Editing Transport in Turkmenistan

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
'''Transport in [[Turkmenistan]]''' includes roadways, railways, airways, seaways, and waterways, as well as oil-, gas-, and water pipelines. Road-, rail-, and waterway transport fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Communications.<ref name=min>{{cite news|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/asia/turkmenistan-combines-transport-ministries/47974.article|title=Turkmenistan combines transport ministries|date=February 7, 2019|publisher=Railway Gazette}}</ref>

During [[Transport in the Soviet Union|Soviet times Turkmenistan's transportation]] infrastructure was in general disrepair and neglected.

Since 1991 Turkmenistan has completed a number of major national and international transportation projects.

Turkmenistan is also part of the international transport corridor created under the [[Ashgabat 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.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hans-Classroom/2016-03-24/Ashgabat-Agreement/215932| title = The Hans India - India accedes to Ashgabat agreement| date = 24 March 2016}}</ref>

== Airways ==
{{main|Turkmenistan Airlines|List of airports in Turkmenistan}}
[[File:Turkmenistan Boeing 767-300ER Simon-1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Turkmenistan Airlines]] Boeing 767-300ER.]]
{{See also|:ru:Список аэропортов Туркмении}}
Air service began in 1927 with a route between Chardzhou ([[Türkmenabat]]) and Tashauz ([[Daşoguz|Dashoguz]]), flying German Junkers 13 and Soviet K-4 aircraft, each capable of carrying four passengers. In 1932 an aerodrome was built in Ashgabat on the site of the current Howdan neighborhoods, for both passenger and freight service, the latter mainly to deliver supplies to sulfur mines near [[Darvaza|Derweze]] in the [[Karakum Desert]].<ref name=encyc2>{{cite encyclopedia
  | encyclopedia = Туркменская ССР
  | title = Транспорт / Воздушный транспорт
  | trans-title = Transport / Air transport
  | language = Russian
  | year = 1984
  | publisher = Chuvash Obkom CPSU
  | pages = 237
}}</ref>

Airports serving the major cities of [[Ashgabat]], [[Dashoguz]], [[Mary, Turkmenistan|Mary]], [[Turkmenabat]], and [[Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan|Türkmenbaşy]], which are operated by Turkmenistan's civil aviation authority, Türkmenhowaýollary, feature scheduled domestic commercial air service.<ref name=schedule>{{cite web|url=https://turkmenistanairlines.tm/services/timetable|title=TURKMENISTAN AIRLINES Timetable}}</ref><ref name=thy>{{cite web|url=https://caa.gov.tm/ru/item/159|title=ОБЩАЯ ИНФОРМАЦИЯ|language=Russian}}</ref> Under normal circumstances international scheduled commercial air service is limited to Ashgabat.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, international flights take off from and land at Turkmenabat, where quarantine facilities have been established.<ref name=state>{{cite web|url=https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/turkmenistan-travel-advisory.html | title=Turkmenistan Travel Advisory|date=5 October 2020|publisher=U.S. Department of State}}</ref><ref name=karantin>{{cite news|url=https://turkmen.news/news/karantin-turkmenista/|title=Четырнадцать потерянных дней жизни. О нахождении в карантинном лагере в Туркменабаде|date=2 November 2020|language=Russian|publisher=Turkmen.news}}</ref>

State-owned [[Turkmenistan Airlines]] is the only Turkmen air carrier. Turkmenistan Airlines' passenger fleet is composed only of [[Boeing]] aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ogoniok.com/archive/2001/4680-2/80-20-21/|title=Мы не подведём|publisher=Ogoniok.com|access-date=25 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521175039/http://www.ogoniok.com/archive/2001/4680-2/80-20-21/|archive-date=21 May 2013}}</ref> Air transport carries more than two thousand passengers daily in the country.<ref>{{cite web|author=V@DIM |url=http://turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=715 |title=Могучие крылья страны |publisher=Turkmenistan.gov.tm |access-date=25 November 2013}}</ref> Under normal conditions, international flights annually transport over half a million people into and out of Turkmenistan, and Turkmenistan Air operates regular flights to [[Moscow]], [[London]], [[Frankfurt]], [[Birmingham]], [[Bangkok]], [[Delhi]], [[Abu Dhabi]], [[Amritsar]], [[Kyiv]], [[Lviv]], [[Beijing]], [[Istanbul]], [[Minsk]], [[Almaty]], [[Tashkent]], and [[St. Petersburg]].

