Russia, Iran Secure Land for Rasht-Astara Railway
Russian and Iranian parties signed documents granting access to land plots along the planned 162-kilometer railway route.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Construction
Russia and Iran signed documents granting access to land plots for the Rasht-Astara railway line. A protocol between Caspian Services and CDTIC allows advanced engineering surveys along the entire route, and the plots have been handed over.
Why it matters
The railway is planned to form part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, linking routes between the two countries. Securing land access moves the project from preparatory surveys toward engineering design.
The planned line spans 162 kilometers and includes eight new stations, 56 trestles, 73 bridges and 30 overpasses. Financing terms and a construction timeline were not specified in the available extraction.
The players
Caspian Services
A Russian organization that signed a protocol with CDTIC granting access to land plots along the railway route.
CDTIC
An Iranian company that signed the land-access protocol with Caspian Services for the Rasht-Astara railway project.
The details
A supplementary agreement to the contract was signed, and Russian specialists this year built a geodetic control network and carried out aerial photography. Hydrometeorological and topographic surveys are underway following surveying work that began in May 2025.
Timeline
May 2025: Russia and Iran began surveying for the railway line.
2026: Geodetic network built and aerial photography conducted.
November 5, 2026: Russia and Iran signed the land access documents.
Market Landscape
The Rasht-Astara line is planned to form part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, which the 2002 agreement set up among 12 participating countries. The project extends that multinational corridor with a rail segment connecting Russia and Iran across the Caspian region.
For international shippers and freight operators, the project signals a potential future rail option along the North-South corridor, though no service start date has been announced. Construction timing and route availability remain undetermined based on the available information.
The takeaway
Securing land access and completing surveys are preliminary steps that precede engineering design and construction on large cross-border rail projects. Progress on the Rasht-Astara line will depend on the outcome of ongoing hydrometeorological and topographic work.
Further reading
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