Construction of China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway Continues

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway line, valued at approximately US$4.7 billion, continues in Kyrgyzstan. The project foresees creating a new transport corridor that will connect China with Central Asia and expand international freight transit capabilities.

The route will follow the Kashgar – Torugart – Arpa – Makmal – Jalal-Abad – Andijan alignment. The most complex section, measuring roughly 305 kilometers, is located within Kyrgyzstan, where dozens of tunnels and bridges must be built across mountainous terrain.

The project envisions a single-track railway line with provisions for future electrification. Maximum operating speeds are set at up to 120 km/h for passenger trains and up to 90 km/h for freight trains.

To support construction in remote regions, temporary roads, power lines, concrete plants, testing laboratories, storage facilities, and construction camps have already been set up.

Tunneling remains one of the most demanding technical stages of the project. Work is active across 26 sites, where 13.5 kilometers of main tunnel excavations—about 13% of the total volume—have been completed. Auxiliary adits are simultaneously under construction across 12 sites, with over half of the planned 24.4 kilometers completed.

Track bed preparation is advancing in parallel, with active operations on 83 of the 107 designated construction sections. Approximately 19.6 million cubic meters of earthworks out of the targeted 56.1 million cubic meters have been carried out.

Bridge construction is also moving forward. Work has begun on 38 of the 50 planned bridges, which will span a combined length of 15.18 kilometers. Workers have driven 2,398 foundation piles, completed pile cap concreting on 191 piers, and fully erected 65 pier columns.

The project scope also encompasses building the Torugart, Makmal, and Jalal-Abad stations, alongside 20 additional railway stations.

A key centerpiece of the line will be Makmal station, which is being developed into a transport and logistics hub featuring cargo terminals, storage facilities, and industrial service yards.

Once completed, the new line will offer a significantly shorter overland route between China and Central Asia.

For Uzbekistan, the project will unlock substantial opportunities to strengthen transit potential, scale up freight traffic volumes, and expand international transport links.