Small airfields serve industrial sites near other cities, but do not feature scheduled commercial passenger service.  Airfields slated for modernization and expansion include Garabogaz, Jebel, and Galaymor.<ref name=airport>{{cite news|publisher=Нейтральный Туркменистан|date=14 December 2020|title=Международный тендер на проектирование и строительство нового аэропорта в посёлке городского типа Джебел города Балканабат|language=Russian}}</ref><ref name=galay>{{cite news|url=http://tdh.gov.tm/news/en/articles.aspx&article16348&cat26|title=Aspects of modernization of segments of Turkmenistan's economy are discussed at the session of the Government|date=18 January 2019|publisher=Türkmen Döwlet Habarlary}}</ref><ref name=kerki>{{cite news|url=https://turkmenportal.com/blog/14616/prezident-turkmenistana-provel-sovmestnoe-zasedanie-kabineta-ministrov-i-gossoveta-bezopasnosti|title=Президент Туркменистана провёл совместное заседание Кабинета Министров и Госсовета безопасности|date=19 May 2018|language=Russian|publisher=Turkmenportal}}</ref><ref name=gbogaz>{{cite news|url=https://turkmenportal.com/blog/13377/v-garabogaze-budet-postroen-novyi-aeroport|title=В Гарабогазе будет построен новый аэропорт|publisher=Turkmenportal|language=Russian|date=3 February 2018}}</ref><ref name=jebel2>{{cite news|url=https://turkmen.news/lenta/airport-jebel/|title=Рядом с курортом "Моллакара" в Туркменистане планируют построить аэропорт|date=15 December 2020|language=Russian|publisher=Turkmen.news}}</ref> A new [[Kerki Airport|airport at Kerki]] was commissioned in June 2021 and is slated to begin regular domestic passenger service in January 2022.<ref name=kerki2>{{cite news|url=https://turkmenistan.gov.tm/ru/post/59800/iz-kerki-v-ashhabad-i-dashoguz |title=Из Керки – в Ашхабад и Дашогуз |date=25 December 2021 |language=ru |publisher=Turkmenistan Golden Age}}</ref> The new [[Turkmenabat International Airport]] was commissioned in February 2018.<ref name=tbat>{{cite news|url=http://www.ato.ru/content/v-turkmenabade-postroili-mezhdunarodnyy-aeroport|title=В Туркменабаде построили международный аэропорт|date=14 February 2018|language=Russian|publisher=Авиатранспортное обозрение}}</ref>
In 2014, Turkmenistan had an estimated [[List of airports in Turkmenistan|26 airports]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/turkmenistan/| title = The World Factbook| date = 22 May 2024}}</ref> One heliport was in operation.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|date=February 2007|title=Country Profile: Turkmenistan|url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Turkmenistan.pdf|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130311113115/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Turkmenistan.pdf|archive-date=March 11, 2013|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|postscript=. {{PD-notice}}}}</ref>

== Railways ==
[[File:Turkmen Diesel locomotive2.jpg|thumb|Turkmen Diesel locomotive]]
{{Main|Rail transport in Turkmenistan}}
{{Main|Türkmendemirýollary}}
The first rail line in Turkmenistan was built in 1880, from the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea to Mollagara.  By October 1881 the line was extended to Kyzyl-Arvat (today's [[Gyzylarbat]]), by 1886 had reached Chardzhou (today's [[Turkmenabat]]).  In 1887 a wooden rail bridge was built over the [[Amu Darya]], and the line was continued to [[Samarkand]] (1888) and [[Tashkent]] (1898).<ref name=encyc>{{cite encyclopedia
  | encyclopedia = Туркменская ССР
  | title = Транспорт / Железнодорожный транспорт
  | trans-title = Transport / Rail transport
  | language = Russian
  | year = 1984
  | publisher = Chuvash Obkom CPSU
  | pages = 235–236
}}</ref> The rail line connecting Mary to [[Serhetabat]] was completed in 1898, and the train ferry between Kislovodsk (today's [[Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan|Türkmenbaşy]]) and [[Baku]] began operating in 1905.<ref name=carec2021>{{cite web|url=https://www.carecprogram.org/uploads/CAREC-CRA-TKM_8th_WEB.pdf|title=RAILWAY SECTOR ASSESSMENT FOR TURKMENISTAN|date=March 2021|publisher=[[Asian Development Bank]]}}</ref>

Rail service in Turkmenistan began as part of [[Russian Empire|Imperial Russia's]] [[Trans-Caspian railway|Trans-Caspian Railway]], then of the Central Asian Railway.  After the [[collapse of the USSR]], the railway network in Turkmenistan was transferred to  and operated by state-owned [[Türkmendemirýollary]].

