Rail transport in Afghanistan#Track gauge

{{main|Kabul–Darulaman Tramway}}

In the 1920s, King Amanullah bought three small steam locomotives from Henschel of Kassel in Germany, which were put to work on a {{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}} gauge roadside railway, {{cvt|7|km}} long, linking Kabul and Darulaman. The December 1922 issue of The Locomotive magazine includes: "Travellers from Afghanistan state a railway is being laid down for a distance of some six miles from Kabul to the site of the new city of Darulaman, and also that some of the rolling stock for it is being manufactured in the Kabul workshops". The August 1928 issue of The Locomotive magazine mentions: "The only railway at present in Afghanistan is five miles long, between Kabul and Darulaman". The tramway closed (date unknown), and was dismantled in the 1940s, but {{As of|2004|lc=on}} the locomotives were held, outdoors, at the National Museum of Afghanistan in Darulaman.[http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/railways/kabul-to-darulaman-railway/ Kabul to Darulaman railway], Railways of Afghanistan

Over the 19th century and a half, plenty of proposals have been made about building railways in Afghanistan. In 1885, the New York Times wrote about plans for connecting the Russian Transcaspian Railway, then under construction, with British India via Sarakhs, Herat, and Kandahar. When completed, the project would allow British officers to travel from London to British India, mostly by rail, in 11 to 12 days (crossing the English Channel, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea by boat).{{citation |title=To India In Eleven Days.; Russia's Transcaspian Railway And The Time Necessary To Complete It |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F06EFDD113CE731A25750C0A9639C94649FD7CF |date=1885-05-03}}

About 1928, proposals were put forward for a railway to link Jalalabad with Kabul, eventually connecting to the then-British Indian system at Peshawar. Lines to join Kabul with Kandahar and Herat would follow later. Owing to political upheavals these plans were not implemented.

In 1930s, the Japanese Ministry of Railways proposed Eurasian high speed rail from Tokyo to Paris via Busan (through Korea Strait undersea tunnel), Beijing, Baotou, Turfan, Kashgar, Kabul, Tehran, Baghdad, Istanbul with connection to Berlin and Rome but never realised at the beginning of the World War II.{{cite web|title=夢の弾丸列車|url=https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/pogacsa/diary/201607010000/|author=pogacsa|publisher=Rakuten Blog|language=ja|date=2016-07-01|access-date=2022-12-26}}

In the 1950s a hydroelectric power station was built at Surobi, east of Kabul. Three Henschel four-wheel {{RailGauge|600mm|lk=on}} narrow gauge diesel-hydraulic locomotives built in 1951 (works numbers 24892, 24993, 24994) were supplied to the power station.

In 1979 mining and construction locomotive builder Bedia Maschinenfabrik of Bonn supplied five D35/6 two axle diesel-hydraulic {{RailGauge|600mm}} narrow gauge locomotives, works numbers 150–154, to an unknown customer in Afghanistan.https://web.archive.org/web/20070430101935/http://www.ajg41.clara.co.uk/afghanistan.html#sdfootnote40sym Railways in Afghanistan, past and future

• Aqina – Andkhoy railway line extension opened.{{cite web |url=https://www.railjournal.com/infrastructure/afghanistans-aqina-andkhoy-extension-inaugurated/ |title=Afghanistan's Aqina - Andkhoy extension inaugurated |publisher=International Railway Journal |last=Cuenca |first=Oliver |date=January 17, 2021 |access-date=2025-02-02}}

Until the 21st century, less than {{cvt|25|km}} of railway existed inside Afghanistan, which was built to {{Track gauge|1520mm|comma=off}} Russian gauge. For strategic reasons, past Afghan governments averted the construction of railways which could aid foreign interference in Afghanistan by Britain or Russia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/|title=Railways of Afghanistan | Afghan railroads, past, present and future}} The gauges in adjacent countries were:

• Iran, to the west, and China, to the east: {{Track gauge|1435mm|comma=off}}
• Pakistan, to the south and east: {{RailGauge|1676mm|comma=off}}
• Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, to the north: {{RailGauge|1520mm|comma=off}}.

In 2010, the international {{Track gauge|1435mm|comma=off}} "standard gauge" was chosen to be the country's railway gauge.{{cite journal |journal=Railway Gazette International |date=October 2010 |page=63 (with map) |title=Answering the Afghan rail question}} The Khaf-Herat railway, a joint project between Afghanistan and Iran completed in 2020, was built to that gauge. It is {{cvt|130|km|mi|abbr=off|comma=off}} long, of which {{cvt|60|km|mi|abbr=off|comma=off}} is in Afghanistan; the remainder is in Iran. It links Afghan with Turkey, Europe and Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf.{{cite web|url=https://tolonews.com/business-168392 |title=Afghan, Iranian leaders hail 'historic' Khaf-Herat railway |last=Salehi |first=Naseer Ahmad |date=12 December 2020 |publisher=TOLOnews |access-date=2022-11-11}}

There are currently no passenger services or stations in Afghanistan. If any of the various cross-border links are completed and opened to passenger service, new stations will have to be built.

