The official construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will begin on 27 December, president of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov announced during the third National kurultai (Congress) on 20 December.
According to Japarov, the project had been “shelved for decades”. “When we initiated this project, many doubted its feasibility, considering it a fanciful idea. However, today, you are all witnesses to its realization. This railway will serve as a strategic bridge connecting East and West,” Japarov stated.
Dubbed the “project of the century,” the railway is expected to unlock new opportunities for trade, tourism and industry, he added.
At the ceremony, an investment agreement was signed for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the railway.
The agreement was signed by Kyrgyzstan’s minister of transport and communications Absattar Syrgabayev and chairperson of Joint Railway Company Zhong Shenggui. The event was also attended by Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Saidikram Niyazkhodzhaev.
General director of the Kyrgyzstan’s state railway company Kyrgyz Temir Jolu Azamat Sakiyev in June stated that the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway was expected to take approximately six years to complete.
Project overview
The railway project, which aims to connect China with Central Asia, was under discussion for nearly 25 years. Several route options were considered, including a line from China through Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey. Key delays stemmed from disagreements over the track gauge, construction costs and challenging mountainous terrain along the proposed route. The selected route Kashgar — Torugart — Makmal — Jalal-Abad — Andijan is expected to reduce dependence on Russia and Kazakhstan for regional transport.
According to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport, the project will enhance trade and transportation routes from China through Uzbekistan to Turkey, Europe and the Persian Gulf countries.
Route presented by Uzbekistan 24 TV channel in December 2022.
The railway will span 486 kilometers, with approximately 312 kilometers passing through Kyrgyzstan. Construction in Kyrgyzstan will involve 18 railway stations, 81 bridges and 41 tunnels, spanning a combined length of over 120 kilometers.
Azamat Sakiнev noted that the railway would have two track gauges: 1,435 mm (China's standard) for the 165.5-kilometer section from the Chinese border to Makmal station and 1,520 mm (the standard used in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan) for the 146.2-kilometer section from Makmal to Jalal-Abad.
The Makmal station will serve as a key hub for cargo reformation, sorting and weighing. By 2035, the railway’s annual freight capacity is projected to reach 5 million tons, with transit accounting for over half of the volume, Spot news agency reported.
Under the terms of the agreement, China will hold a 51% stake in the joint venture, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will each hold 24.5%.
In an interview with Gazeta.uz in summer, a representative from the Ministry of Transport confirmed these shares. The joint venture was established by China’s China Railway International, Kyrgyz Temir Jolu and O‘zbekiston Temir Yo‘llari. Kyrgyzstan allocated 11 billion soms (approximately $130.5 million) in its budget for the project.
“The railway’s construction within China will be fully funded by the Chinese government, which will also support works in Kyrgyzstan. In Uzbekistan, approximately 10 kilometers of tracks will be built to connect to the broader project,” the representative stated.
The project is estimated to cost $4.7 billion, with funding split between participating countries based on their shares in the joint venture. China will contribute $1.18 billion, Kyrgyzstan $700 million and Uzbekistan $573 million.
Additionally, China will provide a non-commercial loan of $2.35 billion, with ongoing negotiations involving the Export-Import Bank of China and the National Bank of China.
In July, president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved allocation of $255 million to the project’s charter capital, with $14 million earmarked for disbursement by the end of this year.
In June, governments of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China signed a trilateral cooperation agreement to advance the railway project.