Rail gauge is the standard Russian- and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] 1520 millimeters.

The total length of railways is 3181&nbsp;km. Only domestic passenger service is available, except for special trains operated by tour operators.<ref name=schedule2>{{cite web|url=https://www.railway.gov.tm/ru/schedule|title=Расписание|language=Turkmen, Russian}}</ref> The railway carries approximately 5.5 million passengers and moves nearly 24 million tons of freight per year.<ref name=stat2020>{{cite book|title=Türkmenistanyň Ýyllyk Statistik Neşiri 2019 Ýyl|date=2020|place=Ashgabat|language=Turkmen, Russian, English|publisher=State Committee of Statistics of Turkmenistan}}</ref><ref name=rr>{{cite web|url=https://www.railway.gov.tm/ru/about|title=О НАС|language=Russian|publisher=Türkmendemirýollary}}</ref>

[[File:A newly constructed railway station in Bereket city, October 2013.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Bereket railway station (Turkmenistan)|Bereket Railway Station]] in ([[Bereket]]) is an important junction of the [[Trans-Caspian Railway]] and [[North–South Transport Corridor|North-South Transnational Railway]].]]

The [[Tejen]]-[[Sarahs]]-[[Mashhad]] railway, built in 1996 by Turkmenistan and [[Iran]], has become a vital freight link of Central Asian-, Russian-, and European rail systems with South Asia and the [[Persian Gulf]].<ref name=":12" /><ref name=carec2021 /> In 2006 the [[Trans-Karakum Railway]], a direct link between [[Ashgabat]] and [[Daşoguz|Dashoguz]], halved travel time between the southern and northern borders.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=carec2021 />

The [[Kazakhstan]]-Turkmenistan-[[Iran]] railway link, part of the [[North–South Transport Corridor]], is a {{convert|677|km|0|abbr=on}}-long railway line connecting [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Turkmenistan]] with [[Iran]] and the [[Persian Gulf]] since 2014. It links [[Uzen, Kazakhstan|Uzen]] in Kazakhstan with [[Bereket]] and [[Gyzyletrek|Etrek]] in Turkmenistan and ends at [[Gorgan]] in Iran's Golestan province. In Iran, the railway connects to the national network, including seaports on the Persian Gulf.<ref name="railway-technology1" /> The project cost an estimated $620 million, shared by the governments of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran.<ref name="railway-technology1">{{cite web |url=http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/northsouthtransnatio/ |title=North-South Transnational Corridor |publisher=railway-technology.com|access-date=2014-03-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.turkmenistaninfo.ru/?page_id=6&type=article&elem_id=page_6/magazine_114/1011&lang_id=en |title=Crossing of Railways |publisher=turkmenistaninfo.ru|access-date=2014-03-25}}</ref> This link of the North-South Transnational Railway runs 137&nbsp;km in Kazakhstan, 470&nbsp;km in Turkmenistan and 70&nbsp;km in Iran.  Work in Turkmenistan commenced in [[Bereket]] in December 2007 and in Kazakhstan in July 2009, and was completed in late 2014.

In late 2016, a railway line from [[Kerki]] south to [[Ymamnazar]] on the border with [[Afghanistan]] and beyond to [[Aqina]] in [[Andkhoy District]] was opened.<ref name="Afghan-Turkmenistan railroad inaugurated">{{cite news|last=Salehai|first=Zarghona|title=Afghan-Turkmenistan railroad inaugurated|url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2016/11/28/afghan-turkmenistan-railroad-inaugurated|date=28 November 2016|publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref> It is expected to become part of a [[Rail transport in Afghanistan#Afghanistan–Turkmenistan rail service|railway corridor through northern Afghanistan]]. This line was subsequently extended to [[Andkhoy (city)|Andkhoy]].<ref name=power>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/774462-turkmenistan-afghanistan-open-new-rail-and-power-links|title=Turkmenistan, Afghanistan open new rail and power links|date=January 15, 2021|publisher=[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]]}}</ref>

