Iran has connected its eastern rail network to Afghanistan through the Khaf-Herat project which once completed would connect Afghanistan to Turkey and Europe.
An Iranian passenger train arrived in Herat province in western Afghanistan on Wednesday, October 28, for the first time.
Some 80 kilometers of the 220-km-long railroad are in Iran and the remaining 140 kilometers stretch from the common border to the Afghan city of Herat.
The project has four parts with two on Iranian soil and two in Afghanistan. Three phases of the railway project have been completed. Work on the fourth phase that is 80 kilometers will begin next month, according to Afghan offcials quoted by Tolonews television in Kabul.
The map shows the location of Khaf station in Iran rail network and the route towards Herat.
When completed, the rail route will be connected to the Central Asian and Chinese rail networks. This is estimated to considerably increase the volume of transit as well as passenger transportation in the region.
The map shows Afghanistan rail network plan
Meanwhile, Afghanistan can take advantage of a railway for the first time that provides access to Turkey and Europe with Iran ports in the Persian Gulf.
The Asian Development Bank said in a recent report that although Afghanistan has traditionally relied on Pakistan as a gateway to international shipping routes, recent trends indicate that 70% of Afghan transit trade are now diverted through Iran.
The Khaf-Herat project was started in April 2007 with an initial cost of $75 million and was due to be completed in 2009 but was delayed multiple times.