New Railway Line to Connect Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan by 2027

Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) has shared details concerning the construction of a major new railway connection with Uzbekistan, set to open in 2027, Orda reports.

The 203-kilometer project, valued at 286 billion tenge ($545.8 million), will create an alternative route to the busy Saryagash-Tashkent line.

Construction began in November 2023, with about half of the track already laid.

The new Darbaza-Maktaaral line will serve a dual purpose: enhancing international freight capacity while connecting the remote Maktaaral and Zhetysay districts of Kazakhstan's Turkestan region to the national rail network.

The railway will be built in two phases: first, the Erdaut-Maktaaral line extending to Uzbekistan's Syrdarya station, followed by a branch line from Zhetysay to the Uzbek border.

The project is being implemented under President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev's directive to enhance the country's transport infrastructure.

The new route should also bolster transit via Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan while relieving congestion on the overloaded Saryagash-Tashkent section.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan agreed in April 2024 to establish a joint railway venture, with both countries sharing cargo terminal access for Chinese-bound freight.