uzbekistan railways - The Times Of Central Asia

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Tashkent International Investment Forum

Rail Reform and Regional Corridors Put Uzbekistan at the Center of Central Asia’s Logistics Map

At the Tashkent International Investment Forum, officials and transport executives discussed railway reform and new corridor projects, with private investment as a main point. World Bank Senior Transport Specialist Mansur Bustoni described rail as “essential” for Uzbekistan, which depends on land routes for access to seaports and export markets. The World Bank wants to help turn Uzbekistan Railways from a state monopoly into “a commercial bankable enterprise,” he told the forum. Uzbekistan Railways has about 4,700 route kilometers, according to Bustoni. The system carries around 60 million tons of freight and 15 million passengers a year and contributes about 8% of GDP. Much of that freight is linked to exports. The World Bank is supporting 44 activities across seven reform programs. Bustoni listed legal separation inside Uzbekistan Railways, financial reform, operational efficiency, and investment planning among the main areas. Each activity has been ranked by priority, he added. Tariff reform was one of Bustoni’s main topics. He called the proposed change “not a price hike.” The aim is to replace ad hoc increases with rules-based pricing. Cost-reflective tariffs would give the railway company more predictable revenue and reduce state cross-subsidies. Bustoni also cited capital-market plans. Uzbekistan’s infrastructure company is part of the National Investment Fund of the Republic of Uzbekistan (UzNIF), which he described as a $2.4 billion fund managed by Franklin Templeton, with a planned dual listing in London and Tashkent. The railway sector recorded a roughly $188 million net loss in 2023, reached break-even in 2024, and is expected to post a positive $138 million result in 2025, he added. [caption id="attachment_50833" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Image: TCA[/caption] Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) Secretary General Jasurbek Choriyev linked corridor development to Uzbekistan’s national priorities. He cited double-digit growth in passenger air traffic over five years and 15 million tourists last year, attributing the figures to national data and analysts at Airports Council International and the World Bank. Uzbekistan’s aircraft fleet has expanded to more than 100 planes from about 40 to 50 in recent years. A target of 188 aircraft by 2030 could be reached earlier, Choriyev noted. Uzbek airlines are also carrying more freight on the China-Europe route, driven in part by e-commerce. Choriyev described rail as the backbone of national connectivity, carrying about 90% of internal and external traffic. He pointed to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Iran railway and gave 2030 as the expected completion date, with 2028 or 2029 possible. He also cited the Trans-Afghan corridor as a route to Pakistan. About 52% of Uzbekistan’s rail network is electrified, with a target of 70% by 2030. Innokenty Ivanov, a principal consultant at Freshfields, said Uzbekistan’s railway reform is creating legal routes for private investment through market mechanisms and public-private partnerships. The reform covers the reorganization of Uzbekistan Railways as a holding company and a legal framework for private investment and independent operation. Ivanov compared the process with Germany, where railway reform led to long-term contracts between the government and the infrastructure company. Financing tied to measurable targets gives investors more certainty...

Transport Infrastructure

Uzbekistan, Afghanistan Open New Cargo Terminal on Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif Railway

A new dry port terminal has opened on the Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif railway in northern Afghanistan, marking another step in efforts by Uzbekistan and Afghanistan to expand regional transport infrastructure and increase cargo capacity between Central and South Asia. According to Uzbekistan railways (‘O'zbekiston Temir Yo'llari’), an Uzbek delegation visited Mazar-i-Sharif on May 21, where officials attended the inauguration of Port No. 5, a newly constructed and restored cargo facility on the railway corridor operated by Sogdiana Trans, a subsidiary of Uzbekistan Railways. The terminal received its first freight train during the ceremony, officially launching cargo unloading operations. Uzbek and Afghan representatives said the facility is expected to increase freight volumes and improve logistics efficiency along the Hairatan–Mazar-i-Sharif line, which remains one of Afghanistan’s main rail links to Central Asia. The Hairatan–Mazar-i-Sharif railway, completed in 2010 with financing from the Asian Development Bank, links Afghanistan’s northern trade hub at Hairatan, near the Uzbek border, with Mazar-i-Sharif. The line has become a key corridor for moving fuel, food products, construction materials, and humanitarian cargo. During the visit, Uzbekistan railways Chairman Zufar Narzullayev held talks with Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar. Discussions focused on increasing the carrying capacity of the railway and accelerating infrastructure upgrades. Among the proposals was the construction of an additional 1.65-kilometer branch line near Naibabad station. Officials said the project could reduce wagon waiting times and increase overall railway efficiency. Baradar reportedly welcomed the initiatives and instructed Afghan public works authorities to coordinate technical and construction work with Uzbek counterparts. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works also stressed the need to expand cargo traffic, stating that Afghan authorities are prepared to receive and unload increasing volumes of freight moving through the corridor. The opening of Port No. 5 is part of a wider Uzbek push to strengthen transport and energy links with Afghanistan, inspired by Tashkent's broader ambitions to improve access to South Asian and Middle Eastern markets. Uzbekistan has repeatedly promoted trans-Afghan transport routes as a way to reduce regional trade bottlenecks and expand Central Asia’s external connectivity. In February 2025, Baradar announced that construction of the proposed Hairatan-Herat railway extension would begin shortly after completion of a feasibility study financed by Uzbekistan. The planned route would extend the existing railway westward through Afghanistan toward Herat, potentially strengthening trade connections between Central Asia and the Middle East. During the same visit in 2025, Baradar said Uzbekistan had agreed to reduce the cost of a power transmission project to Afghanistan by $30 million.

