New China-Central Asia Railway Accelerates Completion Timeline

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project is progressing faster than planned and could be finished in four years instead of six.

Hikmatulla Rakhmetov, First Deputy Head of O’zbekiston Temir Yo’llari (Uzbek Railways), highlighted that construction is ahead of schedule and exceeding expectations, The Caspian Post informs via Kyrgyz media.

The new railway will shorten the distance among China, Europe, and Central Asia by over 1,000 kilometers, boosting trade and connectivity. Uzbekistan’s Transport Minister Ilhom Makhkamov emphasized that the project, alongside the future Trans-Afghan corridor, will link Central Asia directly to the Indian Ocean, enhancing the region’s transit potential and forming part of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor.

Construction began on December 27, 2024, in Jalal-Abad. The 532.5-kilometer route-312 kilometers in Kyrgyzstan-runs through Kashgar, Torugart, Makmal, Jalal-Abad, and Andijan. The estimated cost of the project is $4.7 billion, marking a significant step toward faster, more efficient trade across Central and South Asia.