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Fast Train Connection from Northern Europe to Asia Gathers Interest

[ May 6, 2017   //   ]

The new connection between Finland, Russia, Kazakhstan and China was presented at the RailGate Finland –China Express Seminar in Helsinki on March 2017. The potential operators from Kazakhstan introduced themselves in the seminar.

“Fast connections are of great importance to export and import companies. This route will open new possibilities and will benefit all cooperation partners and the trade of our country”, says director Almat Karimov from KTZ Express. KTZ Express operates the main railway network, passenger and cargo transportation in Kazakhstan.

Director Zhaslan Nurtazin from Khorgos Gateway spoke about the possibilities of the route and saw cooperation with Kouvola and other partners very important.

Many Finnish companies have expressed their interest in the new connection.  Participants to the seminar found the presentations very useful. Their main interests were regularity, reliability and costs.

“We are ready to start container transports from Kouvola to Kazakhstan; as for China we are still waiting for final arrangements. Our goal is to start regular operation during this year. The prices are very competitive”, says Simo Päivinen, Development Director of Kouvola Innovation Oy.

The development company of the City of Kouvola, Kouvola Innovation Oy, has signed cooperation agreements with a Russian, Kazakh and two Chinese railway hubs. With the new connection, the transfer time between Northern Europe and China will come down to ca. 10 days.

Kouvola is a unique logistics centre. It has the largest cargo handling rail yard in Finland and several transport and forwarding companies, which are specialized in railway traffic. Kouvola is also the only Finnish core network terminal in the EU (TEN-T, i.e., Trans European Network terminal).

The City of Kouvola and Kouvola Innovation Oy are further developing the logistics area in order to boost the logistics sector in the city and to improve the prerequisites for intermodal operations.

 

 

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