High-speed rail in Kazakhstan

Qazaqstan Temir Zholy, the national rail company of Kazakhstan, has awarded a contract to oversee the design and construction of a high-speed line from Astana (the country's capital) to Almaty (its largest city).[1][2] The line is expected to be 1,011 km (628 mi) long, and will travel via Karaganda and Balkhash.[1][2] A 10 km (6.2 mi) viaduct across Lake Balkhash is planned near Sayaq.[1][2] The trains are expected by be built by Tulpar-Talgo (a joint venture established in 2011 between Qazaqstan Temir Zholy and Spanish company Talgo[3]), and will have a maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph), completing the trip in five and a half hours.[1][2] The system will use Russian gauge, the same as used by Kazakhstan's existing conventional lines.[1][2]

A Moscow-Beijing-HSR is either to pass through Altai or through Kazakhstan.[4]

Statement from 2015 shows preference for the Kazakhstan route [5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Kazakhstan plans 1 000 km high speed line". Railway Gazette International. 2013-03-13.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Kazakhstan to build first high-speed line". International Railway Journal. 2013-03-13.
  3. ↑ "President Opens Train Manufacturing Plant "Tulpar-Talgo"". 2011-12-09.
  4. ↑ "Moscow-Beijing high speed rail to pass through either Kazakhstan or Altai - RZD | Russia Beyond The Headlines". rbth.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  5. ↑ "Moscow to Beijing in 2 days: China to build $242bn high-speed railway — RT Business". rt.com. Retrieved 2015-04-03.