Turkmenistan plans to modernize the Ashgabat — Turkmenbashi railway line, enabling passenger trains to operate at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The project was announced by Minister of Railway Transport Mammet Akmammedov at the Turkmen-Chinese Business Forum in Ashgabat, according to the online newspaper «Turkmenistan: Golden age».

The main project involves a complete reconstruction of the western route, with freight train speeds expected to increase to 90 km/h. As part of the preparations, an international tender has been announced for the development of a feasibility study.

The modernization will also cover the eastern direction to Turkmenabat, which is considered part of the China — Kyrgyzstan — Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan transport corridor.

Cooperation with China remains a key element in the development of the sector. Turkmenistan has been cooperating with Chinese locomotive manufacturers for over 20 years. Currently, the railway fleet includes 180 Chinese-made locomotives and 423 railcars.