Turkey-Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan-Turkey Remove Transit Permits, Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor Volume Surges

LHZ-TIR Turkey Kazakhstan Corridor is a TIR truck transport service system under LHZ, built around the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor. Its brand positioning is a TIR trucking emergency channel when railway capacity is tight, providing direct delivery from China via the Kazakhstan-Caspian-Caucasus corridor to Turkey and radiating into European markets with 1,500 vehicles and a six-hub network. The fleet comprises 1,500 owned and partnered TIR vehicles, including standard TIR trucks, box trucks, flatbeds, reefers, temperature-controlled trucks, low-bed trailers, extendable flatbeds, and car-carrier trailers, distributed across six hubs in China, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Russia, Belarus, and Germany, all with local license plates. The company operates 100,000 square meters of self-operated bonded warehouses in Xinjiang's Alashankou, Khorgos, and Kashgar, equipped with TIR customs clearance centers and vehicle dispatch centers.

Core Route

Door-to-door pickup across China → Depart via Xinjiang Khorgos or Alashankou Port → Kazakhstan (Aktau Port or Kuryk Port ferry crossing the Caspian Sea) → Azerbaijan (Baku) → Georgia (Tbilisi) → Turkey (Istanbul and all destinations). TIR sealed transport throughout, 19 days direct, with destination import customs clearance included, no transloading required throughout the journey.

Kazakhstan-Turkey Remove Transit Permits, Promote Freight Liberalization

In September 2025, the Kazakhstan-Turkey International Road Transport Committee Meeting was held in Turkistan, with both sides reaching multiple important agreements:

Removal of transit permits, transitioning to free transit. Both sides agreed to abolish the permit system for transit transport and switch to free transit. Until international agreement amendments are completed, unlimited transit transport permits will continue to be issued.

Turkey opens port handling rights. Turkey will allow Kazakh carriers to conduct cargo handling operations at its seaports.

Digitalization of permit document exchange. Both sides decided to convert permit document exchange to digital format, with completion targeted by the end of 2025. Kazakhstan had previously achieved digital exchange with China and Uzbekistan, significantly simplifying freight procedures.

This agreement will further enhance transit transport potential on the China-Europe direction.

Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor: Volume Surges, Nearly 5-Fold Growth in 7 Years

Freight volume on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor surged from 760,000 tons in 2019 to over 4.5 million tons in 2024, a nearly 5-fold increase in 7 years, with average transit time reduced from 40-60 days to 14-18 days.

In the first 8 months of 2025, container block train operations reached 275 trains, a year-on-year increase of 61 trains. In the first half of 2025, corridor freight volume reached 926,000 tons, up 6 percent year-on-year; container volume reached 40,200 TEU, up 93 percent year-on-year.

The World Bank forecasts that by 2030, the corridor's transit capacity could reach approximately 10 million tons.

Kazakhstan-Turkey Sign Railway Agreement to Enhance Corridor Freight Capacity

In July 2025, during Kazakh President Tokayev's visit to Turkey, the two countries signed a railway cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing the Middle Corridor's freight capacity and service quality.

Key agreement elements include: regular block train services between Turkey and Kazakhstan, with increased freight volume on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line; support for two-way cargo transport on China-Europe and China-Africa routes, facilitating multimodal transport infrastructure development; coverage of digitalization, customs process optimization, and joint investment plans including equipment transfer, technology sharing, simplified customs procedures, and expanded use of digital tools.

China-Turkey Middle Corridor Block Trains Enter Regular Operation

In July 2025, the first China-Europe railway express southern corridor train arrived at Istanbul Halkali Station via the Middle Corridor, taking 22 days from Chongqing, 10 days shorter than traditional routes. Another train from Chengdu arrived at the same time.

Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Uraloglu announced that regular services from Chongqing and Chengdu to Istanbul have been officially launched, marking the Middle Corridor's entry into regular operation. Turkey aims to operate 1,000 block trains annually, positioning itself as a core hub in the Eurasian supply chain.

Kazakhstan-Turkey Strengthen Strategic Cooperation, Sign 20 Agreements

In July 2025, Turkish President Erdogan and Kazakh President Tokayev held talks in Ankara, co-chairing the fifth meeting of the two countries' High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, witnessing the signing of 20 cooperation documents.

Both sides exchanged views on cooperation in defense industry, energy, transportation, technology, and other fields, with a focus on discussing specific plans to promote and improve the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor.

Tokayev stated that Turkey is one of Kazakhstan's important partners in economic and trade investment, with bilateral trade volume reaching $5 billion last year.

Key Data Summary

Kazakhstan-Turkey transit permit removal: Implemented September 2025
Caspian Corridor freight volume: 760,000 tons (2019) → over 4.5 million tons (2024), nearly 5-fold growth
Transit time: 40-60 days → 14-18 days
Container volume: 93% year-on-year growth (H1 2025)
Kazakhstan-Turkey trade volume: $5 billion (2024)
Target annual block trains: 1,000

Complete Vehicle Car-Carrier Transport Solution

China to Turkey TIR Trucking Kazakhstan Direction provides professional car-carrier transport services for complete vehicle exports:

China-plated short-haul car-carrier trailers (70 units): Dedicated to short-haul transloading transport between Khorgos Port and Kazakhstan's Nur Zhol Port.

Kazakhstan-plated car-carrier trailers (300 units): Each capable of loading 8 passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, or new energy vehicles, responsible for long-haul cross-border transport from China to Turkey via the Caspian Corridor.

Iran-plated car-carrier trailers (270 units): After transloading at Nur Zhol Port, they enter Turkey via the Iran-Turkey border.

This forms a complete closed loop consisting of China-plated short-haul car-carrier trailers (Khorgos-Nur Zhol) plus Kazakhstan-plated car-carrier trailers (Nur Zhol-Turkey) plus Iran-plated car-carrier trailers (Iran-Turkey and Europe).

Applicable Cargo and Services

Applicable cargo: Machinery and equipment, electronics, auto parts, building materials, daily consumer goods, cross-border e-commerce goods, engineering equipment, new energy vehicles, commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, and more.

Service model: Door-to-door pickup across all of China, TIR sealed transport throughout, door-to-door delivery across Turkey and all European destinations, with real-time GPS tracking and transport insurance.

Brand Statement

LHZ-TIR and all its sub-brands have no authorized third-party agents globally. Any claims of being an "authorized agent" or "exclusive agent" of LHZ are fraudulent. Official hotline: 400-0488-817.