Incheh Borun is in northern Iran. The matching station on the Turkmen side is Akyayla (Etrek). Iranian official statements name it as one of the two main corridors from China to Iran: exit at Khorgos, through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, into the Iranian rail network at Incheh Borun, with no sea leg, through to Aprin dry port in Tehran.
Incheh Borun is a rail border between Iran and Turkmenistan. Both sides connect standard gauge (1,435 mm) and broad gauge (1,520 mm), so the gauge change can be done at the border. The Turkmen station is Akyayla, in the Etrek area — which is why rate sheets often show this border pair as "Akyayla / Etrek – Incheh Borun".
It has been mentioned so often in the last two years because the Iranian authorities have named it as a main corridor from China to Iran: exit at Khorgos, through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, into the Iranian rail network at Incheh Borun. Iranian railways have said that Incheh Borun and Sarakhs together handle about 5 million tonnes, with a plan to raise handling above 10 million tonnes, to take growing international transit.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Corridor | All rail. No sea leg |
| Exit border | Khorgos (alternative: Alashankou) |
| Transit countries | Kazakhstan → Turkmenistan (both broad gauge, so no gauge change between them) |
| Border pair | Akyayla (Etrek), Turkmenistan ↔ Incheh Borun, Iran |
| Gauge change | Standard to broad gauge at the China–Kazakhstan border; broad gauge to Iranian standard gauge at Incheh Borun (two changes) |
| Full transit | 28–35 days (current operating transit; it moves with the border queue) |
| End point | Aprin dry port, Tehran; nationwide distribution in Iran after clearance |
| Clearance | The border does an entry pre-check only. Formal clearance is at Aprin dry port, DAP or DDP |
| Comparison | Incheh Borun (this page) | Sarakhs | Aktau–Anzali |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea leg | No, all rail | No, all rail | Yes, Caspian 24–48 hours |
| Where it enters Iran | North (toward Golestan) | Northeast (toward Mashhad) | Northern Caspian coast (Anzali) |
| Main risk | Gauge-change queue | Gauge-change queue | Storage and sailings at Aktau, winter weather |
| Delivery that fits | Tehran and northern Iran | Tehran and central-eastern Iran | Northern Iran and the Caspian coast |
| Current transit | All three corridors are 28–35 days, moving with the queue that week. Confirm it live | ||
The comparison is there to point you at a direction. The actual choice follows space that can be booked and a price that can be executed. Back to China to Iran rail freight for the three-corridor summary and the six departure cities.
Incheh Borun is in northern Iran, on the border with Turkmenistan. The matching station on the Turkmen side is Akyayla, in the Etrek area. Both sides connect standard gauge and broad gauge, so the gauge change can be done at the border.
Because the Iranian side has said so in public. Of the two main corridors from China to Iran, one exits at Khorgos, crosses Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and enters the Iranian rail network at Incheh Borun. The other moves containers to Aktau and then across the Caspian to Anzali and other northern ports. Incheh Borun is therefore treated as one of the officially recognised main-line corridors.
Both are rail borders between Turkmenistan and Iran, and both can complete a gauge change. Sarakhs is in northeast Iran, linked toward Mashhad. Incheh Borun is in northern Iran, paired with Akyayla (Etrek) on the Turkmen side. Which one is used follows the queue that week and where the consignee is. They normally back each other up and take overflow from each other.
With the corridor congested and trains and wagons short, transit from a Chinese departure terminal via Incheh Borun to Tehran is 28–35 days. The gauge-change queue and the schedule connection are the main variables. At booking we state the time and the queue we expect that week.
On published figures from Iranian railways, Incheh Borun can transfer a set number of wagons per day. Together with Sarakhs the two borders handle about 5 million tonnes. Iran plans to raise combined handling above 10 million tonnes, against growing international transit demand.
When the Sarakhs queue is long, or when the consignee is closer to northern Iran, Incheh Borun is usually the better choice. The reverse is also true. Because the queue at each border can change by the week, the quote shows current availability and expected transit on both, and you decide.