In Mangystau Region—a Kazakhstan’s territory bordering Turkmenistan—modernizations work continues on a 50-kilometer section of the highway linking the city of Zhanaozen with the Turkmen-Kazakh border.
The total length of the “Zhanaozen – Kenderli – Border of Turkmenistan” national highway stands at 229 kilometers. The terminus on the border with Turkmenistan is the “Temir-baba” international road checkpoint (facing the “Garabogaz” customs post on the Turkmen side).
Upon completion of the overhaul, the road’s throughput capacity is projected to double. Travel time from Zhanaozen to the border with Turkmenistan will drop significantly, cutting down from an average of seven hours to just two, according to Kazakhstani media reports.
As part of the project, earthworks have been completed across the entire 50-kilometer stretch, with 49,7 kilometers of geotextile layer already laid down.
The primary objective of the highway modernization is to bolster Kazakhstan’s transit potential toward Turkmenistan and Iran. Full completion of the project is scheduled for late 2026.
Beyond transit throughput, the reconstruction of this segment will streamline freight haulage and further unlock the economic and tourism potential of the Mangystau Region.
Meanwhile, Turkmenistan is also constructing coastal highways along the Caspian Sea: the 207-kilometer “Turkmenbashi – Garabogaz” highway and the 43.6-kilometer “Garabogaz – Border of Kazakhstan” road link.
The “Turkmenbashi – Garabogaz – Border of Kazakhstan” and “Zhanaozen – Kenderli – Border of Turkmenistan” corridors serve as integral components of the broader Central Asian road network connecting Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Alongside hard infrastructure upgrades, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan are actively enhancing soft connectivity components. In August 2026, the customs authorities of both nations launched an advance electronic data exchange system for goods and transport vehicles moving between the two states. /// nCa, 21 August 2026