The first trains operate in Afghanistan

The first trains operate in Afghanistan - For the first time, Afghanistan operating rail starting on Wednesday (21/12/2011). The rail network, will be extended from Hairatan border town en route to Mazar-i-Sharif along 75 kilometers. A train with no passengers, had been tried out in cross-trains, said Vice Minister of public works in Afghanistan, Noor Gul Mangal, Wednesday, quoted by the Associated Press. ' The railway was built to realise the ambition of opening new trade routes between Europe and Asia. But first of all, the railway line to use American troops to transport logistics, ' said Fred Starr, Chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins University, Washington.

At first, the first rail network between Semarang and Ambarawa, built in the 1800s are also intended to transport logistics Netherlands East Indies army. The existence of the network enabling trains Hairatan handle 10 times, from 4,000 tons of cargo per month to 25,000 -40. 000 tonnes per month. When the cargo is sent to Mazar-i Sharif, the cargo can be delivered to various regions of Afghanistan through road transport. State-owned enterprises which is SE Sogdiana Trans Uzbekistan will operate the commercial train on the rail network in Afghanistan, said the Asian Development Bank representative in Afghanistan, Noriko Sato.

So far, Afghanistan is indeed never had a railway network, despite numerous projects initiated and terminated.