Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Increase Railway Transport Volume to 60 Million Tons

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In line with the directives of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to expand the country’s transit potential and raise transit transport volumes to 55 million tons, a meeting was held between the Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan and the Minister of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

During the talks, the prospects for further development of cooperation in the railway sector were discussed.

Both sides emphasized the strategic importance of railway connections between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, noting their key role in strengthening trade and economic ties, developing international transit, and advancing regional transport integration. Particular attention was paid to the potential for increasing transport volumes and improving the efficiency of logistics routes.

By the end of 2025, the volume of railway shipments between the two countries reached 32.3 million tons, representing a 16% increase compared to 2024.

To ensure sustainable growth and achieve the agreed capacity targets, a Joint Action Plan was developed. It provides for infrastructure development at the Saryagash, Oasis, and Syrdarya junctions, as well as the completion of key projects, including the Darbaza–Maktaral section.

Specifically, up to 36 train pairs currently pass through the Saryagash junction daily, with plans to increase this to 40; through Oasis, from 2 to 10 pairs; and through Syrdarya, up to 10 pairs after the Darbaza–Maktaral section becomes operational.

The meeting also addressed the synchronization of infrastructure and maintenance works, improvement of control procedures, optimization of operational coordination, and overall enhancement of the transport process.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties confirmed their mutual interest in further expanding cooperation and creating conditions for the steady growth of railway transport volumes between the two countries.