China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway construction gathers pace

Construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is advancing; the Kashgar–Andijan line will offer an alternative route bypassing Kazakhstan. Currently, the region's main rail link with China runs through Kazakhstan. According to Kabar, work has begun on 26 of the 29 planned tunnels and 40 of the 50 bridges in Kyrgyzstan.

Full-scale work across the Kyrgyz section began on 30 June 2025, with completion planned for 2030. The Kyrgyz section is about 304 km of a line exceeding 530 km and is estimated at around $4.7 billion. Freight will be transshipped at Makmal, where the track gauge changes.

The Uzbek Ministry of Transport estimates the corridor could cut about 900 km from routes between East Asia and the Middle East and Southern Europe, with potential cargo of 12-15 million tonnes a year. Tajikistan has expressed interest in connecting to the project.