The geographical location of Iran in the Middle East with two international waterways of Persian Gulf and Oman sea in the South and Caspian sea in the North have enabled the coastal countries of Caspian sea and international markets, including Persian Gulf coastal countries to have shorter and more speedy access both for commercial and industrial exchanges and passenger and freight transit. From geopolitical view, Iran has won an exceptional standing in the era of land ways and in particular in railway.

The Bafq – Mashad Project

The great project, started in 2001 and completed at the end of 2004 within a 4 -year span is:

• Being emphasized by regional and international organizations like UIC, ESCAP and ECO.

• The only one of its kind during the history of rail operations of Iran and according to view of international communities, it is rare at global level as far as executive speed is concerned.

• Fully designed and implemented by in-house consultants and contractors.

The Project Aims at

Making a closer link between Central Asian and Persian Gulf countries via Sarakhs-Mashad and Bafq-Bandar Abbas railways with cutting the route by 800 km. Also, it should enable the transit shipment costs and travel time to be reduced. More international cargoes shall be switched to this route which increases transit share and foreign exchange income.

• Connecting productions centers and large rich iron ore mines of Iran to Bandar Abbas as well as steel mills in the Central Asian countries. Better usage of underground resources shall be made available because of transport costs reduction. As a whole 10 millions tons of raw materials are predicted to be carried from en-route mines to the steel mills.

The Project Advantage

• In Sarakhs-Bandar Abbas route which connects Central Asia to international waterways, it should slash the transit time of 6 days to 4 days and distance of 2431 km to 1617 km.

• It will cut transportation costs by about 15-20% thanks to a 800 reduction in distance which ultimately add to tonnage increase and foreign exchange income.

• Significant deduction of transport costs and its time effects within the Iranian territory by operation of this railway route will have a remarkable decrease in transit costs of using this railway route connecting landlocked countries of Central Asia to international waterways.

• Besides, the project shall be the first railway line being constructed in Afghanistan, since there is a connecting link from Torbat Heidariyeh to Sangan at Afghanistan border which stretches to Harat in Afghanistan territory, therefore, the project can held a direct rail linkage between Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as other countries via Iran’s rail network.

Transit Features:

In 2002, the overall transit performance of the country has been 4.8 million tons comprising 3.5 million tons of carried goods in addition to 1.3 tons swapped; Bandar Abbas port and Sarakhs, located at both ends of the route, have a noteworthy contribution of about 45% and 20% respectively in moving other transit goods.

It is predicted that first year shall see about one million tons transited, jumping to 3 to 5 million tons for the coming years. (The Sarakhs-Bandar Abbas corridor has been featured as the most active corridor in the country having 76% of total rail transit share).

Freight traffic of key industries and workshops

At the very first year of operation (2005), around 10 MT freight is planned to be carried and considering origin-destination distance the figure shall be 4.2 Billion ton-km. Parts of loads are being carried from Sangan Parvadeh and Seh Chahoun mines to destination of steel mill of Neishabour, Esfahan and Bandar Abbas and the rest are domestic and transit cargoes coming from Bandar Abbas to Sarakhs and vice versa. When the railway becomes operational, around 20% of the cargoes can be diverted to rail network.

Passenger Handling

As a touristic city where pilgrims traveled to, it is forecasted that at least 1.5 million people use Bafq-Mashad railway per annum, with 1.5 Billion passenger – Km in the first phase and 2.5 Billion passenger – Km in the second phase.

The actual role in export and import

With regard to exports and imports rate of about 5.48 million tons between Iran and CIS countries in 2002, the said route can take a share in the exports and imports.

Exports & imports to different destinations from CIS countries in 2002

Bafq-Mashad newly-constructed route is the best and nearest option for Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan to free waters.

The distance between the capitals of the Central Asian countries and Russia and free waters through the new route

Technical specifications of the project and its location

There are 36 stations in the route, totaling 21700 m²  including:

Important passenger stations and formation yards:

Torbat Heydariye and Tabas

• Tabas station: area 7530 m² ; Platforms 6000 m²  ; yard 330.000 m²

• Torbat Heydariye station: area 7010 m²  ; Platforms 6000 m²  ; yard 890.000 m² 

Important freight stations:

• Sangan, Parvadeh, Chadormalou, Seh Chahoun.

Technical specifications :

• Single – track route with minimum flat curve radius : 700 m

• Maximum gradient: 15 ⁰⁰/0

• Maximum passenger train speed: 160 km/h

• Maximum freight train speed: 120 Km/h.

• Axle load : 25 tons

• Type of rail and used tonnage: UIC 60/120.000 tons

• Type of turn-out switch and number in use: UIC 60/400

• Fasteners and number in use: Pandroll & Vossloh; 7.000.000

• Type of sleeper: Mono block prestressed concrete sleeper : 1.700.000

• Ballast: 3 000 000 m³ of igneous broken stone with grading of 20-60 mm.

• Excavation: 48.000.000 m³

• Embankment: 44.000.000 m³

• Technical structures: 1.400.000 m³

• Length of tunnels: 5800 m

• Length of galleries: 3700 m

• Total No. of bridges : 3814 spans including 3791 small span bridges and 23 large span bridges.