Afghan Rail link to Pakistan

Afghanistan: The Afghan Government has announced plans for the country's first international rail link. The line will run 100 km between the Southern city of Kandahar and the Pakistani border town of Chamman.

Preliminary site investigations have been completed. According to Public Works Minister Shorah Ali Safari, construction should get underway early next year. The project is expected to be “relatively easy”, with no major natural barriers, and no need to build any tunnels or major bridges.

Afghanistan is also undertaking feasibility studies into other international rail links. Routes under consideration include a line from the Western city of Heart into Iran and Turkmenistan, and a line between Mazar-I-Sharif in the North and Uzbekistan.