Starting June 15, 2026, amendments to the tariff policy for international rail freight transportation among CIS member states will come into force. The announcement was made by «KTZ Freight Transportation» LLP with reference to the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The changes concern Amendment No. 57 to the official tariff policy for international freight transportation for the 2026 freight year. The document affects the cost of transit transportation through Russian border crossings and may significantly impact logistics routes across the Eurasian region.
What Will Change
According to the document, the coefficients used to calculate the cost of transit transportation will be revised.
For transit freight transported through the Russian–Latvian, Russian–Estonian, Russian–Finnish, as well as Russian–Belarusian border crossings with further movement through Belarusian–Latvian crossings, the coefficients will increase as follows:
- from 1.087 to 1.359 for transit cargo;
- from 1.048 to 1.31 for loaded and empty container transportation.
The amendments apply to Section 2 of Appendix 3 of the tariff policy and concern international rail freight transportation on the Russian Railways network.
Why It Matters
The increase in coefficients effectively means higher transit costs along these routes. Market experts note that the changes may affect logistics expenses for exporters and importers using routes through Russia and the Baltic states.
The impact may be especially significant for companies involved in container transportation between Asia and Europe. Additional costs are likely to be reflected in the prices of final products and transport services.
Possible Market Consequences
Analysts suggest that the tariff increase could lead to:
- redistribution of cargo flows to alternative routes;
- growing interest in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route;
- increased costs for container transport operators;
- revision of logistics contracts and tariffs.
At the same time, railway operators emphasize that the changes are part of the existing tariff policy aimed at regulating international transit transportation.
When the Changes Take Effect
The new coefficients will come into effect on June 15, 2026. The decision was adopted based on a letter from the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation dated May 13, 2026.
The document was signed by Sh. Omarbekov, Deputy Director General for Economics and Finance of the Tariff Policy Administration.
Experts recommend that participants in foreign economic activity take the upcoming changes into account in advance when planning deliveries and signing new contracts.