Feature Central Asian Railways and Europe–Asia Land Bridge Central Asia’s Rail Network and the Eurasian Land Bridge Shigeru Otsuka By the 16th century, European voyagers the tracks of the Railways of the People’s The Silk Road Reborn had discovered a south passage to Asia Republic of China. This historical event around the Cape of Good Hope and the was made possible by the collapse of the There have been trade routes between Americas were being explored. In the Soviet Union and the new independence Asia and Europe since the dawn of human 17th century, Spain, Portugal and England of these five central Asian countries. history, culminating in the famous Silk vied for dominance of maritime trade Instead of linking China to the Soviet Road that ran a magnificent 15,000 km between Asia and Europe, sealing the fate Union, the railway suddenly connected between Xi’an in China and the Roman of the slower land route. Over the China to Central Asia. Empire. It carried many commodities following centuries, the European powers In 1996, the railway in Turkmenistan was such as silks, gems, gold, silver, carpets, and Russia extended their sphere of extended southwards across the border glass, turquoise, paper, spices, etc., from influence into the territories of the Silk with Iran to connect with the network of ancient times in both directions between Road and new national boundaries Iranian Islamic Republic Railways. Thus, Asia and Europe. changed the traders’ freedom of mobility. the east–west line had reached the Persian In addition to trade, the Silk Road was a Gradually, the Silk Road lost its purpose Gulf, with links to the Caucasus and highway of exchange for culture, art, and its trade died out. Turkey, becoming an important trade religion and knowledge. However, it was Four centuries later, although the Silk artery for Eurasia, just like the old Silk not a well-defined highway in the modern Road has lost its role as a transportation Road. sense, but was more a general route for corridor, many of the oases have become However, it still does not reach Europe— traders travelling between east and west busy towns with bustling bazaars and the gaps remain, and in civil disturbances in by camel, donkey cart, and on foot. The blue tiles of the minarets have not lost their other parts make passage difficult. At the long, difficult and dangerous journey shine. Tourists to the area still appreciate present, the ‘Silk Railway’ links Central across baking deserts, wind- and rain- the romance and many reminders of the Asia to China and Iran, but there is no swept mountains, and swollen rivers Silk Road. land bridge joining Central Asia to changed depending on the period, local But now, after many vicissitudes, there is Europe. ruler, climate and location of oases, once again a trade land route between east The only other uninterrupted line caravan posts and bazaars. Alexander the and west—not by camel or donkey but permitting travel from Europe to the Great, Ghengis Khan, Tamerlane and by railway. In 1991, the existing east– Pacific is the Trans-Siberian Railway. other historical figures passed this way to west lines of national railways in fight battles and establish empires that Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, would flower and wither. Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan were linked to The China Land Bridge China’s east–west main lines are the Longhai Line from Xi’an to Lanzhou, the Lanxin Line from Lanzhou to Ürümqi, and the Beijiang Line from Ürümqi to Alashankou. This creates an uninterrupted rail link from east to west The origin and destination of the Silk Road express are shown in four languages: Kazak (top left), Russian (bottom left), Chinese (top right) and English. The Silk Road express runs in Eastern Kazakhstan linking Almaty and Ürümqi. (Author) (Author) 42 Japan Railway & Transport Review 28 • September 2001 Copyright © 2001 EJRCF. All rights reserved. Silk Road express at Druzhuba Station (Author) Platform at Druzhba Station with a four-rail trak for trains from both direction. The carriages exchage bogies at adjacent depot while passengers on board. (Author) China, running more or less parallel to section between Druzhba and Aktogay, crosses the bridge from one end to the Tianshan Beilu, one ancient route of the which was left abandoned for the next 30 other, presumably because there is little Silk Road. or so years. passenger demand. Today, only freight From Alashankou, the line continues west After the thaw in Chinese–Soviet relations trains operate on some sections and there across the border between China and in 1985, China recommenced are still many hurdles to overcome before Kazakhstan. Druzhba, the first station in construction of the Beijiang Line between the line can function as a true land bridge. Kazakhstan, is 20 km west of Alashankou. Ürümqi and Alashankou. The line was The most serious are gauge differences From there, the