Sarakhs Free Zone
Sarakhs Free Trade-Industrial Zone is an active free zone in Sarakhs, Razavi Khorasan, at Iran’s rail and border interface with Turkmenistan. It serves rail and road freight, customs, warehousing and transit-related trade. Its role in the Iran–Central Asia corridor makes it relevant to companies planning cross-border logistics, bulk-cargo handling and trade-linked industrial activity.
Strategic and market-access role
Sarakhs Free Zone occupies one of Iran’s most important rail and logistics interfaces with Turkmenistan and Central Asia. Unlike many newly created zones, it builds on an existing special-economic-zone base, rail-border operations, warehousing, freight handling, energy infrastructure, and established transit activity. Its free-zone phase can deepen company registration, customs integration, rail logistics, grain and bulk-cargo handling, industrial processing, and links to Eurasian corridors. The formal free-zone organization and operating systems have recently entered active service. The zone provides an Iranian entry and exit point for freight moving through the Sarakhs rail-border crossing to and from Turkmenistan, supporting trade and transit links with Central Asia.
Operations, capacity & connectivity
Related use cases
Useful for Central Asia transit planning, rail and multimodal logistics, warehouse location, grain and bulk-material trade, customs structuring, sulfur and industrial-material processing, freight-partner screening, and corridor comparison. Due diligence should verify which services belong to the legacy special economic zone versus the new free-zone administration, rail-transfer capacity, customs workflow, land rights, tariffs, utility access, and current border-operating conditions.
Capacity and service area
Service area: Sarakhs and the Iran–Turkmenistan border corridor, with access to Central Asian transit markets.
Connected modes
Rail and road freight, supported by border customs and warehousing functions.
Industries served
Transit logistics, warehousing, bulk cargo and trade-related industrial processing.
Ownership, operation & expansion
Opening or commissioning
2026
Constraints, risk & compliance
Operational constraints
Execution depends on coordination between free-zone administration, customs procedures, rail-border operations and the legacy Sarakhs Special Economic Zone logistics base.
Key risks and compliance considerations
Border-crossing performance, rail-transfer availability and customs processing directly affect transit timing and the commercial value of logistics and processing operations in the zone.
Connected Intelligence
Relevant geography, industry, market and execution context for this profile.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions most likely to arise when reviewing this profile.
Where is Sarakhs Free Trade-Industrial Zone located?
The zone is in Sarakhs, Razavi Khorasan Province, on Iran’s border with Turkmenistan.
What transport links does the zone support?
It supports rail and road freight movements through the Sarakhs border corridor, alongside customs and warehousing functions.
Why does the Sarakhs Free Trade-Industrial Zone matter commercially?
It provides a logistics and trade platform for Iranian freight flows connected to Turkmenistan and wider Central Asian transit markets.
What activities are relevant to the zone?
Relevant activities include transit logistics, warehousing, customs-related trade, bulk-cargo handling and trade-linked industrial processing.