Details of the preliminary list of stations to be served, which circle the central mountains of Afghanistan are available.

The Afghan government planned to form a railway construction commission with technical cooperation provided by the European Commission, which was discussed at the G8 meeting in July 2011. The commission would be responsible for supervising construction of a rail network within the country and its connection with the country's neighbors.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2178307&Language=en|title = KUNA : France, G8 supporting Afghan project to build railroads - Communications - 05/07/2011}} In October 2011, the Asian Development Bank approved funding for Afghanistan's national rail authority.{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2011/10/19/adb-give-222m-roads-rail-tracks/ |title=ADB to give $222m for roads, rail tracks |first=Abdul Qadir |last=Siddiqui |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=October 19, 2011}} The Afghanistan Railway Authority has a website but, as of August 2017, there is very little on it. It does state that Afghanistan Railway Law (12 chapters and 105 clauses) was drafted in February 2013 and is awaiting approval from "relevant institutions".{{Cite web|url=http://afra.gov.af/en/page/14258/afghanistan-railway-law|title=Observium|website=afra.gov.af|access-date=2017-08-29|archive-date=2017-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002220507/http://afra.gov.af/en/page/14258/afghanistan-railway-law|url-status=dead}} Training has been provided by the United States Army's Afghanistan Railroad Advisory Team (ARAT).{{cite web|last1=Upton|first1=Luke|title=How the U.S. military is working to get an Afghanistan rail network on track|url=https://www.smartrailworld.com/u.s.-military-working-to-get-afghanistan-rail-network-on-track|publisher=SmartRail World|access-date=29 August 2017}}

{{Further|Islamic Republic of Iran Railways}}

{{Maplink|frame=yes|from=Khaf-Herat-Rail.map|type=line|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#0e2c6c|text=Khaf-Herat Railway Map (highlighted in red)}}

On May 9, 2023, the first trial run of cargo from Iran to Afghanistan via the Khaf-Herat railway was completed. This shipment included 17 wagons that transferred 655 tons of railway equipment that will be used in the further construction of the rail line. The Khaf-Herat railway is 225 kilometers long, with 140 km of the track traversing Afghanistan and the remaining 85 km running through Iran. The construction of the Khaf-Herat rail line, which links Khaf in eastern Iran with Herat in western Afghanistan, began back in 2007.{{cite news |url=https://thediplomat.com/2023/06/afghanistan-iran-complete-first-trial-run-of-khaf-herat-railway/ |title=Afghanistan-Iran Complete First Trial Run of Khaf-Herat Railway |publisher=The Diplomat (magazine) |date=June 2, 2023}}

The Iranian railhead closest to the Afghan border is at Khaf near Mashhad, and this is a {{RailGauge|1435mm}} standard gauge freight line.{{cite news |title=Modern construction methods mastered on Mashhad – Bafgh line |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//modern-construction-methods-mastered-on-mashhad-bafgh-line.html |work=Railway Gazette International |date=2007-07-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527220847/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/modern-construction-methods-mastered-on-mashhad-bafgh-line.html |archive-date=2012-05-27 }} Since 2002, Afghan and Iranian officials have been working to extend this line east to Herat in Afghanistan.{{cite news |url=http://iran-daily.com/1385/2792/html/economy.htm#s212328 |title=Rail Link With Herat |work=Iran Daily |date=2007-02-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204124111/http://iran-daily.com/1385/2792/html/economy.htm#s212328 |archive-date=2008-12-04 }}{{cite news |title=Opening up Afghan trade route to Iran |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//opening-up-afghan-trade-route-to-iran.html |work=Railway Gazette International |date=2008-01-29 |author=Murray Hughes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101032057/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/opening-up-afghan-trade-route-to-iran.html |archive-date=2016-01-01 }}[http://1tvnews.af/en/news/afghanistan/28077-afghanistan-iran-rail-link-to-be-completed-by-march-2018 'Afghanistan, Iran rail link to be completed by March 2018'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116081841/http://www.1tvnews.af/en/news/afghanistan/28077-afghanistan-iran-rail-link-to-be-completed-by-march-2018 |date=2017-11-16 }}, 1TV News, 26 February 2017 The line is currently operational to as far as Rozanak station in the Ghorian District of Herat Province.{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/business-192336 |title=First Rail Shipment From China Reaches Afghanistan Via Iran |work=TOLOnews |date=27 December 2024 |access-date=2024-12-27}}{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2024/12/27/first-shipment-of-chinese-goods-arrives-in-afghanistan-via-iran/ |title=First shipment of Chinese goods arrives in Afghanistan via Iran |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=27 December 2024 |access-date=2024-12-27}}