In February 2018, the existing rail line between [[Serhetabat]] and [[Torghundi]] in Afghanistan was restored to service.<ref name=torghundi>{{cite news|url=https://uae.tmembassy.gov.tm/en/news/10349|title=TRAIN SERVICE OPENS ON NEW TURKMEN-AFGHAN RAILWAY: SERHETABAT–TORGHUNDI|date=February 24, 2018|publisher=Turkmenistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs}}</ref><ref name=grantham>{{cite web|url=http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/railways/torghundi-and-the-railway-from-turkmenistan/|title=Torghundi and the railway from Turkmenistan|date=12 October 2019 |publisher=Andrew Grantham}}</ref> This line is planned to be extended to [[Herat]], where it could potentially connect to a rail line under construction from [[Khaf, Iran|Khaf]], [[Iran]].<ref name=herat>{{cite news|url=https://www.railjournal.com/infrastructure/iran-afghanistan-railway-ready-for-traffic/|title=Iran – Afghanistan railway ready for traffic|date=December 9, 2020|first=Oliver|last=Cuenca|publisher=International Railway Journal}}</ref>

===Rolling stock===
The [[Asian Development Bank]] reported in 2021,<blockquote>In 2019, TRA had a rolling stock fleet of 119 diesel locomotives, 10,056 freight wagons, and 425 passenger cars. The majority of locomotives and all the passenger cars were purchased from the PRC (25 CKD9A-series passenger locomotives and 83 CKD9C-series freight locomotives). The freight wagon fleet included 2,849 tanker wagons, 1,738 gondola wagons, 1,637 platform wagons, 1,358 closed hopper wagons, 1,143 box wagons and 654 refrigerated wagons.... In 2019, 6,607 wagons
(65% of the fleet) <nowiki>[were]</nowiki> at least 30 years old, with many of these wagons having exceeded their normal economic life and in need of replacement.<ref name=carec2021 /></blockquote>

=== Railway links with adjacent countries ===
* [[Rail transport in Iran|Iran]] - yes, freight only - {{RailGauge|1520mm}}/{{RailGauge|1435mm}} [[break-of-gauge]]
* [[Rail transport in Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] - yes, freight only - two links, from [[Ymamnazar]] to [[Aqina]] and (very short) from [[Serhetabat]] to [[Torghundi]], no passenger service
* [[Qazaqstan Temir Zholy|Kazakhstan]] - new rail link opened in 2013.
* [[Transportation in Uzbekistan#Railways|Uzbekistan]] - yes, service halted indefinitely
* [[Caspian Sea]] - irregular [[ferry]], passenger only.

== Roadways ==
{{main|M37 highway (Turkmenistan)}}

Prior to the 1917 [[Russian Revolution]] only three automobiles existed in Turkmenistan, all of them foreign models in Ashgabat. No automobile roads existed between settlements. After the revolution, Soviet authorities graded dirt roads to connect [[Mary, Turkmenistan|Mary]] and Kushky ([[Serhetabat]]), [[Tejen]] and [[Sarahs]], Kyzyl-Arvat ([[Serdar (city)|Serdar]]) with Garrygala ([[Magtymguly]]) and Chekishler, i.e., with important border crossings.  In 1887-1888 the Gaudan Highway ({{langx|ru|Гауданское шоссе}}) was built between Ashgabat and the Persian border at Gaudan Pass, and Persian authorities extended it to [[Mashad]], allowing for easier commercial relations.  Municipal bus service began in Ashgabat in 1925 with five routes, and taxicab service began in 1938 with five vehicles. The road network was extended in the 1970s with construction of republic-level highways connecting Ashgabat and Kazanjik ([[Bereket]]), Ashgabat and [[Bayramaly]], Nebit Dag ([[Balkanabat]]) and Krasnovodsk ([[Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan|Türkmenbaşy]]), Chardzhou ([[Türkmenabat]]) and [[Kerki]], and Mary and Kushka ([[Serhetabat]]).<ref name=encyc3>{{cite encyclopedia
  | encyclopedia = Туркменская ССР
  | title = Транспорт / Железнодорожный транспорт
  | trans-title = Transport / Rail transport
  | language = Russian
  | year = 1984
  | publisher = Chuvash Obkom CPSU
  | pages = 236–237
}}</ref> As of 2001 Turkmenistan had an estimated 22,000 kilometers of roads, about 18,000 kilometers of which were paved.<ref name=":12" />

