MOSCOW, September 2. /TASS/. Russia and Pakistan are exploring the possibility of establishing direct air service between the two countries; additionally, in October 2025, they plan to launch a trial train from Karachi to Moscow and Minsk, traveling overland through Afghanistan, the Russian Ministry of Transport said.

"In October, we will launch a test train from Karachi to Moscow and Minsk, traveling through Afghanistan by road. We are also considering opening a direct air link," the ministry stated.

At a meeting with the Pakistani delegation, officials highlighted a significant increase in transport cooperation and noted the development of several multimodal routes. The ministry recalled that in 2024, trial shipments were carried out by road between Russia and Pakistan in both directions.

Meanwhile, Russia and China are modernizing their border crossing points. Last year, vehicle traffic through these checkpoints reached 651,700 - a 47.5% increase compared with 2023. Once upgrades are completed, traffic is expected to rise to three million vehicles per year.

By 2030, the capacity of the Zabaykalsk checkpoint is planned to increase by 11 million tons, enabling the passage of nearly 50 train pairs daily. Air traffic between Russia and China is also growing, with Russian and Chinese airlines currently operating 230 flights per week.