The Khaf-Herat rail route has four sections, two in Iran and two in Afghanistan.{{cite news|url=https://tolonews.com/business-167376 |title=Iranian Passenger Train Arrives in Herat via Herat-Khawaf Railway |date=28 October 2020 |work=TOLOnews}}{{cite news |url=https://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/route-of-the-khaf-herat-railway/ |title=Route of the Khaf – Herat railway |last=Grantham |first=Andrew |date=17 October 2017}} Within Iran, section 1, running from Khaf to Sangan ({{cvt|14|km|mi|disp=sqbr|abbr=on}}), was completed in September 2016. Section 2, from Sangan to the Afghanistan–Iran border at Shamtiq ({{cvt|64|km|mi|disp=sqbr|abbr=on}}), was completed in October 2017.{{cite news |url=https://en.mehrnews.com/news/126610/Khaf-Herat-railway-to-open-within-weeks |title=Khaf-Herat railway to open within weeks |work=Mehrnews |date=June 20, 2017}} Section 3, running within Afghanistan from the border at Shamtiq–Jono to Rozanak in Ghorian District ({{cvt|61.2|km|mi|disp=sqbr|abbr=on}}) was completed in December 2020.{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2020/12/10/long-delayed-herat-khaf-rail-link-inaugurated-2/ |title=Long-delayed Herat-Khaf rail link inaugurated |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=10 December 2020 |access-date=2020-12-20}}{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/business-168392 |title=Afghan, Iranian Leaders Hail 'Historic' Khaf-Herat Railway |date=12 December 2020 |work=TOLOnews}}{{cite news |url=https://www.khaama.com/khawaf-railway-official-opened-for-use-989795/ |title=Officials Inaugurate Khawaf-Herat Railway Line |publisher=Khaama Press |date=10 December 2020 |access-date=2020-12-20}} Section 4 is the line from Rozanak to Guzara District ({{cvt|86|km|mi|disp=sqbr|abbr=on}}). Work is ongoing on this section, which ends at an industrial area next to Herat International Airport.{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/provincial-192782 |title=Major Progress Achieved in 4th Phase of Herat-Khaf Railway: Officials |work=TOLOnews |date=26 January 2025 |access-date=2025-01-26}}

{{See also|Pakistan Railways}}

There is currently no rail link between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Two broad gauge {{RailGauge|1676mm}} Pakistan Railways lines with steep gradients terminate on the border at Chaman and Torkham. In July 2010, Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a memorandum of understanding for the laying of rail tracks between the two countries but the project was soon canceled. It was to connect Quetta in Pakistan with Kandahar in Afghanistan and Peshawar in Pakistan with Jalalabad in Afghanistan.{{cite news |first=Javed Hamim |last=Kakar |title=Pakistan, Afghanistan ink MoU on rail links |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/07/07/pakistan-afghanistan-ink-mou-rail-links |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=2010-07-07 |access-date=2008-10-23 |archive-date=2012-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313034322/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/07/07/pakistan-afghanistan-ink-mou-rail-links |url-status=dead }} On May 29, 2012, the section from Chaman in Pakistan to Spin Boldak in Afghanistan ({{cvt|12|km|mi|disp=sqbr|abbr=on}}) was approved,Railway Gazette International, July 2012, p30 though it never started.

{{see also|Rail transport in Tajikistan}}

A multination rail link was planned between Afghanistan and Tajikistan in 2013.{{cite news|title=Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan Sign Railway MoU|url=http://www.satrapia.com/news/article/afghanistan-tajikistan-turkmenistan-sign-railway-mou/|newspaper=The Gazette of Central Asia|date=21 March 2013|publisher=Satrapia}} The Tajikistan section has been partly implemented in 2016.

