports are central to the Trans-Caspian Trade Route. Aktau handles 11.8 million tons annually, while Kuryk’s ferry terminal manages 4.1 million tons. The Sarzha terminal, under development with Abu Dhabi Ports, will add grain, oil, and container capacity. Regional cooperation through the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) has created joint ventures with Azerbaijan, UAE, and Singapore.
  • Roads: JSC NC KazAvtoZhol and the Committee for Roads oversee highways, with $690 million allocated in 2024 for reconstruction. Superpave technology is being piloted to improve durability, while toll roads—nearly 5,000 km—are expanding to generate sustainable revenue.
  • Aviation: Passenger traffic reached 14.4 million in 2024, with 567 weekly flights to 28 countries. Major projects include a $1.1 billion modernization of Astana airport, a new Shymkent terminal, and a logistics hub in Aktobe. Fleet expansion from 104 to 216 aircraft by 2030 will support new international routes.
  • Logistics: Warehousing capacity is limited, with only 1.3 million sqm of Class A/B space and vacancy rates near one percent. Planned investments of $6.5 billion will expand multimodal integration, electrify rail sections, and build new distribution centers.

Opportunities

Kazakhstan’s modernization across rail, marine, road, aviation, and logistics creates strong demand for U.S. expertise. In rail, opportunities include supplying signaling systems, rolling stock software, IoT diagnostics, and consulting on logistics hub design. Infrastructure construction needs specialized materials such as geotextiles and modular containers.

Marine transport offers potential in port modernization, cranes, ferry systems, and digital platforms. U.S. firms can also advise on regulatory reform, tariff harmonization, and PPP models. Road sector reforms create demand for Superpave-related materials, additives, and lab equipment while consulting and training services are needed to adapt standards to local conditions.

Aviation projects open opportunities in airport construction, cargo handling systems, fleet modernization, and digital airport management. U.S. companies can also support multimodal integration and tourism infrastructure development.

Risks include KTZ’s monopoly in rail, Chinese dominance in maritime projects, and regulatory complexity in aviation. To mitigate these, U.S. firms should partner with local players, join international consortiums, and engage with MDB-financed projects. Pilot projects, digital exports, and consulting services offer scalable entry points. Early positioning will allow U.S. companies to benefit from Kazakhstan’s forecasted container transit growth to 865,000 TEUs by 2040.

Resources

 

U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in Almaty, Commercial Assistant for Transportation and Logistics, Alem Abubakirova, alem.abubakirova@trade.gov

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