Turkmenistan has officially launched a new stretch of the high-speed Ashgabat-Turkmenabat highway, marking another milestone in one of the country’s largest infrastructure projects.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov inaugurated the Mary-Turkmenabat section, the third phase of the 600-kilometer route, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

The newly opened segment is part of a modern expressway featuring three lanes in each direction and a total roadway width of 34.5 meters. It is designed to significantly improve transport efficiency and reduce travel time across the country.

The highway includes a wide range of support facilities such as cafés, fuel stations, parking areas, and maintenance services. Safety measures have also been integrated, including protective fencing to prevent animals from entering the road and underground crossings for wildlife movement.

Construction of the Ashgabat-Turkmenabat highway began in 2019 and is being completed in three stages: Ashgabat-Tejen, Tejen-Mary, and Mary-Turkmenabat.

The first section opened in 2021, followed by the second in 2024, with the latest segment now completing another major part of the route.

The project is seen as a key infrastructure initiative for Turkmenistan, aimed at strengthening logistics capacity and improving regional transit connectivity across the country.