First Freight train to leave for Turkey through Iran on 12th Aug !

[Kompromat]

Pak, Iran and Turkey to launch freight train
By Zaheer Mahmood Siddiqui
Sunday, 01 Aug, 2010

LAHORE: The first freight train between Pakistan, Iran and Turkey will start operation on Aug 12.

“The Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) container train will be running between Islamabad and Istanbul through Tehran on the first Thursday of every month,” an official of the ministry of railways told Dawn on Saturday.

The first trans-country and the fourth international train to be operated by the Pakistan Railways would be leaving Istanbul and Islamabad simultaneously.


The demonstration run of the freight train from Islamabad to Istanbul through Tehran began on Aug 14 last year. It will now start its return test run from Istanbul on Aug 2 and reach Zahedan on Aug 9. Afterwards, it will operate between the three cities.

At a meeting in Tehran in March last year, the transport ministers of the three countries had finalised modalities to run a container train between the three cities.

The test run on the newly-laid track between Kerman and Zahedan was carried out. The trilateral ministerial meeting discussed the possibility to also run a passenger train on the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul route.

“An ECO passenger train is already operating between Istanbul and Tehran and its service will shortly be extended to Ashkabad (Turkmenistan). The modalities to extend its operation to Pakistan are being considered,” the official added.

The Pakistan Railways has been operating three international passenger trains – Samjhota Express between Lahore and Amritsar, Zahedan Mixed Passenger between Quetta and Zahedan and Thar Express on Karachi-Mirpur Khas-Zero Point route

DAWN.COM | National | Pak, Iran and Turkey to launch freight train

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Cut the cost of shipment 30-40% vs sea route

 

[Kompromat]

Free trade agreement between Turkey , Iran , Pakistan should come soon.

 

[WAQAS119]

Watch out for enemies bombing it... (Khudana Khawasta)

 

[Hyde]

glad to hear that,
now FTA is very important to boost our trilateral trades

Good going so far

PS: If only china is linked with this train route, expect a lot of custom revenue for Pakistan and trust me it would be a huge boost to our country's economy

 

[Malik Usman]

A great news another milestone for Pakistan

 

[ramu]

A great news another milestone for Pakistan

Can someone put the route-map as an image here please. If you read the a book called Wealth of nations and if my memory serves well, one of the chapters is about the gradual transfer of wealth from a rich country to the poor.

Trade is always good and at times when seen in isolation, a unifying factor and a deterrent for war!

 

[Sparten80]

This is an important milestone for Pakistan. We should increase trade, infrastructure nad commerce through this important trade route (Iran-Turkey)

I hope more investment is made in building up the infrastructure to connect our three countries (Pakistan-Iran-Turkey) and that a trade agreement is made that benefits our three countries.

Furthermore, Turkey-Iran-Pakistan represent some of the most vibrant Middle Eastern/Western Asian economies. It makes economic sense.

 

[Beskar]

I believe a test-run has already taken place?

Great news! Hopefully one day they'll let us travel to Turkey by train. Now that'd be a trip to remember.

 

[Sparten80]

glad to hear that,
now FTA is very important to boost our trilateral trades

Good going so far

PS: If only china is linked with this train route, expect a lot of custom revenue for Pakistan and trust me it would be a huge boost to our country's economy

Agreed. I think with the extension of the Haveil rail link up north along the KKH to China, that is very much a natural sequence once that link is made. Key is to expand on our trade and infrastructure links.