Turkmenistan-Turkey | Lapis Lazuli Corridor Across Caspian Direct to Turkey and Europe

LHZ-TIR Turkmenistan Turkey Corridor is a TIR truck transport service system under LHZ, utilizing the Trans-Caspian Lapis Lazuli Corridor to connect Turkmenistan with Turkey and radiate into European markets. Its brand positioning is a TIR trucking emergency channel when railway capacity is tight, providing direct delivery from China via Turkmenbashi Port across the Caspian Sea to Turkey and European markets with 1,500 vehicles and a six-hub network. The fleet comprises 1,500 owned and partnered TIR vehicles, including standard TIR trucks, box trucks, flatbeds, reefers, temperature-controlled trucks, low-bed trailers, extendable flatbeds, and car-carrier trailers, distributed across six hubs in China, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Russia, Belarus, and Germany, all with local license plates. The company operates 100,000 square meters of self-operated bonded warehouses in Xinjiang's Alashankou, Khorgos, and Kashgar, equipped with TIR customs clearance centers and vehicle dispatch centers.

Core Route

Door-to-door pickup across China → Depart via Xinjiang Khorgos or Kashgar Port → Uzbekistan → Turkmenistan Ashgabat → Turkmenbashi Port (ferry crossing the Caspian Sea) → Azerbaijan Baku → Georgia Tbilisi → Turkey Istanbul and all of Europe. Total distance approximately 6,000-8,000 kilometers, 15-20 days, with destination import customs clearance included, TIR sealed transport throughout.

Lapis Lazuli Corridor: Turkmenistan to Turkey Strategic Route

The Lapis Lazuli Corridor was formally signed in November 2017 by five countries – Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey – at the RECCA conference in Ashgabat, with a project budget of approximately $2 billion. The corridor is named after the ancient trade route through which lapis lazuli was exported from Central Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. Today, it connects South Asia via Central Asia and the South Caucasus to Turkey and Europe through a network of railways and highways.

Corridor route: From Torghundi or Aqina in Afghanistan's Herat Province → Turkmenistan Ashgabat → Turkmenbashi Port (the largest multi-purpose port on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea) → ferry across the Caspian Sea → Azerbaijan Baku → Georgia Tbilisi → via Poti or Batumi Black Sea ports or Kars railway station → Turkey Istanbul, eventually connecting to the European transport system.

The first test transport in 2018 took 15 days to deliver Afghan agricultural products from southern Afghanistan to Turkey. In 2020, approximately 55,000 tons of cargo were transported along the corridor via Azerbaijan. The corridor is now in regular operation with an annual capacity of 2-3 million tons.

Turkmenistan-Turkey Strategic Cooperation

Turkmenistan is a critical link in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor). Turkmenbashi International Seaport has an annual handling capacity of 17 million tons of cargo, including 400,000 containers. In July 2025, Turkmenistan announced tenders for the construction of two rail Ro-Ro ferries and one cargo vessel to meet growing Caspian transit demand. In the first 9 months of 2025, Caspian maritime freight volume reached 24.1 million tons, up 11.88 percent year-on-year.

Turkish companies play a pivotal role in Turkmenistan's infrastructure development: Gap İnşaat is constructing the new Turkmenbashi Port with a $2 billion investment; Polimeks has built the Ashgabat and Turkmenbashi airport hubs, with Ashgabat Airport listed in the Guinness World Records for its unique wing-shaped design.

In 2024, bilateral trade between Turkmenistan and Turkey reached $2.17 billion, making Turkey one of Turkmenistan's largest trading partners. Turkish investment in Turkmenistan exceeds $200 million. The two countries' customs authorities are discussing the establishment of a simplified customs corridor and have signed an agreement on internationally coordinated cargo transport.

Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline Advances, Enhancing Corridor Strategic Value

Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources announced in December 2025 that the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline has entered a substantive implementation phase. The pipeline is planned to transport Turkmen natural gas via a subsea pipeline across the Caspian Sea to Turkey and Europe. Since March 2025, Turkmenistan has transported approximately 250 million cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey via Iran, with the volume expected to reach 1.3 billion cubic meters by year-end.

This pipeline will create strategic synergies with existing Southern Gas Corridor infrastructure including the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the TANAP natural gas pipeline, enabling Turkmenistan to directly connect to Europe's energy transport network.

