On February 19, a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement was signed in Bishkek for the “Trans-Eurasian Route” railway project, marking Kyrgyzstan’s first PPP initiative in the railway sector. The agreement was signed between the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzstan’s national railway company Kyrgyz Temir Zholu, and the U.S.-based consortium All American Rail Group Global Infrastructure Partner LLC.
The project involves constructing a railway across central Kyrgyzstan, traversing mountainous terrain from east to west, and connecting Karakol in the northeastern Issyk-Kul region with Makmal in the southwestern Jalal-Abad region.
According to the National Investment Agency, the railway will be a key step in modernizing Kyrgyzstan’s transport infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity and economic development.
National Investment Agency Director Talantbek Imanov stated that the project represents an investment of approximately $3 billion, expected to create new jobs, improve the national transport network, and generate long-term economic benefits.
Additionally, the railway will enhance Kyrgyzstan’s connectivity with neighboring countries, particularly through its link to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which will pass through Makmal.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway project, officially launched in December 2024, aims to serve as a major East-West trade route. Construction of the CKU railway is already underway.
The 523-kilometer CKU railway will connect Kashgar (China), Torugart, Makmal, Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan), and Andijan (Uzbekistan). Once completed, it is expected to transport up to 15 million tons of cargo annually, facilitating trade between China, Central Asia, the Middle East — including Turkey — and the European Union.