In 2018 a {{cvt|50|km|mi}} extension from Kolkhozobod in Tajikistan to the Afghan border town of Sher Khan Bandar in Kunduz Province was approved with construction expected to start that year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/tajikistan-afghanistan-railway-construction-could-start-this-year/46822.article|title=Tajikistan – Afghanistan railway construction could start this year|website=Railway Gazette International}}

{{See also|Railways in Turkmenistan}}

A {{cvt|10|km|mi|sp=us|adj=mid|-long}} line extends from Serhetabat in Turkmenistan to the town of Torghundi in Afghanistan.{{cite news |url=https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2017/12/01/construction-turkmen-afghan-railroad-begins |title=Construction of Turkmen-Afghan railroad begins |first=Javed Hamim |last=Kakar |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=December 2017 |access-date=1 December 2017}} An upgrade of this Soviet-built line dating back to the 1960s, using Russian gauge, began in 2007.{{cite news |title=Afghan rebuild underway |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//afghan-rebuild-underway.html |work=Railway Gazette International |date=2007-07-12 |access-date=2009-10-28 |archive-date=2010-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303065959/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/afghan-rebuild-underway.html |url-status=dead }} In April 2016, an agreement was reached for a technical feasibility study for a proposal to extend this line approximately {{cvt|100|km|mi}} to the city of Herat,{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/herat-railway-feasibility-study-contract-signed.html|title=Herat railway feasibility study contract signed|date=18 April 2016|work=Railway Gazette}} where it could connect to the standard-gauge line to Iran that is being built. In accordance with earlier decisions, the line is likely to be standard gauge, with break of gauge at Torghundi. In April 2018 it was decided by the Turkmen government to build a railway from Galkynysh Gas Field in the direction of Afghanistan, towards Torghundi.{{cite news|url=https://www.azernews.az/region/141734.html|title=Turkmenistan to build additional railway line in Afghanistan|date=November 29, 2018|website=AzerNews.az}}{{cite web |url=http://orient.tm/en/2018/04/12/6314.html |title=A new railway to stretch аrom the gas field 'Galkynysh' to Afghanistan |website=orient.tm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220232744/http://orient.tm/en/2018/04/12/6314.html |archive-date=2018-12-20}}

Another rail line was opened further east in November 2016, connecting Aqina in Faryab province via Ymamnazar with Atamyrat/Kerki in Turkmenistan. Work on a {{cvt|58|km|mi}} extension to Andkhoy soon began,{{cite news |url=http://ariananews.af/latest-news/work-begins-on-aqina-andkhoy-railway/ |title=Work Begins On Aqina-Andkhoy Railway |last=Hejaab|first=Aslam |work=Ariana News |date=October 31, 2016 |access-date=2017-01-17}} which was completed in January 2021.{{cite news |url=https://www.khaama.com/aqina-andkhoi-railway-officially-inaugurated-443344/ |title=Aqina-Andkhoi Railway Officially Inaugurated |publisher=Khaama Press |date=14 January 2020 |access-date=2021-01-17}}{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/business-169236 |title=Aqina-Andkhoi Railway Officially Opened |work=TOLOnews |date=14 January 2020 |access-date=2021-01-17}}{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2021/01/14/aqina-andkhoi-railway-line-inaugurated-3-projects-signed/ |title=Aqina-Andkhoi railway line inaugurated, 3 projects signed |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=14 January 2020 |access-date=2021-01-17}}

It is planned to become part of a rail corridor through northern Afghanistan, connecting it via Sheberghan to Mazar-i Sharif and on to the border with Tajikistan,{{cite news |url=https://www.ariananews.af/afghanistan-turkmenistan-sign-three-mous-on-railway-projects/ |title=Afghanistan, Turkmenistan sign three MOUs on railway projects |work=Ariana News |date=February 27, 2025 |access-date=2025-06-04}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/asia/afghan-railway-terminal-expansion-mou-signed/47532.article |title=Afghan railway terminal expansion MoU signed |date=15 November 2018}}{{cite web |last=Grantham |first=Andrew |title=TAT Railway|url=http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/railways/tat-railway/ |date=31 October 2016|publisher=Railways of Afghanistan|access-date=19 January 2017}}

{{See also|Uzbek Railways}}

File:Freight train in northern Afghanistan-2012.jpg in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan]]

In the early 1980s, the Soviet Union built an approximately {{cvt|15|km|mi|sp=us}} rail line from Termez in Uzbekistan to Kheyrabad in Afghanistan, crossing the Amu Darya river on the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge.{{cite news |title=Aid train reaches Afghanistan |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//aid-train-reaches-afghanistan.html |work=Railway Gazette International |date=2002-01-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527220444/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/aid-train-reaches-afghanistan.html |archive-date=2012-05-27 }}

