Pakistan and Russia are working to launch their first freight rail services connecting Moscow with Faisalabad and Karachi. Belarus may also join the project.
Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Albert Khorev shared the news in an interview with the Russian news agency Izvestia. He said the two countries are collaborating to start regular freight trains running in both directions on the Moscow-Faisalabad and Moscow-Karachi routes.
The project faced several delays in 2025 and early 2026 because of rising geopolitical tensions in the region. Now, the sides are finalising an agreement on freight services. They are also looking for companies along the proposed routes that want to move their commercial goods by rail.
This new rail connection could create a land-based trade corridor between Russia and Pakistan. It may help boost trade and give businesses a useful alternative to sea routes. Officials have not given a clear start date yet.
Earlier reports also linked the idea to wider efforts for regional connectivity, including possible transit through other countries. Russian officials have spoken about the value of better rail access toward the Indian Ocean region.
If successful, the service would mark an important step in transport ties between the two nations and open more options for moving cargo across Eurasia.