Afghanistan’s railways

Trains in the Visiting Hairatan Port with Mitra video

Posted on by Andrew Grantham

The video Afghan Scene – Visiting Hairatan Port with Mitra / افغان سین – سفر دیدنی میترا به بندر حیرتان from “Toot” includes some railway action, including the presenter enthusiastically greeting a maintenance vehicle at 2:20 and a locomotive hauling an single Uzbek Railways liveried coach at 2:56.

Freight arriving at Hayratan

Posted on by Andrew Grantham

Friendship Bridge photos

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Italian loan for Herat railway project

Posted on by Andrew Grantham

On 15 January 2020 the Afghan parliament approved a €65m long-term loan from Italy for the Rabat Beryan to Herat airport section of the Khaf – Herat railway project. The 40-year loan with a 29 year grace period will be paid in installments of €40m, €40m and €25m, and no interest will be charged.1

The route from Robat Paryan/Rabat Pariyan to the Herat (هرات‎‎) industrial area and airport forms the ~20 km Stage 4 Phase 2 of the Iran to Herat railway.

  1. House passes Italy loan for railway project, Afghanistan Times, 15 January 2020 ↩

Wolesi Jirga approves presidential decree on draft railway law

Posted on by Andrew Grantham

A draft railway law was approved by the Wolesi Jirga on 28 October 2019.

The Lower House of Parliament on Monday’s plenary session confirmed president’s legislative decrees regarding to law of railway and annex #(3) law of principles of commercial courts.
[…]
Overall in accordance to agenda, the president’s legislative decree in relation to law of railway in order to obtaining of vote was presented in the session by chief and members of the national economy commission Akbar Sultanzada, Obaidullah Kalimzai and Halima Askari.

In result, the mentioned decree in 11 chapters and 58 articles by adding of item 2nd and 3rd in article 54 was confirmed with majority votes.

Source: Wolesi Jirga confirms president’s legislative decrees regarding to law of railway and annex (3) law of principles of commercial courts, 28 October 2019.

First Afghanistan to China rail freight service

Posted on by Andrew Grantham

An inaugural service carrying freight for export to China by rail left Hairatan on 5 September 2019.1 It was carrying 1 100 tonnes of talc in 41 containers, which were expected to arrive in China’s Jiangxi province in around 14 days, travelling 6 700 km via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The locomotive from Uzbekistan’s national railway UTY and the containers were decorated with banners showing the flags of the four countries, and a portrait of King Amanullah.

Guests at the despatch of the first export train included Minister of Transport Yama Yari, various national and local government officials and representatives of the embassies of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China.

The first rail freight service from China to Afghanistan ran in September 2016, but the start of services in the opposite direction was delayed by bureaucratic issues.

  1. Afghanistan – China rail freight service sets off, Railway Gazette International, 9 September 2019. ↩

Friendship Bridge pictures

Posted on by Andrew Grantham