A new high-speed service has begun operating in Kazakhstan between the country’s capital, Astana, and Aktobe.
The new service, named Aktobe, is the first to link the west of the country with the capital.
Travel times between the two cities has been reduced by more than 11 hours, with the 1,411 km route now taking between 16 and 17 hours.
The trains comprise 19 cars and have been built at the Tulpar-Talgo plant in Astana.
In November, a new locomotive manufacturing plant was opened by Alstom, Transmashholding and Kazakh Railways (KTZ).
The site, which is also located in Astana, will start production in January on 200 freight locomotives and 95 passenger locomotives ordered by KTZ in 2010.
