The 8th International Business Forum “NEW SILK WAY” was held in Astana on 15–16 October as part of Kazakhstan Transport Week. The event brought together key players in the transport industry in the Eurasian area. The International Coordinating Council for Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT) took an active part in the forum’s business program, presenting joint initiatives aimed at developing international transport corridors and enhancing freight transportation efficiency.

The forum’s participants included representatives from government ministries and state agencies, international financial institutions, foreign railway administrations, as well as the business community and major international corporations. Discussions focused on the prospects for developing international transport corridors and improving logistics chains – not only within Kazakhstan but across the entire Eurasian region.

Mikhail Goncharov, Secretary General of CCTT, spoke at a panel session dedicated to the development of international transport corridors. He outlined the key conditions required to ensure that transit corridors remain distinct and attractive to customers:

• a unified pricing structure;
• accessibility and effective planning;
• cargo safety and security;
• supplementary border-crossing procedures;
• well-developed infrastructure and terminal networks;
• integrated financial services.


“These are just some of the practical measures that the CCTT is actively working to implement in collaborarion with our strategic partners, national railway companies, port authorities, logistics operators, and government agencies,” Mikhail Goncharov emphasized.



An important highlight of the forum was the presentation of the International Freight Express Russia–Kazakhstan. On 15 October, Dmitry Digodyev, CEO of Global Group Holding LLC, presented the service during a panel session on the development of the North–South International Transport Corridor (ITC), organized by the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The project is being implemented jointly by CCTT and KAZLOGISTICS.

The International Freight Express is a service based on the routing of individual railcar shipments from various shippers, consolidated into organized  express freight  trains. These trains, composed of different types of freight wagons and operate between Moscow–Vyazma and Almaty-1 according to an agreed timetable.

The service’s key advantage is that trains operate according to fixed train paths, without intermediate stops. This significantly reduces delivery times: the operational transit time for railcars is cut from 18–20 days to 7–8 days, helping to lower transportation costs.

Global Group Holding LLC acts as the service organiser and operator in Russia, while Kedentransservice JSC performs this role in Kazakhstan.

The culmination  of the joint efforts was the signing of a Memorandum on the Development and Promotion of the Russia–Kazakhstan International Freight Express Service at the NEW SILK WAY forum. The document was signed by representatives of CCTT, the Union of Transport Workers of Kazakhstan (KAZLOGISTICS), and Global Group Holding LLC.

The parties reaffirmed their commitment to developing efficient, regular, and competitive rail freight services between Russia and Kazakhstan. Their joint efforts will focus on implementing innovative technologies, digital solutions, and best practices to enhance the resilience and reliability of supply chains.

The Memorandum establishes the principles of mutual benefit, good faith, and partnership, as well as the parties’ intention to facilitate the growth of international freight transportation, including transit traffic, and promote modern multimodal services.