railway

Iran approves East-West transport corridor centred on Afghan railway

Morning Brief - 31 July 2026

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 31st of July, covering the latest developments.

China opens new rail freight route to Turkmenistan as Central Asia trade surges

China has launched a new direct rail freight route to Turkmenistan, expanding its transport links with Central Asia as trade and investment across the region continue to grow. The service will carry Chinese industrial and consumer goods to the Caspian region.

Türkiye-Saudi railway project aims to connect Gulf with Europe

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are aiming to establish a railway connection linking the two countries through Syria and Jordan within the next three to four years, according to Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.

New high-speed trains half journey from Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent to UNESCO-listed Silk Road city to 7.5 hours

New high-speed trains launched between Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent and the UNESCO-listed Silk Road city of Khiva will slash journey times from 14 hours to 7.5 hours according to Uzbekistan's state railway company, Uzbek City.

China–Europe Railway Express freight surges 25% in early 2026

Freight transport on the China–Europe Railway Express grew strongly in the first two months of 2026, highlighting the growing importance of rail links between Asia and Europe. The network moved about 352,000 shipping containers between January and February, a 25% increase from a year earlier.

Eleven railway workers killed by test train in China’s worst crash in more than a decade

Eleven railway workers have been killed and two injured after a test train struck a maintenance team at Luoyang Town station in Kunming on Thursday, officials in Yunnan province said.

Thousands mark Novi Sad railway tragedy

Thousands of students from across Serbia convened in Novi Sad on Friday (October 31) ahead of the first anniversary of the railway station roof collapse that killed 16 people last November.

New multimodal transport corridor completes China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway

A new multimodal transport corridor linking China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan has officially opened, marking the completion of the long-planned China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project, which began construction on 27 December 2024.

China railway trips hit record on first day of national holiday

China's national railway recorded 23.13 million trips on the first day of the country's eight-day National Day holiday on Wednesday, up nearly 8% from a year earlier and setting a single-day record, state media CCTV reported.

Railway CEO: Russia targets Ukraine's lifeline rail network with 'systematic' attacks

Russia has launched a series of attacks on Ukraine's railways since the summer, using long-range drones to target key points, but the network is still functioning, the state railway CEO of Ukrzaliznytsia told Reuters.

Kazakhstan fast-tracks rail upgrades to strengthen global trade role

Kazakhstan is accelerating efforts to overhaul its railway infrastructure in a bid to enhance efficiency and reinforce its role as a crucial Eurasian transit corridor, the government announced on Tuesday.

Revived train service eases transportation burden in Nigeria's Plateau State

Nigeria’s Plateau State has revived an intra-city train service to offer cheaper public transport. The move comes amid soaring fuel prices after the federal government scrapped fuel subsidies in 2023, pushing up bus fares and straining household budgets.

BTK railway freight volumes rise: 250,000 tonnes transported in 7 months

Around 250,000 tonnes of freight were transported via the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway in the first seven months of this year. The information was disclosed to journalists by Kadir Bozan, Chairman of the Kars Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Kazakhstan, Afghanistan to build new railway link connecting Central Asia and South Asia

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport and Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Works have reached an agreement on the construction of a new railway line to connect Central Asia and South Asia, which will increase the efficiency of the North-South corridor.

Stadler launches railcar production in Kazakhstan, presents first unit to President Tokayev

Stadler has launched the production of passenger railcars in Kazakhstan and presented the first completed unit to the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his visit to the plant in Astana.

South Korea, Vietnam leaders agree to expand cooperation in areas such as nuclear power

South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung and Vietnam’s Luong Cuong agreed during a phone call on Thursday to deepen ties with joint high-speed rail and nuclear-energy projects.

Will Labour’s rail shake-up fix Britain’s struggling railways?

As South Western Railway becomes the latest operator to be renationalised under Great British Railways (GBR), questions remain about whether these changes will lead to better services or lower fares.

UK and Switzerland agree to develop direct rail link

Britain and Switzerland have signed an agreement to explore the creation of a direct rail connection between London and Switzerland, aiming to expand cross-border train travel beyond existing routes to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.

China redraws trade routes with new railway to Europe

With rising global tensions and growing risks to shipping, China is reshaping its trade strategy by constructing a new railway to Europe — one that deliberately avoids its close ally, Russia.

Iran, Iraq railway connection kicks off next year

Iran seeks to expand its transportation opportunities amid US sanctions by developing new railway connections with neighbouring countries.