Middle Corridor

Opinion: A New Southern Gate – How the EU-Armenia Summit Unlocks a Critical Branch for the Middle Corridor

For the first time in its history, the European Union held a full summit with Armenia. The meeting, which took place in Yerevan on 4–5 May 2026, was not merely a diplomatic milestone for Armenia. It also sent a signal to governments thousands of kilometers away in Central Asia that the trade route linking Asia to Europe through the South Caucasus is becoming more real, and more politically backed, than ever before. The centerpiece of the summit saw the signing of a “Connectivity Partnership” between Brussels and Yerevan. The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, described Armenia as "uniquely positioned" to connect Europe with the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Under the EU's Global Gateway program, investments in Armenia are expected to reach €2.5 billion. A further €3 billion is earmarked specifically for the Middle Corridor – the trade route that runs from China across Central Asia, over the Caspian Sea, through the South Caucasus, and into Europe. “We will support your integration into key transport networks like the Trans-Caspian Corridor. It is a route that is also of strategic importance for Europe, given the growing flows of trade between our two regions,” von der Leyen stated. A Route That Is Already Moving Fast The Middle Corridor, formally known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), has grown at a pace that few predicted. Cargo volumes rose 70 percent in the first nine months of 2024 alone, reaching 3.4 million tons. By the end of that year, the total had climbed to 4.1 million tons – up from just 350,000 tons in 2021. The World Bank projects that the route could handle up to 11 million tonnes a year by 2030. It's important to maintain some perspective. These numbers are small fry when compared to the billions of tons of trade that moves between Europe and Asia by sea. However, the Middle Corridor does offer important diversification, particularly given the spillover effects of wars in the Middle East and piracy in the Red Sea. [caption id="attachment_48602" align="aligncenter" width="1274"] Image: Trans Caspian International Transport Route and it’s southern part, China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project. Source: middlecorridor.com[/caption] Where Uzbekistan Stands For Uzbekistan, the Middle Corridor is both an opportunity and a work in progress. In January 2025, President Mirziyoyev signed a decree to upgrade road and rail connectivity, and in September 2024, Tashkent co-founded the Eurasian Transport Route Association alongside Austria, Azerbaijan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkey. In December 2024, Uzbekistan sent its first block train all the way to Brazil – through Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and the Georgian port of Poti – proving the route is operationally viable. But costs remain a challenge. Shipping a 40-foot container via the Middle Corridor currently costs between $3,500 and $4,500, compared to $2,800–$3,200 on the Northern Corridor through Russia. Europe, meanwhile, accounts for only around 3 percent of Uzbekistan's exports and 13 percent of its imports — a share that Tashkent wants to grow significantly. The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan (CKU) railway — a $8 billion, 573-kilometre project whose...

rail tourism

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Continue to Popularize Rail Tourism

Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and Oʻzbekiston temir yoʻllari, also known as Uzbekistan Railways, organized this year’s second Keruen Express train tour from May 1 to 6. More than 130 passengers traveled along the Almaty-Turkestan-Samarkand-Tashkent-Almaty route. Over five days, participants visited major architectural and historical sites in both countries, including the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum in Turkestan, the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum and the Registan in Samarkand, and the Hazrati Imam Complex in Tashkent. The Keruen Express promotes rail tourism and the region’s historical heritage while strengthening cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Rail tourism is gaining traction in Central Asia. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, KTZ expanded its popular Jibek Joly (Silk Road) tourist train route to include Tajikistan. The updated route now reaches the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, extending the tour beyond Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The train-tour projects are part of a regional push to promote Central Asia as a unified tourist destination. Regional leaders have advocated for a shared visa-free regime for foreign visitors, similar to Europe’s Schengen Area, to encourage cross-border travel and boost international tourism. Speaking at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank in Samarkand on May 4, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed creating a Central Asia Tourism Ring as a unified tourism space connecting the countries of the region. Mirziyoyev called on neighboring countries, the ADB, and other partners to form a portfolio of tourism development projects and jointly finance them. Mirziyoyev also highlighted Central Asia’s tourism potential, noting that amid global instability, millions of tourists are seeking safe destinations, and the region has significant opportunities in pilgrimage, cultural, gastronomic, ethnographic, extreme, and medical tourism.

