First Direct Rail Shipment from China to Herat Arrives via Iran
The first direct rail shipment from China to Afghanistan via Iran has been completed, with a 500-ton cargo of MDF boards reaching the Rosenk station in Herat province. The shipment was transported without unloading or reloading along the route.
According to Mostafa Rezaei, director of the Iran–Afghanistan rail corridor, the cargo departed from Beijing, passed through Turkmenistan, entered Iran’s rail network, and then reached western Afghanistan via the Khaf–Herat railway line.
This direct transport reduces time and transportation costs, and if continued, could enhance this route’s competitiveness against other regional corridors.
Afghanistan, lacking direct access to open seas and relying on neighboring countries’ transit routes, has sought to diversify its trade paths in recent years. Rail connectivity to Iran offers greater access to the regional transportation network and Iran’s southern ports, creating a new channel for Chinese goods to enter the Afghan market.
Regionally, an increase in freight volume on the Khaf–Herat railway could strengthen the route’s role in linking East Asia, Central Asia, and Afghanistan. However, experts emphasize that the corridor’s sustainability depends on consistent cargo volume growth, improved rail infrastructure within Afghanistan, streamlined customs procedures, and secured transit routes.
The Khaf–Herat railway, connecting Afghanistan to Iran’s rail network, holds strategic importance in western Afghanistan. With potential expansion of internal lines such as the Herat–Mazar-e-Sharif project, it could become part of a broader transit network across northern and central Afghanistan.
