DUSHANBE, 20.06.2017. /NIAT “Khovar”/. On June 19 the first passenger train Dushanbe-Astana arrived in the capital of Kazakhstan. NIAT “Khovar” correspondent has been informed by the Chief of Railway Department of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan Suhrob Sohibnazarov.

According to him, the first passenger train left Dushanbe on June 15 and arrived in the capital of Kazakhstan on the night of June 19. The time of this route is four days. This route will be put on once a week and run for only 3 months — during the international specialized exhibition “EXPO-2017” from June 10 to September 10 this year.

As NIAT “Khovar” has been reported by the Unitary Enterprise “Passenger Transportation”, previously there was no direct railway communication between the two capitals. The decision to launch was agreed between the railway operators of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

“The train leaves from Dushanbe on Thursdays, and Astana — on Mondays. The cost of one way ticket depends on the time of ticket purchase. If the passenger bought a ticket a month before the shipment, then its cost will be 927 TJS. If the ticket is purchased 20 or 10 days prior to shipment, then its cost will be a little more expensive”, — the source explained.

“In accordance with the reached agreements the train on the route Dushanbe — Astana will operate only 3 months. It is too early to talk about a regular railway route between the two capitals, it will depend on the passenger traffic, as far as this route will be in demand among citizens”, — the source concluded.