Afghanistan

Uzbekistan Expands Afghan Rail Capacity to Support Growing Trade

A new 1,000-meter siding track has been completed at Naibabad railway station in Afghanistan, aimed at increasing freight handling capacity and improving the efficiency of rail operations, according to Uzbekistan Railways. The project was implemented by Uzbekistan Railways in cooperation with Sogdiana Trans. The additional track is expected to significantly expand the station’s throughput and accelerate loading and unloading processes, reducing delays and congestion along the route. Afghanistan plays a key role in regional connectivity, linking Central Asia with South Asia through transport corridors that pass through its territory. Naibabad is expected to serve as an important hub for the movement of goods from countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, and China to markets in Pakistan and India. The development comes amid a steady increase in cargo volumes between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The Hayraton-Naibabad-Mazar-i-Sharif corridor has become an important route for regional trade, and infrastructure upgrades are seen as essential to maintaining stable freight flows. According to project details, the new siding will enable more efficient processing of freight wagons and help prevent bottlenecks along the line. It is also expected to improve service quality for customers and support the long-term development of Naibabad station. Uzbekistan Railways noted that the project reflects the country’s ongoing efforts to modernize railway infrastructure in Afghanistan and strengthen cross-border logistics links. Cooperation with Sogdiana Trans has further reinforced their position as long-term partners in the development of Afghanistan’s rail sector. The expansion builds on earlier work at the station. In 2024, Uzbekistan Railways reported that the restored Naibabad station officially reopened on August 7, following reconstruction carried out in cooperation with the Termez regional railway hub and Sogdiana Trans. The arrival of the first freight cars marked the resumption of operations. As freight traffic along the corridor continues to grow, Uzbekistan Railways and its partners, in coordination with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works, are continuing efforts to modernize infrastructure along the route.

Railways

Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan Sign Deal to Study TransAfghan Railway

Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have taken a significant step toward realizing the long-planned TransAfghan railway. According to Uzbekistan Railways, the three countries signed an intergovernmental agreement on July 17 in Kabul to launch a technical and economic feasibility study for the proposed “Termez-Naibabad-Maidan Shar-Logar-Kharlachi” route. The deal was finalized at a trilateral summit attended by Uzbekistan’s Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov, Pakistan’s Railways Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, and Afghanistan’s acting Public Works Minister Mohammad Esa Thani. The route itself was agreed upon in July 2023 in Islamabad by representatives of all three nations. A project office established under the International Transport Corridors Development Strategy, launched in May 2023 in Tashkent with branches in Kabul and Islamabad, will oversee the study. Originally proposed in 2018, the TransAfghan railway is envisioned to link Termez in Uzbekistan with Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul in Afghanistan, before extending to Peshawar in Pakistan. The line would run over 700 kilometers through Afghanistan, creating a direct land corridor between Central Asia and the Arabian Sea. Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov reiterated the project’s importance during a July 17 meeting with Afghanistan’s acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Saidov noted that trade between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan has nearly tripled over the past year, emphasizing that deeper ties among Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan could benefit the broader region. Haqqani, in turn, praised Uzbekistan’s “goodwill, constructive cooperation, and spirit of brotherhood,” describing the railway as a strategically vital project that could spur economic growth across Central Asia. The initiative has drawn support from Russia, Iran, and several international financial institutions. The railway is expected to reduce transit times for Central Asian exports to Pakistani ports from several weeks to just a few days. While the project's initial cost was estimated at $4.8 billion, later projections have placed it at $7 billion, according to Tolo News. The forthcoming feasibility study is a critical next step. It will evaluate engineering challenges, projected costs, trade flow potential, and security conditions along the proposed route. If the study confirms the project's viability, the three governments can proceed with securing funding and establishing a construction timeline. Regional analysts say the railway could transform trade and logistics across Central Asia. It would offer landlocked countries, including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, direct access to seaports in Karachi and Gwadar, opening new markets in South Asia and beyond. For now, officials in Tashkent, Islamabad, and Kabul are concentrating on completing the study. With strong political backing and expanding trade links, they believe the TransAfghan railway stands a strong chance of becoming a central artery in the region’s future transport infrastructure.