tracks continue another finished in 1990, linking the Chinese and that require time-consuming bogie 320 km west to Aktogay, where they link Soviet rail networks at Druzhba on 16 changes, and bothersome Customs up with one of Kazakhstan’s main lines. September 1990. Freight trains began procedures hindering cross-border This completes China’s land bridge running on the line in July 1991 followed exchange of people and freight. beginning at the Pacific port of by passenger trains in June 1992. This In addition, the track between Druzhba Lianyungang. established a direct link between Almaty, and Aktogay was abandoned for 30 years The land bridge took many years to then the capital of Kazakhstan and and is in such bad condition that faster complete, partly because of the complex Ürümqi in China. Ironically, with the running speeds are risky. In 1995, the and changing political landscape in China collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, by government of Japan provided yen loans and the former USSR. China’s railway the time operations officially began in for repairs and other improvements and network only extended as far west as September 1992, the line linked China work is now completed. Lanzhou, and there was no rail line with the newly independent Kazakhstan. between Druzhba and Aktogay in the Since then, trains have been providing a Soviet Union. However, in 1954, when direct link between Lanzhou in China and The East–West Line Today relations between the two countries were Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, via extremely cordial, they announced plans Almaty. However, by late 2000, the direct The east–west line from China crossing to construct a new railway linking the two link has been shortened, only joining into Kazakhstan soon links up with the end lines. Agreement was reached on Ürümqi to Almaty, with two return runs most easterly of four north–south lines at construction of the Ürümqi–Aktogay each week, one operated by China, and Aktogay, which leads southwest to Almaty, section in 1956, and the Druzhba– the other by Kazakhstan. The train the former capital of Kazakhstan, and then Aktogay section was completed in 1959. carriages bear the name Zihbek Zholy west. Almaty is at the southern edge of a But deteriorating relations in the early (meaning Silk Road) in bold letters, an large plain that suffers many serious 1960s caused China to halt construction appropriate name because this prestigious earthquakes, explaining why the capital of the Ürümqi–Alashankou section international train with private double was relocated north to Astana (formerly although the Lanxin Line between sleeping carriages and restaurant car Akmora and Tselinograd even further Lanzhou and Ürümqi had opened in follows the route of the ancient Silk Road. back). Astana, which means ‘The Capital’ 1962. With construction in China halted, Although China’s rail land bridge is in the Kazak language, is an air, rail and no trains ran on the newly completed complete, no single passenger train road hub with 2-hour connections to Copyright © 2001 EJRCF. All rights reserved. Japan Railway & Transport Review 28 • September 2001 43 Central Asian Railways and Europe–Asia Land Bridge the Bosporus Strait to complete the land bridge all the way from the east coast of China through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey to Europe. However, the desert border between China and Kazakhstan (formerly the China–USSR border) still has watchtowers along a long metal fence, and there are also buildings that appear to be watchtowers on the border mountains between the former Soviet Union and Iran. These structures remind us of the tensions Almaty Station, Kazakhstan (Author) existing between countries in this region. major centres around the country. to Bandar-e Abbas on the Persian Gulf, Border tensions are also heightened by Although Almaty is no longer the capital, giving maritime access to the landlocked civil and other wars west of Iran. it is still the country’s largest city, and countries of Central Asia. But only local remains the centre of commerce, culture passenger services are offered at present Background to Central Asian and education. and there is no direct service from the Railway Network About 1000 km west of Almaty, the Turkmenistan–Iran border to the sea. continuance of the east–west line crosses The line running west from Tehran passes The five central Asian countries of into Uzbekistan and enters Tashkent, the through Tabriz, then crosses the Iran– Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, capital. Tashkent is Central Asia’s largest Turkey border at Kapicoi, about 870 km Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan were part of the city and has a population of more than 2 west of Tehran and continues another 100 15 republics making up the former Soviet million. It is the only city in Central Asia km to the eastern bank of Lake Van.