Taliban to Launch Herat-Khaf Railway Services for Commercial Transport Within Two Weeks

Local Taliban officials in Herat have stated that commercial goods transportation via the Herat-Khaf railway line will be launched in the next 15 days.

They mentioned that traders would benefit from tax discounts at key ports and borders, including Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, and Turkey.

Bakhtar News Agency, under Taliban control, reported on Tuesday that this railway route is anticipated to ferry around 100,000 tonnes of commercial goods and approximately 100,000 passengers in its inaugural year.

However, the Taliban forecasts suggest a significant increase in the route's capacity, potentially transporting over 500,000 tonnes of goods annually within five years.

Officials also stated the commencement of passenger services on the railway route in April. About 400 Taliban security forces will be deployed at four strategic posts along the route for security.

The officials also pointed to the ongoing expansion project of the Torgundi railway extending to Rabat Paryan, covering 113 kilometres.

The Herat-Khaf railway, inaugurated in October 2022 in a joint event by the Islamic Republic and the Taliban, measures 226 kilometres, links Afghanistan to Iran's railway network. The railway stretches 77 kilometres within Iran and 149 kilometres across Afghanistan.

Ya'qub Ali Nazari, Governor of Khorasan Razavi in Iran, highlighted the railway's substantial annual cargo capacity of approximately six million tonnes, which is pivotal for export and transit development with China and Central Asia.