Uzbekistan and Russia Discuss Trans-Afghan Railway Project

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 1 April, during the International Transport and Logistics Forum in Saint Petersburg, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport, Ilkhom Makhkamov, met with his Russian counterpart, Andrey Nikitin, to discuss key aspects of bilateral transport cooperation.

In 2025, Uzbekistan’s railway sector recorded a 19.3% increase in freight transport, reaching 8.6 million tons. In January 2026, freight volumes grew over 40%, totaling 888.7 thousand tons. Passenger transport rose 15.4% last year to approximately 109 thousand travelers, with January figures reaching 6,266 passengers, up 12.4%.

Air transport also showed positive dynamics: passenger traffic exceeded 2 million in 2025, and more than 196 thousand in January 2026. In road transport, preliminary exchanges of 6,000 permits for transit to and from third countries were conducted.

During the meeting, the ministers discussed the Trans-Afghan railway project, emphasizing its importance for regional transport infrastructure development. They also explored cooperation on the use of an aviation service platform for exchanging operational messages among airlines, airports, and other industry participants.

Uzbekistan’s trade with Russia grew 8.4% in 2025, reaching US$12.98 billion, second only to China in terms of trade volume.