The primary west-east motor route is the [[M37 highway (Turkmenistan)|M37]] highway linking the [[Turkmenbashi International Seaport|Turkmenbashy International Seaport]] to the [[Farap]] border crossing via Ashgabat, Mary, and Turkmenabat.  The primary north-south route is the Ashgabat-Dashoguz Automobile Road ({{langx|tk|Aşgabat-Daşoguz awtomobil ýoly}}), built in the 2000s. Major international routes include [[European route E003]], [[European route E60]], [[European route E121]], and Asian Highway (AH) routes AH5, AH70, AH75, AH77, and AH78.<ref name=ah>{{cite web|url=http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Turkmenistan.xls|title=Asian Highway Database|publisher=United Nations}}</ref><ref name=":12" />

A new toll motorway is under construction between Ashgabat and Turkmenabat by “Türkmen Awtoban” company, which was originally scheduled to construct the 600-km highway in three phases: [[Ashgabat]]-[[Tejen]] by December 2020, [[Tejen]]-[[Mary, Turkmenistan|Mary]] by December 2022 and Mary-[[Türkmenabat|Turkmenabat]] by December 2023. As a result of delays due to financial shortfalls, the Ashgabat-Tejen phase is now scheduled for completion in September 2021.<ref name=awtoban2>{{cite news|url=https://turkmen.news/lenta/trassa-turkmenistan-stroitelstvo/|title= Участок трассы Ашхабад — Туркменабад до Теджена пообещали сдать в эксплуатацию в текущем году|date=March 29, 2021|language=Russian|publisher=Turkmen.News}}</ref>  A sister project to link [[Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan|Türkmenbaşy]] and Ashgabat was suspended when the Turkish contractor, [[Polimeks]], walked away from the project, reportedly because of non-payment.<ref name=doc>{{cite web|url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/turkmenistan-transportation|title=Turkmenistan Country Commercial Guide: Transportation|publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce|date=15 October 2020}}</ref><ref name=abandon>{{citation |url=https://tm.hronikatm.com/2018/02/polimex-turkmenbasydaky-awtoban-gurlusygyny-bes-etdi-kompaniyanyn-baslygy-turkmenistany-terk-etdi/ |title="Polimex" Türkmenbaşydaky awtoban gurluşygyny bes etdi, kompaniýanyň başlygy Türkmenistany terk etdi |publisher=Chronicles of Turkmenistan |date=27 February 2018 |language=tk |trans-title="Polimex" stopped construction of the highway to Turkmenbashy, the head of the company left Turkmenistan }}</ref>

As of 29 January 2019, the Turkmen Automobile Roads state concern ({{langx|tk|Türkmenawtoýollary}}) was subordinated by presidential decree to the Ministry of Construction and Architecture, and responsibility for road construction and maintenance was shifted to provincial and municipal governments.<ref name=decree>{{cite news|url=https://www.parahat.info/edict/1627|title=УКАЗ Президента Туркменистана О преобразовании Государственного концерна "Türkmenawtoýollary"|date=29 January 2019|publisher=parahat.info|language=Russian}}</ref><ref name=roads>{{cite news|url=https://orient.tm/stroitelstvo-avtodorog-v-turkmenis/|title=Строительство автодорог в Туркменистане переходит в ведение городских и региональных властей|date=29 January 2019|language=Russian|publisher=Orient}}</ref> Operation of motor coaches (buses) and taxicabs is the responsibility of the Automobile Services Agency ({{langx|tk|Türkmenawtoulaglary Agentligi}}) of the Ministry of Industry and Communication.<ref name=awtoulag>{{cite web|url=https://awtoulag.gov.tm/en/site/a/index|title=Türkmenawtoulaglary Agentligi}}</ref>

