Air Cargo and Rail Expansion Accelerate Eurasian Connectivity

Apr 15
3 min read

🚨 Market Signal

New rail routes, expanding air cargo links, and growing multimodal infrastructure are reinforcing Eurasian logistics as a more connected and flexible network.

Direct China–Europe connections via the Middle Corridor are reducing transit times, while new air cargo routes from Western China are improving speed for time-sensitive shipments. At the same time, Central Asia is scaling aviation and multimodal capacity, and new transit corridors are opening alternative trade paths between regions.

In this edition, we explore how new China–Europe rail and air routes, expanding Central Asian aviation networks, and emerging transit corridors are strengthening connectivity and improving routing flexibility across Eurasian supply chains.

New Rail Link Expands Middle Corridor Reach

A new China–Europe freight route from Wuhan, China to Baku, Azerbaijan has been launched via the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor, strengthening multimodal connectivity between China and European markets.

Transit time reduced to ~18 days, compared to up to 22 days on conventional routes
Combines rail+sea shipping, enhancing multimodal flexibility
Supports export flows from central China, with Wuhan now linked to 100+ cities across 40+ countries
Middle Corridor volumes via Azerbaijan have increased by ~90% since 2022, reflecting rising demand

New Air Route Strengthens China–Europe Cargo Network

A new Urumqi–Brussels cargo route has been launched, expanding direct air freight connectivity between western China and Europe and supporting cross-border e-commerce flows.

Urumqi now operates 36 international cargo routes across 22 countries, including 20 routes to Europe
Flights primarily carry cross-border e-commerce shipments, a fast-growing cargo segment
Transit time to Europe reduced to ~7 hours, improving speed for time-sensitive cargo
Over 900 international cargo flights handled in 2026, accounting for 30%+ of total traffic

Air Astana Expands China Network as Demand Surges

Air Astana, Kazakhstan's flag carrier, is scaling operations to China following strong traffic growth, reflecting increasing business and trade connectivity between Central Asia and China.

Passenger volumes exceeded 250,000 in 2025, nearly doubling year-on-year
New Almaty–Shanghai route operates three times per week, expanding the network to six destinations in China
Additional services planned to Guangzhou and Beijing, alongside frequency increases
Growth supported by visa-free regime and rising bilateral demand

Karaganda Launched New Multimodal Cargo Operations

A new multimodal logistics operation has been launched at Karaganda Airport in Kazakhstan, combining air+road transport to improve cargo distribution efficiency across Central Asia.

Cargo transferred from aircraft to trucks within 4 hours, improving turnaround speed
Project supports Europe–Central Asia–China cargo flows, optimizing both inbound and outbound legs
Aircraft loaded with China-origin goods for Europe-bound shipments, ensuring efficiency
Airport supports 200+ cargo aircraft refueling operations per month, indicating growing hub activity

Khorgos Airport Project Advances

Development of the Khorgos cargo airport in China continues, supporting long-term plans to establish a major aviation logistics hub on the China border.

Phase 1 investment set at $200 million, total project estimated at $550 million
Initial capacity: 50,000 tons cargo/year, expanding to 250,000 tons by 2032
Located in Zhetysu region, Kazakhstan, strengthening cross-border logistics at Khorgos SEZ
Enhances integration of air cargo with rail and road corridors

FlyOne Asia Expands International Network

Uzbek carrier FlyOne Asia has launched scheduled passenger flights ex Tashkent, Uzbekistan to Russia, marking its transition from charter operations to a broader route network.

Initial routes include Tashkent–Moscow and Tashkent–Yekaterinburg
Expansion continues with destinations such as Kazan and Novosibirsk
Future routes planned to Riga, Latvia and Tel Aviv, Israel

Pakistan–Uzbekistan Transit Corridor Goes Live

Pakistan has launched its first export shipment to Uzbekistan via the Iran transit corridor, opening a new overland trade route between South Asia and Central Asia.