Alexander Khoroshevich, First Deputy Head of the state association Belarusian Railway, delivered a master class titled “Adapting Global Trends to the National Context and Operating Conditions of Belarusian Railway.” The event was held at the Corporate University of Russian Railways.
Alexander Khoroshevich described Belarusian Railway (BZD) as “a modern, highly developed logistics organization that is fully prepared to handle any volume of freight.” Rail accounts for more than 42% of total freight turnover in Belarus, he noted.
“We sit at the intersection of two international transport corridors (ITCs), through which Belarusian Railway is integrated into the global transport network and into the inland transport project ‘One Belt, One Road.’ The current stage of development of the national rail freight market is unfolding against a backdrop of global trends, shaped by significant structural shifts in the economy,” Alexander Khoroshevich said. One of the most important such trends, he noted, is the development of services along ITC routes.
According to the deputy head of BZD, rail freight is also being shaped by structural changes in international markets—most significantly, by sanctions-driven restrictions on the geography and volume of cargo shipments and on the routing of passenger trains. “We weren’t the ones who put these barriers in place—they were put up against us. But we are constantly working on the issue and trying to maintain a dialogue with our western and northern partners. In return, however, we hear only silence,” Alexander Khoroshevich said.
Infrastructure Development
The centerpiece of the BZD strategy through 2040 is the development of rail infrastructure. In particular, the railway will continue to expand the corridor used to ship Belarusian goods to ports in northwestern Russia. Total throughput capacity already supports the movement of at least 20 million tons of Belarusian export cargo a year.
Considerable attention is also being paid to electrification. Today, only 25% of the operating length of Belarus’s rail network is electrified. “Compared with the Russian Federation, that’s extremely low,” Alexander Khoroshevich noted. Priority will go to electrifying the “gaps” on the main routes that currently prevent the full use of electric traction. These are the 393 km from Zhlobin to the Russian border, 290 km from Kalinkovichi to Baranovichi, and 326 km from Brest to Gomel.
The existing traction power supply infrastructure will also be modernized. Talks are currently underway with RZD International LLC on one such segment, Zhdanovichi–Usha.
The network of dry ports and freight terminals is being actively expanded as well. Belarus currently has 48 terminals in operation, providing the full range of cargo handling services in demand among the railway’s customers today.
“We’re not stopping there—we keep adding to our service offering. First, this strengthens Belarusian Railway’s competitive position relative to other transport operators in our country. And second, it sets the railway apart in qualitative terms as a reliable and, most importantly, stable partner for handling cargo for our shippers,” the deputy head of BZD emphasized.
At the same time, the country is rolling out several projects to build out its dry port network, including the construction of a Eurasian rail gateway within the Great Stone industrial park, as well as a rail terminal in the Bremino–Orsha special economic zone and another terminal on the border with Poland. These and other facilities are either already under construction or at the decision-making stage.
Corridors of Growth
“Given the country’s geographical location, one of Belarusian Railway’s key priorities is developing freight along international transport corridors. Today, our network handles regular transit traffic along the West–East ITC routes, carrying cargo from the European Union to China and other Asian countries—and back again,” Alexander Khoroshevich said.
Working with other rail carriers and transport operators, BZD also moves cargo along the central (trans-Caspian) and western (via Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) branches of the International North–South Transport Corridor.
To boost efficiency, BZD is working to scale up container freight. As of April 1, container shipments along the China–Europe route were up 38% year-on-year.
Alongside developing container services, Belarusian Railway provides multimodal cargo transportation through Russian ports. “Thanks to the well-established cooperation with Russian railways, shippers, and consignees, transit and Belarusian cargoes are being routed through ports in northwestern Russia, ports on the Caspian Sea, and a number of other destinations,” Alexander Khoroshevich said.
Digital Transformation
To accelerate transportation, Belarusian Railway has introduced paperless technologies for cargo operations. The electronic international consignment note is now used for shipments to the Russian Federation (including the Kaliningrad Region), Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland. “Granted, only one carrier is involved so far, but this is not due to our reluctance; it is rather because they lack the capacity to thoroughly and conclusively settle this issue with us,” Khoroshevich lamented.
To streamline operations, BZD is also working on an ongoing basis to expand the use of electronic shipping and accompanying trade documents, including through pilot projects with other railway administrations and customs zones or authorities.
The Passenger—A Title to Be Proud Of
Passenger services are another strategic priority for Belarusian Railway. Under current conditions, particular importance is attached to projects aimed at improving service quality, deploying modern technology, and developing international cooperation, Alexander Khoroshevich emphasized. According to him, an extensive network of domestic passenger routes has been built up, comprising 48 business-class interregional trains, around 70 economy-class interregional trains, 20 business-class regional trains, 72 urban trains, and 494 economy-class regional trains. In addition, 42 international trains run on a regular schedule. When demand peaks, this number can be increased to 50 or even more.
“One priority area in developing our passenger business is urban rail service,” Khoroshevich said. A significant step in integrating the railway into the urban passenger transport system—and in developing modern transport solutions for large urban agglomerations—was the launch of the urban train project in Minsk.
A key priority in developing international passenger service is expanding cross-border rail links between bordering regions of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. On April 2, service was launched on the Smolensk–Vitebsk and Smolensk–Orsha routes, with up to six trains a day on each line depending on the season and the day of the week. Expanding the route network is also being considered going forward.
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