The 1st train crossed Turkmen/Afghan border arrives at Aqina, marks the 3rd active railway connection with our neighbors. @RECCAfghanistan pic.twitter.com/ddf5Z9TegU

— Wahid Waissi (@WahidWaissi) November 28, 2016

The railway from Atamyrat in Turkmenistan to the Ymamnazar border crossing point (85 km) and Afghanistan’s customs facilities at Akina (3 km) was officially opened on 28 November 2016 by Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani.¹

The first freight train on the new line comprised 46 wagons carrying flour, grain, cement, carbamide, urea and sulphur.^{2 3}

Construction of the line had been launched by the presidents of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan with an elaborate ceremony in Atamyrat on 5 June 2013, and a ceremony at Akina on 30 October 2016 marked the laying of the final rails.

#Asia International #Railway Corridor between #Afghanistan and #Turkmenistan inaugurated by presidents of both countries. pic.twitter.com/c4KN0ulNcn

— Syed Anwar (@Sayed_Anwer) November 28, 2016

A planned continuation of the line would extend it 35 km to Andkhoy, the first significant town in Afghanistan. The line also forms the first section of the proposed TAT Railway corridor from Turkmenistan via northern Afghanistan to Tajikistan.

Ghani said today the railway joins #Afghanistan with #Turkmenistan, tomorrow with Iran and in the future with #India and other countries

— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) November 28, 2016

#Afghan and #Turkmen leaders travel by train on newly built railway: Ghani's deputy spokesman#AFG

— 1TVNewsAF (@1TVNewsAF) November 28, 2016

The new line is the second cross-border railway between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, after the short Soviet-built line to a freight terminal at Towraghondi, north of Herat.

Aqina Railway will be officially inaugurated this afternoon in the presence of Presidents of #Afghanistan and #Turkmenistan. pic.twitter.com/OmMDoF8bo6

— ارگ (@ARG_AFG) November 28, 2016

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