Turkmenistan has one of the lowest gasoline prices in the world.  In 2011 95-octane gasoline was priced at $0.72 per gallon ($0.19 per liter).<ref>{{cite journal| url = http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2011/0913/World-s-cheapest-gas-Top-5-countries/Turkmenistan-0.72-per-gallon-0.19-per-liter| title = Turkmenistan- $0.72 per gallon ($0.19 per liter) - CSMonitor.com| journal = [[The Christian Science Monitor]]}} </ref> As of March 2021, the state-controlled price was 1.50 [[Turkmenistani manat|manat]] per liter, or U.S. 43¢ per liter ($1.62 per gallon).<ref name=gasoline>{{cite web|url=https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Turkmenistan/gasoline_prices/|title=Turkmenistan Gasoline prices, liter, 15-Mar-2021|publisher=Global Petrol Prices.com}}</ref>

== Seaways ==
{{main|Turkmen Seaways|Turkmenbashi International Seaport}}

== Riverways ==
{{main|Turkmen Riverways}}

The main inland waterways are the [[Amu Darya|Amu Darya River]], which runs along the northern border, and the [[Karakum Canal]], which runs from east to west from the Amu Darya near the Afghanistan border through Mary and Ashgabat to [[Bereket]].<ref name=cawater />

The official beginning of organized navigation on the Amu Darya occurred in 1873.<ref name="maritime">{{cite web|url=http://turkmenmaritime.gov.tm/river.html|title=River ways in Turkmenistan|publisher=turkmenmaritime.gov.tm|access-date=2014-03-27|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517142734/http://turkmenmaritime.gov.tm/river.html|archive-date=2014-05-17}}</ref> Steamboats began plying the Amu Darya in 1888, with reassembly and launching of a Russian-built steamboat delivered to Çärjew in pieces.<ref name=tstanbook>{{cite book|title=Туркменистан |first=P. |last=Skosyrev |date=1948 |publisher=Molodaya Gvardiya |place=Moscow |page=193 |language=ru}}</ref> Navigation was hindered by the constantly shifting sandbars and islands that the river current formed and swept away.<ref name=tstanbook /> In 1917 there were on the Amu Darya between 20 and 50 self-propelled vessels and about 1500 boats. In 1923 the Central Asian Turkmenabat Shipping Company began providing services to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and 10 regions of Kazakhstan, and transported loads by water across 1500 kilometers.

On August 15, 1992, the Turkmen River Shipping Company was established. In 2003, it was renamed State Concern [[Türkmenderýaýollary|Turkmen Riverways]] (Türkmenderýaýollary), but subsequently reverted to a state agency subordinate to a series of ministries. In February 2021 the production subsidiary of Türkmenderýaýollary was converted into an [[open joint-stock company]].<ref name=oao>{{cite news|url=https://business.com.tm/post/6821/turkmenistan-transforms-its-deryayollary-into-jointstock-company|title=Turkmenistan Transforms its Deryaýollary Into Joint-Stock Company|date=March 20, 2021|publisher=Business Turkmenistan}}</ref>

In the mid-20th century Soviet authorities began construction of the [[Karakum Canal]].  The first phase was approved in 1952, and construction began in 1954. By 1959 in the first phase the canal had connected the Amu Darya to the Murghab River. In 1961 the canal was extended to the Tejen River in a second phase. A third phase, to bring water to Ashgabat, was accelerated due to the 1961 drought, and water from the Amu Darya was first delivered to the capital city on May 12, 1962. Next followed construction of the Gurtly and Köpetdag Water Reservoirs, and then came the fourth phase, extension of the canal as far as Bereket, which was completed in 1981.  From Bereket, water is delivered to Balkanabat, Hazar and Turkmenbashy by pipeline.<ref name=cawater>{{cite web|url=http://www.cawater-info.net/ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=450:garagum-deryasy&catid=45:doc-turkmen&Itemid=37|title=Garagum derýasy|language=Turkmen|date=September 17, 2009|publisher=CAWATER-INFO}}</ref>  The 1,100-kilometer canal, designed mainly for irrigation, is navigable for 200 kilometers from the Amu Darya. The Amu Darya is navigable in Turkmenistan for about 320 kilometers downstream from the Afghanistan border to [[Turkmenabat]].

