Sarakhs is in northeast Iran, on the border with Turkmenistan. It is Iran's principal rail border and the designated entry for the all-rail corridor from China. Cargo exits at Khorgos, crosses Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, completes the broad-to-standard gauge change at Sarakhs, and continues via Mashhad to Aprin dry port in Tehran — with no sea leg.
Sarakhs is the principal rail border between Iran and Turkmenistan. The name is the same on both sides, and it connects standard gauge (1,435 mm) and broad gauge (1,520 mm), so the gauge change can be done at the border itself. Islamic Republic of Iran Railways has said publicly that Sarakhs and Incheh Borun together handle about 5 million tonnes, with a plan to raise that above 10 million tonnes. In 2025 Iran and Turkmenistan agreed to add one standard-gauge and one broad-gauge transfer line at Sarakhs, and the Turkmen side is adding freight wagons at the same time, to lift transit capacity.
For a Chinese exporter the value of Sarakhs is that it is all rail, with no sea leg. It does not depend on a Caspian sailing and it is not exposed to sea risk, so the chain is more controllable. The cost of that is a gauge-change queue that can move a lot — and with the corridor tight overall, that variable weighs more than it usually does.
| 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) |
| Entry border | Sarakhs, Iran |
| Gauge change | Standard to broad gauge at the China–Kazakhstan border; broad gauge to Iranian standard gauge at Sarakhs (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 | Sarakhs (this page) | Aktau–Anzali | Incheh Borun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea leg | No, all rail | Yes, Caspian 24–48 hours | No, all rail |
| Where it enters Iran | Northeast (toward Mashhad) | Northern Caspian coast (Anzali) | North (toward Golestan) |
| Main risk | Gauge-change queue | Storage and sailings at Aktau, winter weather | Gauge-change queue |
| Delivery that fits | Tehran and central-eastern Iran | Northern Iran and the Caspian coast | Tehran and northern Iran |
| 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.
Sarakhs is in northeast Iran, on the border with Turkmenistan. It is the principal rail border between the two countries and the designated entry for the all-rail corridor from China. The border connects standard gauge and broad gauge, so the gauge change can be done there.
The border mainly does the entry pre-check and the gauge change. Formal import clearance is at the Aprin inland port in Tehran. This matters: chasing pickup or release at the border stage misreads the whole rhythm.
A gauge change lifts the container onto a wagon of the other gauge. It is routine. The lift itself is not long. The time is in the queue. Because the full move includes several lifts, pack strength and internal lashing have to be designed for repeated handling, or damage risk rises sharply.
With the corridor congested and trains and wagons short, transit from a Chinese departure terminal via Sarakhs to Tehran is 28–35 days. The gauge-change queue and the schedule connection are the main variables. At booking we state the time we expect that week.
Sarakhs is the most important rail border in northeast Iran. On published figures from Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, Sarakhs and Incheh Borun together handle about 5 million tonnes, with a plan to rise above 10 million tonnes. In 2025 Iran and Turkmenistan also agreed to add one standard-gauge and one broad-gauge transfer line at Sarakhs.
Three places, repeatedly: wood packaging with no IPPC mark; documents that do not match the goods on name, specification, piece weight or value; and lashing inside the container that is not up to the move. The border opens boxes at random, and these three are what it looks at.