In January 2010, construction began on a {{cvt|75|km|mi|adj=on|sp=us}} extension line between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan; this line is also Russian gauge as the first one built by the Soviets.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7825064/Afghanistan-to-complete-first-railway-by-end-of-year.html |title=Afghanistan to complete first railway by end of year |author=Ben Farmer|date=13 June 2010| publisher=Daily Telegraph |location=London}} The line, which starts from Hairatan to Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi International Airport in Mazar-i-Sharif, was operated by Uzbekistan's national railway Uzbekiston Temir Yullari for a three-year-term until Afghanistan Railway Authority (ARA) took over responsibility. The first freight services began running around August 2011.{{cite web|title=Railway Gazette: News in Brief|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/news-in-brief-48.html|access-date=2011-01-02|archive-date=2020-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226091653/https://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/news-in-brief-48.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/first-major-afghan-railway-opens.html|access-date=25 August 2011|title=First major Afghan railway opens|date=25 August 2011|work=Railway Gazette International|archive-date=17 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917155436/http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/first-major-afghan-railway-opens.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16287929 |work=BBC News |title=Afghan railway: First train runs on new line in north |date=2011-12-21}}

Uzbekistan has pledged in 2018 to part fund a major {{cvt|657|km|mi}} rail link from Mazar-i-Sharif west to Herat, which could create a route from Iran via Herat to Central Asia and potentially China.{{Cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/uzbekistan-backs-afghan-rail-proposal/46303.article |title=Uzbekistan backs Afghan rail proposal|website=Railway Gazette International|date=18 April 2018}}

In September 2010, China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) signed an agreement{{cite web |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/agreement-signed-for-north-south-corridor.html |access-date=2010-09-27 |date=23 September 2010 |title=Agreement signed for north-south corridor |publisher=Railway Gazette International |archive-date=2020-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316201713/https://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/agreement-signed-for-north-south-corridor.html |url-status=dead }} with the Afghan Minister of Mines to investigate construction of a north–south railway across Afghanistan, running from Mazar-i-Sharif to Kabul and then to the eastern border town of Torkham. MCC was recently awarded a copper mining concession at Mes Aynak which would be linked to this railway. MCC is constructing a {{cvt|921|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} {{RailGauge|1676mm}} gauge railway line that will link Kabul with Uzbekistan in the north and Pakistan in the east.[http://tolonews.com/en/business/4215-construction-on-kabul-torkham-railway-to-start-soon-ministry-of-mines-says Construction on Kabul-Torkham Railway to Start Soon, Ministry of Mines Says] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109024009/http://tolonews.com/en/business/4215-construction-on-kabul-torkham-railway-to-start-soon-ministry-of-mines-says |date=2013-11-09 }}. Tamim Shaheer, October 18, 2011.

The initial phase of railway construction from 2010 sees the creation of five break-of-gauge stations.

• Kandahar {{RailGauge|1676mm}} / {{RailGauge|1435mm}}
• Khyber Pass {{RailGauge|1676mm}} / {{RailGauge|1435mm}}
• Torghundi {{RailGauge|1520mm}} / {{RailGauge|1435mm}}
• Mazar-i-Sharif {{RailGauge|1520mm}} / {{RailGauge|1435mm}}
• Sher Khan Bandar {{RailGauge|1520mm}} / {{RailGauge|1435mm}}

In late 2016 updates, there are multiple breaks-of-gauge. These include: {{railgauge|1520mm}}/{{railgauge|1676mm}} in the northern area, and {{railgauge|1435mm}}/{{railgauge|1520mm}}/{{railgauge|1676mm}} at Herat.

{{portal|Afghanistan}}

• Transport in Afghanistan
• Khyber train safari
• Khyber Pass Railway
• Eurasian Land Bridge
• North-South Transport Corridor
• Ashgabat Agreement, a Multimodal transport agreement signed by India, Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, for creating an international transport and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Education-and-Careers/2016-03-24/Ashgabat-Agreement/215932|title=Ashgabat Agreement|first=THE HANS|last=INDIA|date=March 24, 2016|website=www.thehansindia.com}}
• Broad gauge
• Dual gauge

{{Reflist}}

• Grantham, A. [http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/ Railways in Afghanistan]
• {{cite book|last=Waters|first=Paul E|title=Afghanistan: A Railway History|year=2002|publisher=PWA|location=Bromley|isbn=0948904097}}
• Afghanistan demain le rail pp. 6–14 + 27 pictures – vie du rail – n°1542 – 09/05/1976

{{Commons category|Rail transport in Afghanistan}}

• {{YouTube|XWOXLHYYmj4| آغاز ساخت پروژه خط آهن از ایران الی هرات افغانستان ! }}
• {{YouTube|OqZjtef0sIo|Railway line between Herat and Kandahar}}

{{Transport in Afghanistan}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rail Transport In Afghanistan}}