Herat-Mashhad Passenger Train to Launch Next Week

DID Press: The first passenger train between Mashhad in northeastern Iran and Herat in western Afghanistan will begin service next week, said Iranian officials on Monday.

The train, with a capacity of about 400 passengers, will depart from Mashhad’s Tappeh Salam Station to Rozanak in Herat Province, said Sayed Jafar Sayedabadi, head of foreign nationals and immigrants affairs in Khorasan Razavi Province. The move is part of efforts to support the “dignified return” of Afghanistani migrants, he added.

The 225-km Khaf–Herat railway includes 78 km in Iran and 147 km in Afghanistan. Iran has completed 140 km of track since construction began in 2007; the remaining 85 km is Afghanistan’s responsibility.

Ministry of Public Works of the caretaker government said more than 103,000 tonnes of goods were moved last week via Hairatan, Aqina, Torghundi and the Herat–Khaf lines. Nearly 4.4 million tonnes were handled over the past year.

Officials in both countries say the new passenger link and growing freight volumes could boost trade, employment, and cross-border investment