== Pipelines ==
{{Main|Pipelines in Turkmenistan}}

== Major ports and harbours ==
{{Main|Ports and harbours in Turkmenistan}}

Turkmenistan's largest seaport by far is [[Turkmenbashi International Seaport|Turkmenbashy International Seaport]].  The port was opened in October 1896. The Merchant Seaport Authority was founded in 1903. The port was substantially reconstructed between 2000 and 2003.<ref name=port1>{{cite web|url=https://port.com.tm/en/history/|title=History of Port / Sea port in the years of 1800-2000|publisher=Turkmenbashi International Seaport}}</ref> Passenger ferry service to the port of [[Baku]], [[Azerbaijan]] as well as rail ferries to other ports on the [[Caspian Sea]] (Baku, [[Aktau]]) began in 1962. In recent years tanker transport of oil to the ports of Baku and Makhachkala has increased.

In May 2018 construction was completed of a major expansion of the Turkmenbashy seaport.<ref name="Turkmenistan Transportation">{{cite web |title=Turkmenistan - Country Commercial Guide |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/turkmenistan-transportation |website=International Trade Administration |access-date=15 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://portnews.ru/news/65119/ |title=Порт Туркменбаши будет полностью реконструирован |date=16 May 2011 |publisher=Portnews.ru |access-date=25 November 2013}}</ref> Cost of the project was $1.5 billion. The general contractor for the project was Gap Inşaat, a subsidiary of [[Çalık Holding]] of Turkey. The expansion added 17 million tons of annual capacity, making total throughput including previously existing facilities of over 25 million tons per year. The international ferry and passenger terminals can serve 300,000 passengers and 75,000 vehicles per year, and the container terminal is designed to handle 400,000 TEU (20-foot container equivalent) per year.<ref name=enr>{{cite news|url=https://www.enr.com/articles/45265-global-best-project-airportport-turkmenbashi-international-seaport-project|title=Global Best Project, Airport/Port & Project of the Year Finalist: Turkmenbashi International Seaport Project|date=26 September 2018|first=Janice L.|last=Tuchman|publisher=Enineering News-Record, BNP Media}}</ref><ref name=press>{{cite web|url=https://www.calik.com/en/press-room/press-releases/most-important-pit-stop-on-the-silk-road-turkmenbashi-international-seaport|title=Most important pit-stop on the Silk Road: Turkmenbashi International Seaport|date=28 May 2018|publisher=Çalık Holding}}</ref><ref name=trend>{{cite news|url=https://en.trend.az/casia/turkmenistan/2896894.html|title=Turkish company completes seaport project in Turkmenbashi city|date=2 May 2018|publisher=Trend|first=Huseyn|last=Hasanov}}</ref>  Turkmenbashy International Seaport includes a shipyard.<ref name=press /> The port authority also oversees operations of the Kenar, [[Alaja, Turkmenistan|Alaja]], and [[Ekerem]] oil loading terminals.<ref name=oilloading>{{cite web|url=https://port.com.tm/en/oil-loading-terminals/|title=Oil loading terminals|publisher=Turkmenbashi International Seaport}}</ref>

Smaller industrial loading terminals are located at [[Hazar, Turkmenistan|Hazar]] (oil), Kiyanly ({{langx|tk|Gyýanly}}) (plastics), and [[Garabogaz]] (urea).

In 2006 Turkmenistan had eight merchant marine vessels of more than 1,000 tons displacement, of which four were cargo ships, two were oil tankers, one was for refrigerated cargo, and one was a combination ore and oil ship.<ref name=":12" />   As of 2019 the national maritime carrier, [[closed joint-stock company]] Marine Merchant Fleet, possessed 19 ships, including 4 dry cargo vessels, 7 oil tankers, 2 Ro-Pax ferries, 3 passenger-only ferries, 2 tugboats, and one yacht.<ref name=mmt>{{cite web|url=http://mmf.gov.tm/company/index.php|title=АКЦИОНЕРНОЕ ОБЩЕСТВО ЗАКРЫТОГО ТИПА "МОРСКОЙ ТОРГОВЫЙ ФЛОТ"|publisher=АОЗТ «Морской торговый флот»}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Railways}}
* [[Railways in Turkmenistan]]
* [[Turkmenistan Airlines]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Transport in Turkmenistan}}

*[https://www.carecprogram.org/uploads/CAREC-CRA-TKM_8th_WEB.pdf RAILWAY SECTOR ASSESSMENT FOR TURKMENISTAN, MARCH 2021] (Asian Development Bank)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Asia in topic|Transport in}}
{{Turkmenistan topics}}

[[Category:Transport in Turkmenistan| ]]