Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul cargo train to be restored : 

                           The Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) cargo train is relied upon to continue activities in mid-2021 to help Pakistan's exchange with Turkey and Iran. 

                               The railroads of Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran have commonly consented to continue normal activities soon, said Turkey's Transport Minister, Adil Karaismailoğlu, after the tenth version of the Economic Cooperation Organization's (ECO) Transport and Communications Ministers Meeting in Istanbul. 

The vital prerequisites for the recovery of the ITI train, likewise called the ECO Container train have been satisfied. The train is relied upon to continue tasks in 2021.


ECO Project : 

The preliminary attempt of the ITI train was dispatched in 2009 as a venture under the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) – a 10-part Asian exchange coalition. The rail course, which is perceived by the UN as a global passageway between the three nations, has so far just been utilized for test ventures. 

Decrease Cargo Time and Cost :

The railroad line expects to enormously decrease the travel course of the merchandise from Istanbul to Islamabad. During the preliminary, the cargo train from Islamabad to Istanbul took almost 13 days to make the 6500km excursion. The excursion was later additionally decreased to 11.5 days. In correlation, shipping merchandise from European nations to Pakistan through seaway took just about 45 days. The train has the greatest limit concerning twenty 40-feet compartments.

Length of Rail Route :


The all-out length of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul venture is 6500 kilometers (km). 


*Iran: 2600 km 


*Turkey: 1950 km 


*Pakistan: 1990 km 



Boost Trade :

                     The railroad line from Istanbul, through Tehran, right to Islamabad has been portrayed as "hugely advantageous" to every one of the three countries. It intends to support monetary participation among Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey first and with the other ECO part nations subsequently. 

                                  Other than Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran, these nations will profit from the ITI venture: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. 


Possibility of expansion to Europe :

                                                          Even though the undertaking was dispatched to advance the financial relations among the ECO establishing part nations, in any case, it offers a short, safe, and reasonable course for transportation of products among Asia and Europe, stretching out advantages to a few territorial nations. From Turkey, the passage can interface up with the European rail networks through Istanbul's 76-km long undersea Marmaray railroad burrow. 

                                                                  Different nations prior likewise communicated excitement to join the undertaking and proposed further extension to the European and Middle East business sectors. 


    Highlights of Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul rail corridor :


    *Administration to encourage freight and compartment transport 


    *Transport limit: 20 compartments of 40 feet 


    *Assessed travel time is 11 days when contrasted with 45 days utilizing ocean course 


    *Over 30% decrease in rail passages instead of customary courses