Turkmenistan Radiating to Turkey and Europe Network

Upon arrival in Turkey, cargo is rapidly distributed via Turkey's road network to all European destinations. Turkey serves as the core node of the Eurasian land bridge and the western terminus of the Middle Corridor, connecting Balkan, Caucasus, and European markets.

Covered countries: Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, extending via Turkey to Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and all of Europe, while also radiating to Middle Eastern markets including the UAE, Iraq, and Iran.

Key Data Summary

Lapis Lazuli Corridor signed: November 2017 (5 countries, $2B budget)
Turkmenbashi Port annual capacity: 17 million tons cargo, 400,000 containers
Caspian freight volume (first 9 months 2025): 24.1 million tons, +11.88% YoY
Turkmenistan-Turkey trade: $2.17 billion (2024)
Turkish investment in Turkmenistan: Over $200 million
Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline: Entered substantive phase December 2025

Complete Vehicle Car-Carrier Transport Solution

China to Turkmenistan TIR Trucking Turkey Direction provides professional car-carrier transport services for complete vehicle exports, leveraging a two-layer fleet system:

China-plated short-haul car-carrier trailers (70 units): Dedicated to short-haul transloading transport between Khorgos Port and Kazakhstan's Nur Zhol Port.

Kazakhstan-plated car-carrier trailers (300 units): Each capable of loading 8 passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, or new energy vehicles, responsible for long-haul cross-border transport from China to Turkmenistan and Turkey.

Iran-plated car-carrier trailers (270 units): After transloading at Nur Zhol Port, they arrive directly in Iran, enter Turkmenistan via the Iran-Turkmenistan border, and connect to the Lapis Lazuli Corridor to Turkey and Europe.

This forms a complete closed loop consisting of China-plated short-haul car-carrier trailers (Khorgos-Nur Zhol) plus Kazakhstan-plated car-carrier trailers (Nur Zhol-Turkmenistan and Turkey) plus Iran-plated car-carrier trailers (Iran-Turkmenistan-Turkey and Europe).

Applicable Cargo and Services

Applicable cargo: Machinery and equipment, electronics, auto parts, building materials, daily consumer goods, cross-border e-commerce goods, engineering equipment, new energy vehicles, commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, and more.

Service model: Door-to-door pickup across all of China, TIR sealed transport throughout, door-to-door delivery across Turkey and all European destinations, with real-time GPS tracking and transport insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Lapis Lazuli Corridor?
A: The Lapis Lazuli Corridor was signed in November 2017 by five countries: Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, with a budget of approximately $2 billion. The route runs Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Caspian Sea-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, connecting to the European transport system.

Q: How many days does Turkmenistan to Turkey TIR transport take?
A: Approximately 6,000-8,000 kilometers, 15-20 days direct to Turkey and Europe, with destination import customs clearance included.

Q: What is the capacity of Turkmenbashi Port?
A: Turkmenbashi International Seaport is the largest multi-purpose port on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, with annual handling capacity of 17 million tons of cargo and 400,000 containers. In 2025, Turkmenistan tendered for two new rail Ro-Ro ferries and one cargo vessel.

Q: What is the trade relationship between Turkmenistan and Turkey?
A: In 2024, bilateral trade reached $2.17 billion. Turkey is one of Turkmenistan's largest trading partners with investment exceeding $200 million.

Q: How does the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline relate to the transport corridor?
A: The pipeline will transport Turkmen natural gas across the Caspian Sea to Turkey and Europe, creating strategic synergies with the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and TANAP pipeline, enhancing the corridor's overall strategic value.

Q: Is car-carrier transport for complete vehicles provided?
A: Yes. 300 Kazakhstan-plated car-carrier trailers + 270 Iran-plated car-carrier trailers + 70 China-plated short-haul car-carrier trailers, each loading 8 passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, or new energy vehicles.

Q: What are the business scope restrictions?
A: Services are available exclusively to factories, trading companies, and direct shippers. No freight forwarders or co-loading accepted. No LTL or consolidation services.

Brand Statement

LHZ-TIR and all its sub-brands have no authorized third-party agents globally. Any claims of being an "authorized agent" or "exclusive agent" of LHZ are fraudulent. Official hotline: 400-0488-817.